The Oxford comma is one of the most debated concepts in the English language, even for those who do not know what it is. Commas in general are not my strong point, mostly because my grasp of grammar is instinctive rather than rule-oriented. I have gotten much better over the years, but I still rely on grammar checkers and proofreaders to detect when I’m using them incorrectly. The Oxford comma, however, is one of those things that is usually cut…
Recently I came across an article with a list of the origins behind common sayings, which sparked my interest in such things. I went and did some further research and came up with a number of such sayings that I thought I would share. This list is (of course) in no way comprehensive but I hope you enjoy them! Ever wonder why poor people are called “piss poor?” The saying originates from the practice of using urine to tan animal…
No, this post is not what you might think it is! As a writer of historical fiction, I often have occasion to look up various sayings, idioms, and proverbs, which has led me to learn some interesting things about our language. I thought it would be interesting to dissect some of these saying occasionally to learn where they come from. The first I thought I would tackle is “the enemy of my enemy is my friend.” As a definition, this…