Spectacular Vernacular

Why would I decide on such a simple word for this week’s Spectacular Vernacular? It’s the etymology that caught my attention.

Watching Asheville city leaders explain how 40,000 citizens can go without water for days raised my curiosity on the word feckless.

Writer Sylvia Wright loved the character of Lady Mondegreen so much that she refused to accept she never existed.

Nothing makes holiday gatherings better than useless knowledge to share over drinks, like what exactly is the nog in eggnog.

After a week of rain and dreary conditions, I’m ready for this normally evanescent weather to morph into some sunshine.

People who employ sophistry use facts, figures, and logic skills, so their conclusions must be correct, right?

Don’t worry about this one. You may not know this week’s vocabulary word, litotes, but the literary device is not uncommon.

Pumpernickel is a common type of bread, but the reason it qualifies for a Spectacular Vernacular segment is the etymology is a real gas.

Elisions can be formal and poetic or found in informal everyday speech, so I’m tryin’ to give examples in today’s vocabulary post.

Catercorner is an older version of a more common word that has a convoluted history to explain a modern meaning.

Even if you’ve known the name of these common security devices, did you know where the word comes from?

Warning: The week’s vocabulary explanation may not be quite as satisfying as you hope. In fact, it might leave you hankering for more.