ArcaMax

On my desk I keep a list of tiny quirks of spelling, usage and meaning that often bedevil me. Perhaps my eclectic compilation will come in handy for you as well:

-- Katharine Hepburn, not Katherine

-- Smokey Bear, not Smokey the Bear or Smoky Bear

-- Frederick Douglass (abolitionist), Stephen Douglas (U.S. Senator)

-- Woman's Christian Temperance Union, not Women's

-- SOS (distress signal); soap pad S.O.S (no final period)

-- temblor for earthquake, not trembler

-- Barbra Streisand, not Barbara

-- buses (vehicles); busses (kisses)

-- duffel bag, not duffle bag

-- mantel over fireplace, not mantle

-- restaurateur (no "n")

-- A.D. precedes the date (A.D. 44); B.C. follows the date (44 B.C.).

-- Chief Justice of the United States, not Chief Justice of the Supreme Court

-- "Moby-Dick" (title of Herman Melville's novel); Moby Dick (the whale itself, no hyphen)

-- Down Syndrome, not Down's Syndrome

-- Canada goose, not Canadian goose

-- daylight saving time, not daylight savings time

-- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, not Center

-- Love's Labour's Lost (Shakespeare play). Means that love's labour is lost, as opposed to won.

-- cement vs. concrete: The former is the powder mixed with water and sand or gravel to make concrete.

-- impresario, not impressario

-- Kriss Kringle, not Kris or Chris

-- whiskey, except for Scotch whisky

-- bologna (sausage); baloney (nonsense)

-- RBI: Its plural is RBI (no "s") because it stands for "runs batted in," not "run batted ins."

-- goodbye, not goodby

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Rob Kyff, a teacher and writer in West Hartford, Conn., invites your language sightings. His book, "Mark My Words," is available for $9.99 on Amazon.com. Send your reports of misuse and abuse, as well as examples of good writing, via e-mail to Wordguy@aol.com or by regular mail to Rob Kyff, Creators Syndicate, 737 3rd Street, Hermosa Beach, CA 90254.

Copyright 2026 Creators Syndicate Inc.