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How to Avoid Redundant Phrases: Two Words Are Not Better Than OneHow to Avoid Redundant Phrases: Two Words Are Not Better Than One

Some phrases exude redundancy and illogic. I sometimes wonder if people think, “If one word is good, two is better – if I say it twice, people will be sure to understand me.” In refuting this view, I quote Thomas Jefferson, who said, “Never use two words when one will do.” Here is a partial

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After a Period, One Space or Two?

In a recent blog post, Farhad Manjoo, technology columnist for Slate.com, derided the use of two spaces after periods. He maintains that contemporary typographers require only one space after a period. He attributes the two-space rule to the vagaries of old-fashioned typewriters, which did not use proportional spacing for different-sized letters. The two spaces were

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Commonly Misused Words 3: Wisdom from 1922

Here are a few more fine distinctions from the 1922 pamphlet S.O.S. Slips of Speech by Frank H. Vizetelly, Litt.D., L.L.D. 1. Hypercritical/Hypocritical Hypercritical means overly or excessively critical. Hypocritical signifies deceptive, sham, for hypocrisy is false pretense 2. Idea/Opinion Idea implies something undetermined in the mind; Opinion is formed after deduction or reflection and

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