by Butch Mazzuca | Feb 7, 2015 | Fun With Language
When I was younger the study of words seemed an academic endeavor, if not downright boring. But an experience I had in Vietnam that changed all that. Early during my tour in country I began feeling discomfort with one of my wisdom teeth. As it turned out, it was... Read More
by Butch Mazzuca | Jul 4, 2012 | Fun With Language
Visitors to the Vail Valley should be aware that even if you’re in great physical shape, it’s no guarantee against developing altitude sickness. Even if you’ve been here without symptoms in the past, it’s no guarantee against getting sick now. The reality is that... Read More
by Butch Mazzuca | Nov 6, 2006 | Fun With Language
A metaphor is a direct comparison between two or more seemingly unrelated subjects, a subset of analogy and closely related to other rhetorical concepts such as comparison, simile, allegory and parable. But the reason most of us enjoy using metaphors, is because they... Read More
by Butch Mazzuca | Jul 6, 2006 | Fun With Language
Have you ever wondered where some of our lexicon’s more unusual terms and expressions originated? Recently I overheard someone use a word my Mother (God rest her soul) uttered just about every day while I was growing up. The word was whatchamacallit, as in “Butch,... Read More
by Butch Mazzuca | Oct 4, 2005 | Fun With Language
Have you ever wondered about the origin of old sayings or how they worked their way into the lexicon? Just for fun I thought I’d take the time to examine a few that are in common use today. Don’t throw the baby out with the bathwater. Meaning—Hang on to valuable... Read More
by Butch Mazzuca | Nov 12, 2002 | Fun With Language
It can be argued that English is the richest of all the world’s languages. If nothing else, it certainly has the most words. Scholar’s estimate that our language now has in excess of 500,000 words or word forms—excluding technical and scientific words, which add... Read More
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