Category Archives: Robert’s posts

Writing and editing for the computer screen

Posted on November 23, 2015 by Robert Basil

Lawyer and language genius Bryan Garner over at LawProse.org spells out, in typically lucid fashion, how to compose documents when you know they will be read on a computer screen rather than on paper. 1.Summarize. It’s important to learn the … Continue reading →

Posted in Robert's posts | Tagged , | Leave a comment

No Word

Posted on November 14, 2015 by Robert Basil

A friend in the media emailed me this morning: “Everyone keeps talking about hostages having been taken in Paris. Doesn’t the word ‘hostage’ imply a demand on the part of the terrorists? They made no demands; they intended all along … Continue reading →

Posted in Robert's posts | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

Ricotta / Ree-goat

Posted on November 7, 2015 by Robert Basil

In Fairport, New York, where I grew up, there were lots of Italian American families, and I had many Italian American friends (still do). I married an Italian American from Liverpool, New York, and have a son from this marriage … Continue reading →

Posted in Robert's posts | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

“Sedulous aping”

Posted on November 6, 2015 by Robert Basil

 “Memory” – or memoria – is one of the five canons of classical rhetoric. Write Brett and Kate McKay in their excellent blog “The Art of Manliness”: Anciently, almost all rhetorical communication was done orally in the public forum. Ancient … Continue reading →

Posted in Robert's posts | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

“Epic translation success”

Posted on November 6, 2015 by Robert Basil

Read more at the always alert, amusing, and erudite Language Log.

Posted in Robert's posts | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

What would be on *your* “shadow CV”?

Posted on October 28, 2015 by Robert Basil

Regarding Devoney Looser’s ‘Chronicle of Higher Education’ article “Me and My Shadow CV: What would my vita look like if it recorded not just the success of my professional life but also the many, many rejections?” my friend Jonathan Mayhew … Continue reading →

Posted in Robert's posts | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

Where the three dots came from …

Posted on October 21, 2015 by Robert Basil

In a recent piece in The Guardian, “Unfinished story … how the ellipsis arrived in English literature,” Alison Flood describes the work of Cambridge University professor Anne Toner, who locates the origin of the ellipsis – “the mark of incomplete … Continue reading →

Posted in Robert's posts | Tagged , | Leave a comment

New Sophos series: “What is …?”

Posted on October 19, 2015 by Robert Basil

Sophos, the esteemed network-security company, is starting a new series on its always erudite blog. It is called “What Is …,” and it promises to turn “technical jargon into plain English.” The inaugural post, written by Paul Ducklin, is called … Continue reading →

Posted in Robert's posts | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

Free musical scores

Posted on October 11, 2015 by Robert Basil

I prefer my classical-piano sheet music to be professionally edited, published, and printed. I like the help with fingering editors provide, and I like big easy-to-read pages in front of me. When I am experimenting with new (to me) composers, … Continue reading →

Posted in Robert's posts | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

Foreign loanwords in transition: What should they look like?

Posted on October 10, 2015 by Robert Basil

You might be surprised how often this comes up for professional writers and editors. Bryan Garner, the ace lawyer & editor & language authority, explains: The more arcane or technical a loanword, the more likely it is to retain a … Continue reading →

Posted in Robert's posts | Tagged | Leave a comment