Words That Should Get a Divorce (One in an occasional series on words whose relationships have grown tired)
fell and swoop
Really, are there no other kinds of swoops? Must every swoop be "fell" (which means savage, cruel, or fierce)? Is there no other kind of swoop? Couldn't you have a robust swoop, a thorough swoop, hell, a happy swoop? How about a swift swoop? A comical swoop? A no-nonsense swoop? A dizzying swoop? A waggish swoop? A mirthful swoop? A snooping swoop? A plain-vanilla swoop?
How about a barbarous swoop?
And why must fell swoops only come in quantities on one? Couldn't you accomplish something important in two fell swoops? Or would that suck the fellness right out of them?
Keywords:
About June
June Casagrande was born in March and lives in a small house. She wrote a grammar/humor book called "Mortal Syntax" and, before that, one called "Grammar Snobs Are Great Big Meanies." She sincerely hopes you buy a million copies of each.
Connections
Causes June Casagrande Supports
Planned Parenthood, ClimateCrisis.net, the Richard Dawkins Foundation, Pet Orphans of Southern California, KIVA
How bout a swell foop?
How bout a swell foop?
The problem is ..
... he's not quite as swell as he thinks he is.
HA!
Never thought about this marriage.
Be glad you never thought about it.
This is what it's like in my head all the time. Trust me, you're better off NOT thinking about this stuff.
By the way
I've begun my kid's story, "Shelby the Selfish Shellfish" about a crabby crab. I figured I should write a story that nobody could possibly pronounce. Mothers are going to love me for this one.
However, I restrained myself from including the world's worst tonguetwister:
"The Witch's Swiss Wristwatch."
Then again....maybe I should. :)
Eric the sadist.
I love to say, "You're being shellfish."
Makes every personal attack just a little bit delicious.
Anyway, I'm glad you're writing about Shelby. So much better than Ed the Egotistical Egret. (Or Norm the Narcissistic Gnu.)
Flailing and Falling from Eric's Fell Swoops
Eric--You could have destroyed mothers in one fell swoop with "The Witch's Swiss Wristwatch." It may take two fell swoops with "Shelby the Selfish Shellfish."