Mignon Fogarty
@grammargirl.bsky.social
Grammar Girl. Podcaster. Author of seven books about language. Quick and Dirty Tips founder. Bad skier. she/her http://linktr.ee/grammargirl
#AmWriting The 12/23 GG podcast
#AmReading Spinning Silver (Novik)
#AmWriting The 12/23 GG podcast
#AmReading Spinning Silver (Novik)
Areas of Tukwila, Kent, and Renton are under GO NOW evacuation notice. (This is around where I grew up.)
Dam break at the Green River levee.
komonews.com/news/local/f...
Tukwila, Kent, Renton
(Includes the IKEA.)
komonews.com/news/local/f...
Tukwila, Kent, Renton
(Includes the IKEA.)
GO NOW: Flash flood warning issued for Tukwila area after Green River levee failure
The National Weather Service in Seattle has issued a flash flood warning for west central King County, Washington, following the failure of the Green River Leve
komonews.com
December 15, 2025 at 9:51 PM
Areas of Tukwila, Kent, and Renton are under GO NOW evacuation notice. (This is around where I grew up.)
I had missed that @jesszafarris.bsky.social‘s piece about “slop” is live. Great, as always. She has the history!
December 15, 2025 at 6:02 PM
I had missed that @jesszafarris.bsky.social‘s piece about “slop” is live. Great, as always. She has the history!
I'm relieved @merriam-webster.com chose "slop" as the word of the year!
I recorded a WOTY episode Friday with @jesszafarris.bsky.social and @linguisticdiscovery.com, and M-W hadn't made its choice yet. But The Economist & Macquarie Dictionary had already chosen "slop," so it's in the show.
I recorded a WOTY episode Friday with @jesszafarris.bsky.social and @linguisticdiscovery.com, and M-W hadn't made its choice yet. But The Economist & Macquarie Dictionary had already chosen "slop," so it's in the show.
December 15, 2025 at 4:54 PM
I'm relieved @merriam-webster.com chose "slop" as the word of the year!
I recorded a WOTY episode Friday with @jesszafarris.bsky.social and @linguisticdiscovery.com, and M-W hadn't made its choice yet. But The Economist & Macquarie Dictionary had already chosen "slop," so it's in the show.
I recorded a WOTY episode Friday with @jesszafarris.bsky.social and @linguisticdiscovery.com, and M-W hadn't made its choice yet. But The Economist & Macquarie Dictionary had already chosen "slop," so it's in the show.
Reposted by Mignon Fogarty
I haven't checked recently, but about four months ago, my local library had free COVID tests.
Holiday gathering reminder 🎁
If your guests test w/rapids twice before the event, 48 hours apart, it’ll catch 63% of Covid cases even if they have no symptoms. Testing 3x improves that to 79%!
This is how we curb the annual January surge that gave me Long Covid—thanks for protecting yr community 🤍
If your guests test w/rapids twice before the event, 48 hours apart, it’ll catch 63% of Covid cases even if they have no symptoms. Testing 3x improves that to 79%!
This is how we curb the annual January surge that gave me Long Covid—thanks for protecting yr community 🤍
Study Examines Performance of Serial COVID Testing - News Center
Testing performance of rapid antigen tests for SARS-CoV-2 improved for both asymptomatic and symptomatic patients after testing multiple times in 48-hour intervals, according to findings published in ...
news.feinberg.northwestern.edu
December 15, 2025 at 1:49 AM
I haven't checked recently, but about four months ago, my local library had free COVID tests.
Check out Samuel Johnson's handwriting on this digitized piece from Houghton Library. It's swooshier than I would have expected!
iiif.lib.harvard.edu/manifests/vi...
iiif.lib.harvard.edu/manifests/vi...
December 14, 2025 at 11:45 PM
Check out Samuel Johnson's handwriting on this digitized piece from Houghton Library. It's swooshier than I would have expected!
iiif.lib.harvard.edu/manifests/vi...
iiif.lib.harvard.edu/manifests/vi...
Listening to Pink Floyd, drinking tea, and reading about rare books. 🥰
December 14, 2025 at 11:24 PM
Listening to Pink Floyd, drinking tea, and reading about rare books. 🥰
Reposted by Mignon Fogarty
It is only today that I learned that yuppies is an acronym for “Young Urban Professional" and that it first emerged in 1980. I truly had no idea and that, my friends, is the magic of sharing a good word etymology at your next holiday party.
December 13, 2025 at 8:37 PM
It is only today that I learned that yuppies is an acronym for “Young Urban Professional" and that it first emerged in 1980. I truly had no idea and that, my friends, is the magic of sharing a good word etymology at your next holiday party.
Our premiums are going up $1,500 per month.
There is no real Republican plan on health care.
Giving folks a one-time payment of $1,500 isn’t enough – it’ll only cover a fraction of the skyrocketing premiums Republicans are unleashing on Americans.
Giving folks a one-time payment of $1,500 isn’t enough – it’ll only cover a fraction of the skyrocketing premiums Republicans are unleashing on Americans.
December 13, 2025 at 4:32 PM
Our premiums are going up $1,500 per month.
Reposted by Mignon Fogarty
Curious how the word you voted for measured up to others? Check out the results! It was a close race; “maplewashing” just narrowly beat out the popular runner-up, “elbows up,” 33.8% to 31.3%.
December 13, 2025 at 12:51 AM
Curious how the word you voted for measured up to others? Check out the results! It was a close race; “maplewashing” just narrowly beat out the popular runner-up, “elbows up,” 33.8% to 31.3%.
Reposted by Mignon Fogarty
Attention northern word nerds: The very first Canadian Word of the Year is MAPLEWASHING!
And the results are in! After carefully reviewing the results of a national poll the Board of Directors of the Society for Canadian English (SCE) has determined that this year’s Canadian Word of the Year (CWOTY), the first of its kind, will be “maplewashing.”
December 13, 2025 at 12:56 AM
Attention northern word nerds: The very first Canadian Word of the Year is MAPLEWASHING!
When Stefan Fatsis wrote the definition for "sheeple" for @merriam-webster.com, it generated backlash — but not from who you'd think! @stefanfatsis.bsky.social told me all about it and more when we discussed his new book, "Unabridged."
🎧 APPLE: tinyurl.com/262fytb3
🎧 SPOTIFY: tinyurl.com/29p6qgnq
🎧 APPLE: tinyurl.com/262fytb3
🎧 SPOTIFY: tinyurl.com/29p6qgnq
December 12, 2025 at 7:18 PM
When Stefan Fatsis wrote the definition for "sheeple" for @merriam-webster.com, it generated backlash — but not from who you'd think! @stefanfatsis.bsky.social told me all about it and more when we discussed his new book, "Unabridged."
🎧 APPLE: tinyurl.com/262fytb3
🎧 SPOTIFY: tinyurl.com/29p6qgnq
🎧 APPLE: tinyurl.com/262fytb3
🎧 SPOTIFY: tinyurl.com/29p6qgnq
Happy Pluribus Day to all who celebrate.
December 12, 2025 at 2:37 AM
Happy Pluribus Day to all who celebrate.
Reposted by Mignon Fogarty
Very sad to hear the news about John Varley. I didn't get to work with him much, but here's an amazing email he once sent us at Lightspeed about why he didn't like to read or discuss his own work.
I've saved this for a long time because I enjoyed it so much.
I've saved this for a long time because I enjoyed it so much.
December 11, 2025 at 6:17 PM
Very sad to hear the news about John Varley. I didn't get to work with him much, but here's an amazing email he once sent us at Lightspeed about why he didn't like to read or discuss his own work.
I've saved this for a long time because I enjoyed it so much.
I've saved this for a long time because I enjoyed it so much.
📚 📚 📚 I'm super excited to finally be able to tell you about my new Patreon and how you can get an AMAZING list of 100 books my podcast guests recommended over the last year.
As I was editing the list, I just want to move to an island and read for the rest of my life. 1/6
As I was editing the list, I just want to move to an island and read for the rest of my life. 1/6
December 11, 2025 at 7:25 PM
📚 📚 📚 I'm super excited to finally be able to tell you about my new Patreon and how you can get an AMAZING list of 100 books my podcast guests recommended over the last year.
As I was editing the list, I just want to move to an island and read for the rest of my life. 1/6
As I was editing the list, I just want to move to an island and read for the rest of my life. 1/6
The thing about living on the west coast and working with people on the east coast is that I often wake up to fires.
Which is to say, whew, I finally get to eat breakfast now.
Which is to say, whew, I finally get to eat breakfast now.
December 11, 2025 at 4:18 PM
The thing about living on the west coast and working with people on the east coast is that I often wake up to fires.
Which is to say, whew, I finally get to eat breakfast now.
Which is to say, whew, I finally get to eat breakfast now.
"The new monolingual Irish dictionary changes this paradigm. Instead of asking 'What's the English for X?', speakers will now be empowered to ask 'What does X mean?' in their own language.”
The first ever monolingual Irish dictionary has been launched www.rte.ie/news/ireland...
Groundbreaking monolingual Irish dictionary launched
A groundbreaking new monolingual dictionary by Foras na Gaeilge that provides people with a new way to understand, use and learn the Irish language, without relying on dictionaries in English or in ot...
www.rte.ie
December 11, 2025 at 3:30 PM
"The new monolingual Irish dictionary changes this paradigm. Instead of asking 'What's the English for X?', speakers will now be empowered to ask 'What does X mean?' in their own language.”
Congratulations to all!
The new inductees for the Podcast Hall of Fame have been announced.
Excited to see Veronica Belmont in there! She was required listening on Buzz Out Loud. Also, delighted to see not just one but TWO British people - hurray Mark Asquith!
podcasthall.com/hall-of-fame/
Excited to see Veronica Belmont in there! She was required listening on Buzz Out Loud. Also, delighted to see not just one but TWO British people - hurray Mark Asquith!
podcasthall.com/hall-of-fame/
podcasthall.com
December 11, 2025 at 4:46 AM
Congratulations to all!
Reposted by Mignon Fogarty
A brief return of the Murderbot Humble Bundle! The charity is still World Central Kitchen.
Unlock and upgrade in the Return to Metroidvania rebundle, read up on exciting Sci-Fi with Matha Wells’ Murderbot & more, and add character to your game environments with the Best of Synty 4 Game Dev Assets rebundles! https://bit.ly/4oxXmjd
December 10, 2025 at 5:15 PM
A brief return of the Murderbot Humble Bundle! The charity is still World Central Kitchen.
I'm interviewing Doug Harper soon — the creator of the Online Etymology Dictionary, affectionally known as Etymonline.
Let me know if you have any questions for him! Any etymologies you've always wondered about or favorite stories you think more people should hear?
Let me know if you have any questions for him! Any etymologies you've always wondered about or favorite stories you think more people should hear?
December 10, 2025 at 7:23 PM
I'm interviewing Doug Harper soon — the creator of the Online Etymology Dictionary, affectionally known as Etymonline.
Let me know if you have any questions for him! Any etymologies you've always wondered about or favorite stories you think more people should hear?
Let me know if you have any questions for him! Any etymologies you've always wondered about or favorite stories you think more people should hear?
Ever wonder why the man in red has so many names? St. Nick, Santa Claus, Kris Kringle — it's a miracle Rudolph isn't confused.
Santa Claus is his newest name. It comes from the Dutch Sinter Klaas, and first showed up in a late 1700s New York Gazette spelled as "St. A. Claus."
tinyurl.com/275fsfq3
Santa Claus is his newest name. It comes from the Dutch Sinter Klaas, and first showed up in a late 1700s New York Gazette spelled as "St. A. Claus."
tinyurl.com/275fsfq3
The rise of the 'hamster wheel.' The many names of Santa Claus. Unattractive turtles.
Podcast Episode · Grammar Girl Quick and Dirty Tips for Better Writing · 12/09/2025 · 14m
tinyurl.com
December 10, 2025 at 5:59 PM
Ever wonder why the man in red has so many names? St. Nick, Santa Claus, Kris Kringle — it's a miracle Rudolph isn't confused.
Santa Claus is his newest name. It comes from the Dutch Sinter Klaas, and first showed up in a late 1700s New York Gazette spelled as "St. A. Claus."
tinyurl.com/275fsfq3
Santa Claus is his newest name. It comes from the Dutch Sinter Klaas, and first showed up in a late 1700s New York Gazette spelled as "St. A. Claus."
tinyurl.com/275fsfq3
Reposted by Mignon Fogarty
Have just been reminded that my friend Christina once overheard the following in Waitrose: it’s perfect.
“Mummy, does Lego have a silent T on the end like Merlot?”
“Mummy, does Lego have a silent T on the end like Merlot?”
December 10, 2025 at 10:38 AM
Have just been reminded that my friend Christina once overheard the following in Waitrose: it’s perfect.
“Mummy, does Lego have a silent T on the end like Merlot?”
“Mummy, does Lego have a silent T on the end like Merlot?”
Reposted by Mignon Fogarty
Nothing worse than signing an email "warm regards" and getting a reply with "warmest regards". Oh, now it's ON.
"kindest regards" alright alright calm down
December 9, 2025 at 2:55 PM
Nothing worse than signing an email "warm regards" and getting a reply with "warmest regards". Oh, now it's ON.
Reposted by Mignon Fogarty
Trying out a new PCP's office, and their "preferred language" dropdown on the intake form is time-traveler inclusive.
December 8, 2025 at 8:06 PM
Trying out a new PCP's office, and their "preferred language" dropdown on the intake form is time-traveler inclusive.
Reposted by Mignon Fogarty
"LLeMmings": compulsive users of large language models
(ht @grammargirl.bsky.social)
www.theatlantic.com/technology/2...
(ht @grammargirl.bsky.social)
www.theatlantic.com/technology/2...
The People Outsourcing Their Thinking to AI
Rise of the LLeMmings
www.theatlantic.com
December 8, 2025 at 4:36 PM
"LLeMmings": compulsive users of large language models
(ht @grammargirl.bsky.social)
www.theatlantic.com/technology/2...
(ht @grammargirl.bsky.social)
www.theatlantic.com/technology/2...