Dennis Baron
@drgrammar.bsky.social
I write about language and … language and law (free speech and regulation); gender (pronouns!); tech (how tech affects readers and writers); language reform; and language policing. All from a historical perspective.
So bankbooks are obsolete, 🐝?
November 14, 2025 at 7:00 PM
So bankbooks are obsolete, 🐝?
The question is moot.
November 6, 2025 at 8:29 PM
The question is moot.
Cry the spilt milk. Le Figaro quiz testing the equivalence of English and French idioms, great but maybe first get the English right?
November 5, 2025 at 12:25 AM
Cry the spilt milk. Le Figaro quiz testing the equivalence of English and French idioms, great but maybe first get the English right?
Two views of the University of Chicago . . .
November 4, 2025 at 3:40 AM
Two views of the University of Chicago . . .
It's the stuff concrete poems are made from.
November 2, 2025 at 3:49 PM
It's the stuff concrete poems are made from.
Video capture of the Böcker Agilo descending with two thieves and the loot.
October 23, 2025 at 11:14 PM
Video capture of the Böcker Agilo descending with two thieves and the loot.
The Böcker Agilo is the perfect gift for the jewel thieves on your list.
October 22, 2025 at 7:40 PM
The Böcker Agilo is the perfect gift for the jewel thieves on your list.
Now that I've had time to check here's what I wrote back in 1990. BTW, in a conference talk I gave about this in the 1980s, session chair John Algeo, who was then editor of American Speech, changed my title from "A historic..." to "An historic." Which only goes to show how entrenched this was.
October 14, 2025 at 3:40 PM
Now that I've had time to check here's what I wrote back in 1990. BTW, in a conference talk I gave about this in the 1980s, session chair John Algeo, who was then editor of American Speech, changed my title from "A historic..." to "An historic." Which only goes to show how entrenched this was.
The euro sausage strikes again...
October 7, 2025 at 9:47 PM
The euro sausage strikes again...
5 across No visa for you, Paul.
October 1, 2025 at 2:30 AM
5 across No visa for you, Paul.
Waiting to see if last night's rain means fish might be back ....
September 24, 2025 at 10:46 PM
Waiting to see if last night's rain means fish might be back ....
That's ok, 🐝, I can wait.
September 22, 2025 at 1:52 PM
That's ok, 🐝, I can wait.
Xword first ran in the New York Times on July 23, 1951, p. 15. h/t Ben Zimmer.
September 17, 2025 at 6:24 PM
Xword first ran in the New York Times on July 23, 1951, p. 15. h/t Ben Zimmer.
And this earlier crossword, from the Brooklyn Eagle in 1930, asks readers for three, count 'em, three, genderless pronouns.
September 17, 2025 at 4:29 PM
And this earlier crossword, from the Brooklyn Eagle in 1930, asks readers for three, count 'em, three, genderless pronouns.
Pronouns in the news, 1955 edition: The clue for 27 across, "proposed third-person genderless pronoun," assumes that at least some solvers will be familiar with "thon."
September 17, 2025 at 4:29 PM
Pronouns in the news, 1955 edition: The clue for 27 across, "proposed third-person genderless pronoun," assumes that at least some solvers will be familiar with "thon."
🐝 the speardanes would like a word...
September 15, 2025 at 10:24 PM
🐝 the speardanes would like a word...
Pronouns in the news, 1869 edition: San Francisco Woman Suffrage Society votes on use of generic "she" to refer to men who join. When that proposal failed, the group settled on "he or she." SF Chronicle, Dec. 26, p. 1.
September 11, 2025 at 5:55 PM
Pronouns in the news, 1869 edition: San Francisco Woman Suffrage Society votes on use of generic "she" to refer to men who join. When that proposal failed, the group settled on "he or she." SF Chronicle, Dec. 26, p. 1.
A particularly photogenic coffee at Plein Air Café
September 10, 2025 at 10:53 PM
A particularly photogenic coffee at Plein Air Café
My review of King & Conqueror: Wait for the tapestry.
September 4, 2025 at 6:18 PM
My review of King & Conqueror: Wait for the tapestry.
even without bollocks!
September 3, 2025 at 12:30 AM
even without bollocks!
I get better hate mail than you do.
September 2, 2025 at 4:03 PM
I get better hate mail than you do.
After defining a sandwich (is a hot dog a sandwich? a taco? a blintz?) we must then determine whether a sandwich is a weapon.
August 16, 2025 at 3:39 PM
After defining a sandwich (is a hot dog a sandwich? a taco? a blintz?) we must then determine whether a sandwich is a weapon.
How not to correct anyone's pronouns and verbs, 1923 edition: 'His'n' is not English;; 'took' adds nothing to the hitting. Uh . . . [San Francisco Call and Post, Sept. 19, p. 14.]
August 16, 2025 at 2:32 PM
How not to correct anyone's pronouns and verbs, 1923 edition: 'His'n' is not English;; 'took' adds nothing to the hitting. Uh . . . [San Francisco Call and Post, Sept. 19, p. 14.]
So BBC "culture" lists the best "fiction novels"--but what if I want some other kind of novel?
August 14, 2025 at 10:31 PM
So BBC "culture" lists the best "fiction novels"--but what if I want some other kind of novel?