Minuscule or Miniscule?

• Minuscule means very small.
• Miniscule is a newer spelling, probably derived from the prefix mini-.
• Many feel that miniscule is a misspelling, but it occurs so frequently that it appears as a variant spelling in some dictionaries.

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When talking about things that are small, people use the word mini. For example, a small, short skirt is a miniskirt. A minirecession is a recession with a lesser impact than a full recession. But minus also means less. How confusing! Which is correct—minuscule or miniscule?

First, let’s look for a definition. One dictionary defines minuscule as very small. Therefore, you can rest assured that minuscule is a legitimate spelling. Here are a few examples in print:

We all tell little lies about ourselves, our past, our presents. We think some of them are minuscule, unimportant, and others, large and incriminating. ━Sarah McCoy, The Baker’s Daughter

Those levels, however, are minuscule compared to uranium concentrations found in uranium ore, according to scientists with the U.S. Geological Survey. ━Arizona Daily Sun

What about miniscule? If you search for miniscule on Dictionary.com, you will find it defined as minuscule. According to this source, it’s an alternative spelling. However, the usage note cautions: “Although this newer spelling is criticized by many, it occurs with such frequency in edited writing that some consider it a variant spelling rather than a misspelling.” According to Merriam-Webster’s Dictionary of English Usage, the first instance of miniscule appeared at the end of the nineteenth century. However, it didn’t become popular “in edited prose” until the 1940s. Let’s look and see how writers use miniscule:

The facts show that miniscule insect fragments were discovered in the butter. . . ━Neal D. Fortin, Food Regulation: Law, Science, Policy, and Practice

“Madonna is one of a miniscule number of super-artists whose influence and career transcend music,” said Janice Min, president and chief creative officer of The Hollywood Reporter-Billboard Media Group. ━NewsTalk.com

Primary English: Extending Knowledge in Practice reports that dictionaries began accepting miniscule during the later years of the twentieth century. It isn’t nearly as popular as minuscule, and some people just don’t like it. How about you? Will you use minuscule or miniscule?

Scrabble Day the Writers’ Way

Scrabble enthusiasts have a lot to look forward to as April 13 – Scrabble Day – approaches. Scrabble, which involves forming words with a set number of lettered tiles on a grid-like game board, is one of the most popular word games in the world. It is available in 29 languages, and has become a household name for families and word enthusiasts everywhere.

For grammarians, playing Scrabble can be a fun way to enhance creativity and polish your spelling. It can also, interestingly enough, help to improve your writing. Here’s how:

Spelling

The goal in Scrabble is to use as many lettered tiles as you can to form words, and to gain points by using less common letters (which are worth more points). Not only does this stretch a writer’s vocabulary, but it helps you to think outside the box in creating words that are uncommon and/or more advanced than you may typically think to write. This aspect of Scrabble makes it a great learning tool for both professional writers and student writers. There are also a variety of ways you can bend the rules of the game to encourage spelling prowess. Wikihow.com explains some of the ways you can change the game to help teach spelling in this article.

Flow

When we write English, we construct sentences from left to right and stack our sentences downward. Similarly, Scrabble words are formed from left to right, and flow downward in columns. If even subconsciously, the act of forming words in this manner helps even novice writers to improve their writing skills. By practicing the motion of moving from left to right and then downwards with words, our brain learns not to waste energy on such structural functions because it is already familiar with them.

Creativity

Scrabble rewards the rarity of words and letters. By ranking tiles based on frequency in the English language, the player with the greatest ability to think up uncommon words is often the victor. By thinking of rare words, the Scrabble player is unconsciously developing his or her ability to come up with synonyms (words with the same or similar meanings) on the fly. One important skill among writers is the ability to state things in the most creative terms possible; our work can be enriched using infrequent phrasing and unique synonyms.

Convention

Scrabble teaches us to use specific language. As languages change over time, we tend to incorporate slang into our everyday life – just take a look at urbandictionary.com to get a taste of the immense amount of slang that we use every day. But Scrabble only allows players to form words that can be found in the standard dictionary. While slang is not off limits in writing, practicing official words and definitions can help writers make their work more universally understandable.

Keep in mind that definitions are always being added to the dictionary. Take a look at this list of new dictionary words that Grammarly published in 2012.

Collaboration

In playing Scrabble together, we have the opportunity to take a step away from the television and familiarize ourselves with the simple act of communication. This invariably helps us grow as writers. Much like a writers’ group, Scrabble engenders an atmosphere of competition and creative dispute.

“That’s not a real word!”

“You don’t spell that with a ‘w’.”

So the next time you find yourself sitting down with friends or family to play the popular game of Scrabble, remember to take the time to fully absorb the lessons it has to teach. If you’re a teacher, lighten the mood in your classroom by bringing out the Scrabble board. If you’re an author, give your eyes a break and bust out Scrabble to help give your brain a stretch.

If you’re just looking for something interesting to do, train yourself to be a Scrabble expert – and know that you’re both entertaining and teaching yourself at the same time!

What was your highest Scrabble score? Let us know in the comments!

Who Is Your Literary “Father Figure?”

What does it mean to be a father? Dads approach fatherhood in a variety of ways, from overbearing to “wrapped around your little finger,” and everything in between. There’s no formula for the perfect father, but there are some commonalities among father figures in literature that make the concept of fatherhood a powerful one.

In honor of Father’s Day, here are six father figures in literature. Which reminds you of your own father?

King Lear, The “Prideful” Father

The life of the title character in Shakespeare’s King Lear is shaped by his three daughters. When it comes time for him to step down from the throne in his old age, King Lear makes a drastic mistake. Instead of dividing his empire evenly among his three daughters, a final deceit causes him to disown Cordelia. Unfortunately, King Lear doesn’t realize that Cordelia loved him most until it’s too late. Despite this tragic choice, King Lear’s powerful love for his daughters defines his life.

Mr. Bennet, The “Protective” Father

Mr. Bennet may not be the richest character in Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice, but what makes him a memorable father is the constant care and empathy that he shows for his daughters. Given the Bennet family’s financial situation, he feels pressure to marry his daughters off, but instead of focusing on money he keeps his children’s best interests in mind. Throughout the novel, it’s clear how much Mr. Bennet admires his daughter Lizzy, in particular, in the way he uses both his wisdom and humor to guide her through difficult life decisions.

Bob Cratchit, The “Optimistic” Father

The majority of Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol focuses on the eternally grumpy Ebeneezer Scrooge and the unfortunate Tiny Tim. The unsung hero here, however, is Tiny Tim’s father, Bob Cratchit. As Scrooge’s employee, Cratchit can’t see much light at the end of the tunnel, and he is perpetually kept cold and underpaid. Instead of giving up, Cratchit makes the best of the situation and dutifully reports to work in order to take care of his beloved son. After a spiritual intervention, Scrooge makes a turn for the better and Cratchit’s persistence and steadfastness pays off.

Atticus Finch, The “Role Model” Father

Despite tough times, Atticus Finch serves as a father figure to admire in Harper Lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird. A widower and lawyer in the Jim Crow South, Finch does his best to be his children’s moral compass. Perhaps the best example of this is the way Finch encourages his children to be who they want to be instead of what their troubled society says is right. Instead of forcing his daughter to be a girly girl, Finch encourages Scout to develop her tomboy personality. He has a challenging road in front of him, but he remains a pillar of strength throughout the novel.

Calvin’s Dad, The “Patient” Father

For years, fans enjoyed Bill Watterson’s funny and sweet comic strip, Calvin and Hobbes. A calm and collected counterpoint to the mischievous Calvin, his dad proves time and time again that patience is a virtue. Throughout many story lines, Calvin’s dad answers his son’s often-obnoxious questions and deals with his many well-intentioned mishaps. Best of all, he loves Calvin through all of his trying moments and troublesome times.

The Man, The “Sacrificing” Father

The Road by Cormac McCarthy is a post-apocalyptic novel that remains grim from cover to cover, but one of the shining lights throughout is The Man. This father figure doesn’t have a lot to offer his son, due to their extraordinary circumstances. Instead, he does everything he can to keep his son alive and motivated along their incredibly difficult journey through what seems like the end of the world.

These father figures demonstrate a full range of parenting styles throughout centuries of literature. What unifies them is their dedication to their children and their insistence on placing their kids and their families first and foremost. Which father figure do you find most inspiring?

 

GRAMMARLY RESEARCH: Good Grammar Will Get You The Job

The informality of email, texting, and tweeting has crept into company communication–embarrassing management and leaving bad impressions with clients. Kyle Wiens, of iFixit and Dozuki, said in a July 2012 post on the Harvard Business Review blog, “I have a ‘zero tolerance approach’ to grammar mistakes that make people look stupid.” He requires job applicants to pass a grammar test before hiring them because writing is his business.

Shouldn’t good grammar be everyone’s business?

According to a follow-up post from Grammarly CEO Brad Hoover, the answer is yes. In the workplace, good grammar is synonymous with attention to detail, critical thinking skills, and intellectual curiosity. Good grammar is the currency of the modern workplace, and employers are going for broke. More than two thirds of salaried jobs require a significant amount of written communication, and top organizations spend upwards of $3 billion per year on training to bring employee writing ability up to a baseline standard.

“Remember the fictional TV lawyer Ed?” asked Grammar Girl. “He lost his job in a Manhattan law firm because of a misplaced comma in a contract. Just in case you think this sort of thing only happens on TV, think again. A utility company in Canada had to pay an extra $2.13 million in 2006 to lease power poles because someone stuck a comma in the wrong spot.”

But what is the actual impact that poor grammar can have on a person’s overall career track?

At Grammarly, we looked at one hundred LinkedIn profiles of native English speakers in the consumer packaged goods industry to determine whether their writing skills could be correlated to their career success.

Here’s what we found:

• Professionals with fewer grammar errors achieve higher positions. Those who failed to progress to a director-level position over the first ten years of their career made 2.5 times more grammar mistakes than their director-level colleagues.
• Fewer grammar errors correlate with more promotions. Professionals with one to four promotions over their 10-year careers made 45 percent more grammar errors than those with six to nine promotions in the same timeframe.
• Fewer grammar errors associate with frequent job changes. Those who remained at the same company for more than 10 years made 20 percent more grammar mistakes than those who held six jobs in the same period.

So what can we take away from all of this?

Like Mr. Wiens, Grammarly won’t hire people who use poor grammar. But, we haven’t chosen to do this based on an anecdote.

We don’t hire people who use poor grammar because our data definitively suggests that a lack of grammatical errors in a person’s resume can say a lot about that person, professionally. It can tell us whether they are skillful, credible, and pay attention to detail – and whether these characteristics will reasonably translate into their day-to-day work.

Think you have what it takes to join the grammarians at Grammarly? Take a look at our open positions here, and contact us today.

Image courtesy of Ambro

13 Common Distractions at Work and How to Fight Them

Whether you work in a busy office or a busy home, there’s plenty to distract you. Besides preventing you from getting things done, distractions can negatively impact your work relationships. For example, careless errors and forgotten appointments can damage your reputation in the eyes of your clients and colleagues. Don’t let it happen to you! Let’s identify strategies to fight thirteen common work distractions.

Technology

Cell Phones

If distractions were diseases, your cell phone would be the plague-spreading host organism. Besides phone calls, you might receive text messages and notifications. You might be tempted to play games or check social media. However, let’s face facts. Unless your cell phone is essential to your job, nothing is stopping you from putting it on silent and tucking it out of sight during work hours. In an emergency, your loved ones can reach you on the landline. If you need your cell phone to work, limit yourself to the functions and apps that directly relate to your job.

Social Media and Games

Some people find it easier to resist temptation if they permit themselves to check social media or play games during their lunch break. You will have a guilt-free pleasure to look forward to and an extra incentive to keep your nose to the grindstone. If your willpower doesn’t cut it, block your most irresistible diversions on your web browser. You can install monitoring programs on your mobile devices, too. Mobile Spy logs what you do with your phone, allowing you to see how much time you spend (or waste) on nonessential activities.

Emails

Answering emails quickly is a plus in the business world. However, every email doesn’t have the same priority. Delete or archive emails that don’t need a reply (e.g. spam, newsletters, receipts). Send an immediate response to urgent requests and major clients. Star or mark as unread lower-priority and non-work-related emails. A recent feature of Outlook called Focused Inbox might make organizing your email simpler for you. The Focused Inbox divides your inbox into two category tabs, displaying only important messages in your Focused tab. Email sorted into the Other tab is out of sight until you are ready to deal with it. Of course, you can move emails from one box to another, and the program prioritizes emails from frequent contacts.

People

Workmates

How do you discourage interruptions while preserving friendly relations with colleagues? One woman was so distraught that she wrote to Lifehacker.com for advice: “Whether I’m in the middle of a task or . . . trying to talk on the phone . . . , these folks keep coming up to socialize. I like them . . . so I don’t want to hurt anyone’s feelings, but how can I make them stop bothering me?” Lifehacker responded with some great ideas.

Wearing noise-canceling headphones serves a dual purpose. Even if you aren’t listening to music, which could itself be distracting, you appear unapproachable and busy to your coworkers. They probably won’t disturb you unless they have good reason. If someone is so bold as to talk to you while you have them on, don’t take them off. Tilt them away from your ears to give a brief reply before replacing them. If you pair your answer with a smile before looking away, they should get the hint that the conversation is over without being offended. The second benefit is that they do drown out background noise! If your company doesn’t allow them, you may accomplish the same illusion with your phone headset.

Family and Friends

Lifehacker.com offered three tips to “Not-so-chatty Cathy” that might indirectly discourage your family and friends from disturbing your work time. (1) Make them do something for you. If your partner calls multiple times to chat, ask them to do something for you. “I’m so glad you called back, I forgot to take that load of clothes out of the dryer! Can you do it for me so my shirts don’t get so wrinkled?” With any luck, your partner will rush off to your rescue and you’ll be free to continue your project. (2) Don’t make it worth their while. If they regularly call you at work, they might be bored and looking to be entertained by your sarcastic wit. Instead of providing amusement, be a conversational dud. Lackluster replies might prompt them to ask if anything’s wrong. That’s your opportunity! Explain that nothing’s wrong, but you’re too busy to talk right now. Ask if you can call them back at a more convenient time, and make sure you follow through on your promise. If that becomes the norm, you should be able to break their habit of calling during work hours.

Clients

Getting rid of interruptions from customers is tricky. Offend them or make them feel unvalued, and you’ve lost your bread and butter. The best way to handle it is to make the clients feel that you are busy managing their needs. You might say something along these lines: “Hi Greg. I was just researching the data I need for your project, but I can set it aside if you need me now. Otherwise, can you call and leave a message for me on my voicemail letting me know what I can do for you?” He might decide he’d rather you finish up what you’re doing. You might also delegate some small client requests to your assistant. “Oh, yes! Barbara is ready to take care of that for you right now!”

You

Is it fair to blame all of the distractions on other people? You probably do your fair share of procrastination for various reasons

Daydreaming and Worrying

What can you do to keep your mental focus? When a concern or question pops up, make a note of it so you can take care of it later without letting it preoccupy your mind. Dehydration can sap your energy and concentration, too. Keep a water bottle near your desk and take sips throughout the day to stay hydrated.

Sleepiness

The culprit could be your lunch box. Foods high in fat and sugar can make you drowsy! Almonds, salmon, and kale reportedly boost energy. Set a bedtime for yourself and ban electronic devices an hour before that time to get a good night’s sleep.

Your Work Space

Noise What if it’s not the people but your work environment that distracts you? You won’t get much work done if you are always getting up to adjust the thermostat or yelling across the cubicle wall for your neighbor to turn his music down. In these instances, preventive measures are in order. Wear your noise-canceling earphones to drown out your cubicle-mate’s tunes. You might also find a quiet corner away from your desk, such as an empty meeting room. If all else fails, bring a white noise machine, a device designed to mask unpleasant noise with soothing or pleasing sounds. And if a coworker asks what it is or why you have it, your explanation might prompt them to think twice the next time they talk on the phone or play music in the cubicles around you.

Temperature Dress for work in layers that can be removed or added so that you maintain a comfortable temperature. If it’s allowed, buy a personal space heater for your office. Most heaters double as fans, so you can stay cool in the summertime too.

Whether you work remotely or in a bustling office, distractions abound. Fortunately, you can avoid, reduce, or even eliminate most distractions. Don’t let anything interrupt your mission to apply these tips!

How often do you try to improve your writing skills?

This poll is part of a series that Grammarly is running aimed at better understanding how the public feels about writing, language learning, and grammar.

Please take the poll and share your thoughts in the comments. We can’t wait to hear from you!

If you are interested in more, check out last week’s poll.

Our GrammoWrimo Group Novel Is for Sale on Amazon!

When everything is about to change, the air becomes still. The sky turns a nondescript color of gray and people throw themselves into normalcy with a sense of purpose usually reserved for special occasions. They’ll walk through town and wave brightly to familiar faces, laugh a little too loudly, and buy a loaf of bread for dinner. All the while, they’ll readjust protective amulets and spend an extra minute in front of a household lararium, understanding that their reality will soon shift ever-so-slightly from its axis and life will never be the same again. They feel it in the air, and so do I. — Excerpt from Frozen by Fire: A GrammoWriMo Group Novel about the Ancient City of Pompeii

During November 2014, Grammarly gathered nearly 500 writers from 54 countries to write a group novel together online as part of NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writing Month). We called our effort GrammoWriMo, and as of last week, our novel is finally published!

GrammoWriMo was crowdsourced from the beginning, starting with a poll sent out to participants to let them vote on the theme for our novel. From a short list of historical events, our participants chose the destruction of the ancient city of Pompeii by the eruption of the volcano Mt. Vesuvius.

Next, it was time to get our writers organized. In order to make the project manageable for such a massive group, we came up with 20 story ideas, or vignettes, around the theme of the destruction of Pompeii. A group of writers was assigned to each vignette and given the chance to brainstorm around their topic.

During the month of November, writers contributed to their vignettes using Penflip, an online collaborative writing platform. In addition to the 20 vignettes, we also solicited submissions for our GrammoWriMo short story contest.

Once the writing period was complete, we ran contests to come up with the title and cover design for our novel. We took the submitted text from our contributors and ran it through Grammarly’s automated proofreader, then had a human proofreader read over the text for historical accuracy and consistency.

After months of hard work, our novel is now available for sale as an eBook on Amazon! 100% of the price of the book ($.99) will be donated to a literacy-focused charity. Frozen by Fire is a collection of short stories that centers around the destruction of the ancient city of Pompeii by the eruption of Mount Vesuvius in 79 AD. The novel features various perspectives on the event—ranging from the viewpoints of everyday citizens, to the experience of an archeologist uncovering the city years later, to a literal bird’s-eye view of Pompeii—creating a dynamic portrait of what it might have been like back on that fateful day in the doomed city.

Click here to purchase our group novel on Amazon!