by Kevin Burton Writer Lily Cooper, on the Grand Canyon University website, lists seven traits one needs to be a screenwriter. Just about any kind of writing is interesting to me, so when my church offered a screenwriting class I jumped at the chance. I shared some of the details last Saturday (“My …
Category Archives: language
Words In Motion Gather New Meanings
by Kevin Burton The friends you make later in life might be surprised to learn what you were like as a youth. You’re older, we hope wiser, different is many ways for sure. Some of the words we use go through a similar metamorphosis. Just as you might not be able to …
Consider The Source Of The Promise
by Kevin Burton This is the story of two songs, one title; two sources, one promise, namely, “the best.” And, within the setting of popular music, it’s also a mini grammar lesson about comparative and superlative adjectives. Chances are you have heard the one song, but not the other. The title of …
My Newest Venture: Screenwriting Class
by Kevin Burton This is not exactly a call for people to get their popcorn ready, but I am now taking a screenwriting class. If I’m not a fish out of water altogether, maybe I am a saltwater fish in freshwater. Or maybe I’m an old dog learning new tricks, to mix the …
More Words About Deep Thinking
by Kevin Burton Last Friday I presented some of the words about thinking compiled by Merriam-Webster. Today I bring you the rest of their list. Call this overthinking if you like. It wouldn’t be my first visit to that particular boulevard. Whereas all the words I included Friday are useful, most of …
Thinking Deeply With Merriam-Webster
by Kevin Burton My friend and co-worker on my college newspaper Tim, once suggested that thinking become a new sport. That’s something that should really be pursued. In this thinksport, there should be a penalty for speaking without thinking. Maybe I’ll continue this thought later. For now, I want to share …
A Language That Goes Beyond Words
by Kevin Burton Surely you’ve heard this old joke: What do you call a person who speaks three languages? Trilingual. What do you call a person who speaks two languages? Bilingual. What do you call a person who speaks only one language? American. A wicked, sweeping generalization that. Not entirely fair. But …
What’s The Big Deal About Small Talk?
by Kevin Burton What is your stance on small talk? I’m not into it. “I’m just making conversation.” Ever hear that one? I say real conversation makes itself. Necessity causes words to come out of my mouth. Information must be shared, I share it, so that action will be taken. “We …
Oh My Word! Scrabble Goes Crazy
by Kevin Burton If you read this column often you know I’m a Scrabble player. Guess I’ve become an old Scrabble player. I used to laugh at my mom because she objected to some of the new words in the Scrabble Players’ Dictionary. I’m not laughing anymore. I have the sixth edition …
Words For The Cranky And Disagreeable
by Kevin Burton God help me not to resemble this post. But today we tune into Merriam-Webster’s “19 words for the cranky and disagreeable,”part of the words at play column on its website. We will not get to all 19, but here are some of the more helpful terms as you seek to …
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