The Characters Behind 12 Famous Songs

by Dictionary Scoop    There’s a mixture of fiction and real life behind the people made famous by the hit songs on our list today.  From classic rock ballads to catchy pop tunes, here are 12 famous songs that feature people’s names—and the stories behind them. 1-Johnny B. Goode – Chuck Berry    We’ll start …

Do You Know These 12 Types Of Poetry?

by Dictionary Scoop    Poetry is as diverse as the individuals who write it—from short, playful rhymes to long, heartfelt verses, with some forms following strict rules and others allowing complete freedom.    This wide variety enables poets from all walks of life to express themselves in unique ways. Take a look at the following …

Now The Dictionary Is Speaking My Language

by Kevin Burton    At one of my newspaper stops I was introduced to readers as speaking “fluent Spanish” That wasn’t, and isn’t, quite true.    But I do speak some Spanish and it has done me some good over the years.    How much Spanish do I speak? I once described it as “enough …

What’s Playing At The Movies This Weekend?

by Kevin Burton    “Do you want to see a movie?” my wife Jeannette will ask me, thinking of  a fun diversion. “What’s playing?” I will ask.    “I don’t know,” she will say, exasperated.    “If I don’t know what’s playing, how do I know if I want to go?” I will say, as …

Catsongs: Cat’s In The Cradle, Harry Chapin

by Kevin Burton    (Catsongs is a series on Page 7 to honor the memory of my late sister Pat by looking at our two shared passions, cats and music.)    For this series, I am featuring songs with cats in the title, or perhaps the lyrics. Unfortunately “Cat’s in the Cradle” is the obvious choice …

Use A Variety Of Verbal Tools To Communicate

by Kevin Burton    In my early studies in journalism I heard or read somewhere that a news reporter should write at a 10th-grade level. I never did that. I wouldn’t.    I was very aware that I was talking to everyone, “broadcasting,” in the print news sense of the word, with the emphasis on …

Some Nursery Rhymes Not Exactly Kid Stuff

by Dictionary Scoop    We all have nursery rhymes etched in our memory, verses that take us straight back to our childhood.    But behind some of those catchy, cheerful tunes lie surprisingly dark and mysterious origins rooted in real-life history.     Join us to discover the hidden stories behind the most popular nursery rhymes. 1-The …

Bolster Your Vocabulary With Creative Insults!

by Kevin Burton    I know I shouldn’t be doing this. But here’s my excuse up front: The dictionary made me do it!    There is more than enough bad blood, ill manners, insincerity and name calling to go around these days. Nevertheless, Merriam-Webster dictionary provides you today with entirely new and creative ways to …

Savoring Food Words From Merriam-Webster

by Kevin Burton    After last week’s posts about the Food Network, we set the table once more with words about food from our friends at Merriam-Webster dictionary.    I have heard the chefs on TV drop some of these words, but other words on the list sound more like Roman or Jewish names from …

Another Helping Of Fun From Food Network

by Kevin Burton    Yesterday we rode the wayback machine and looked at one of my earliest Page 7 blog posts, one that made fun of the weird meals they make on Food Network.    We also established that since that time I have developed an appetite for Food Network and have stopped dialing up …