Have An Oreo Tomorrow, But Call Your Dentist

by Kevin Burton     You will perhaps see a contradiction here, but show some moderation, show some discipline. Open your mind as you open your mouth.     I’m letting you know a day ahead of time, I’ve got your back.    Tomorrow is National Oreo Cookie Day. I have written about Oreos before (“The 110th …

The Unkindest Contranym Of All? Ask Fido

by Kevin Burton    Imagine if you will, a Richard Pryor bit from the 70s, that could have been, to introduce the concept of the contranym, a word with two opposite meanings.    These lines are from the family puppy, whose usual panting, tail-wagging enthusiasm for a car ride (oh boy!) has gone tragically wrong: …

The Sweet Elements Of The English Language

by Kevin Burton    Separate an Oreo cookie into its two elements and you’re going to find out, it’s all good stuff.     So it is when you start peeling apart words. They’re all sweet to the taste for some of us, even if at times they are bittersweet.    Merriam-Webster served up a particularly …