Grammar Girl Quick and Dirty Tips for Better Writing

Why Americans write 'canceled' but still write 'cancellation.' How printing history gave us 'fine print.' Fluff.


Listen Later

1059. Ever wonder why Americans use "canceled" with one L but still write "cancellation" with two? We explore how spelling rules, stress patterns, and historical quirks explain this inconsistency. Plus, we look at the history of "fine print" — from typesetting in smoky print shops to its modern use in hiding legal loopholes. 

The "fine print" segment was by Glenn Fleishman, a typesetter, graphic designer, journalist, print historian, and author of the book “How Comics Were Made: A Visual History from the Drawing Board to the Printed Page,” which you can find at howcomicsweremade.ink.

🔗 Share your familect recording in a WhatsApp chat.

🔗 Watch my LinkedIn Learning writing courses.

🔗 Subscribe to the newsletter.

🔗 Take our advertising survey

🔗 Get the edited transcript.

🔗 Get Grammar Girl books

🔗 Join GrammarpaloozaGet ad-free and bonus episodes at Apple Podcasts or SubtextLearn more about the difference

| HOST: Mignon Fogarty

| VOICEMAIL: 833-214-GIRL (833-214-4475).

| Grammar Girl is part of the Quick and Dirty Tips podcast network.

  • Audio Engineer: Dan Feierabend
  • Director of Podcast: Brannan Goetschius
  • Advertising Operations Specialist: Morgan Christianson
  • Marketing and Publicity Assistant: Davina Tomlin
  • Digital Operations Specialist: Holly Hutchings
  • Marketing and Video: Nat Hoopes

| Theme music by Catherine Rannus.

| Grammar Girl Social Media: YouTubeTikTokFacebook.ThreadsInstagramLinkedInMastodonBluesky.

...more
View all episodesView all episodes
Download on the App Store

Grammar Girl Quick and Dirty Tips for Better WritingBy QuickAndDirtyTips.com

  • 4.5
  • 4.5
  • 4.5
  • 4.5
  • 4.5

4.5

2,798 ratings


More shows like Grammar Girl Quick and Dirty Tips for Better Writing

View all
Science Friday by Science Friday and WNYC Studios

Science Friday

6,046 Listeners

The Book Review by The New York Times

The Book Review

3,875 Listeners

A Way with Words - language, linguistics, and callers from all over by Hosted by Martha Barnette and Grant Barrett. Produced by Stefanie Levine.

A Way with Words - language, linguistics, and callers from all over

2,234 Listeners

Wait Wait... Don't Tell Me! by NPR

Wait Wait... Don't Tell Me!

38,465 Listeners

TED Talks Daily by TED

TED Talks Daily

11,418 Listeners

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day by Merriam-Webster

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day

1,171 Listeners

Fresh Air by NPR

Fresh Air

37,904 Listeners

StoryCorps by NPR

StoryCorps

3,972 Listeners

Modern Mentor by QuickAndDirtyTips.com

Modern Mentor

696 Listeners

TED Talks Daily (HD video) by TED

TED Talks Daily (HD video)

792 Listeners

TED Radio Hour by NPR

TED Radio Hour

22,021 Listeners

Hidden Brain by Hidden Brain, Shankar Vedantam

Hidden Brain

43,343 Listeners

Clear+Vivid with Alan Alda by Alan Alda

Clear+Vivid with Alan Alda

3,640 Listeners

My Unsung Hero by Hidden Brain

My Unsung Hero

1,142 Listeners

NPR's Book of the Day by NPR

NPR's Book of the Day

570 Listeners