https://cutgrassliesfrail.com/blog/language/ Recent content in Language on cut grass lies frail Hugo en-US Wed, 16 Sep 2026 00:00:00 +0000 00000000000000000 00000000000000000 https://cutgrassliesfrail.com/p/comprise/ Wed, 16 Sep 2026 00:00:00 +0000 https://cutgrassliesfrail.com/p/comprise/ <p><em>Comprise</em> has been thoroughly skunked, to use Garner&rsquo;s evocative term. Even professional writers and academics seem not to understand its proper usage. Yet the proper usage is simple: a whole <em>comprises</em> its parts, while the parts <em>compose</em> the whole. The constant and consistent misuse baffles.</p> https://cutgrassliesfrail.com/p/anagram/ Mon, 14 Sep 2026 00:00:00 +0000 https://cutgrassliesfrail.com/p/anagram/ <p>Brevity is the soul of wit ;<br> To wish verbosity, futile.</p> https://cutgrassliesfrail.com/p/spondees/ Fri, 10 Apr 2026 00:00:00 +0000 https://cutgrassliesfrail.com/p/spondees/ <p>English is <em>chock-full</em> of spondees, arriving out of mere happenstance or as set phrases. Some pleasing examples:</p> <ul> <li>make work</li> <li>makeshift</li> <li>dry run</li> <li>slow roll</li> <li>smoke test</li> <li>trash heap</li> <li>breadcrumb</li> <li>crockpot</li> <li>clean cut</li> <li>time crunch</li> <li>stick shift</li> <li>drive train</li> <li>clean break</li> <li>off book</li> <li>dipshit</li> <li>freak show</li> <li>try hard</li> <li>bookworm</li> <li>blood bath</li> <li>dead drop</li> <li>dead end</li> <li>smash cut</li> <li>hell bent</li> <li>meltdown</li> <li>crosshatch</li> <li>mismatch</li> <li>mishmash</li> <li>crisscross</li> <li>grid lock</li> <li>pit stop</li> </ul> https://cutgrassliesfrail.com/p/french/ Sun, 15 Mar 2026 00:00:00 +0000 https://cutgrassliesfrail.com/p/french/ <p><strong>Capsule review:</strong> French</p> <p>A mellifluous language whose focus on precision often leads to its sounding silly. Animal domestique ? You mean a pet ? Grow up.</p> <p><strong>Rating:</strong> ★★★☆☆</p> https://cutgrassliesfrail.com/p/german/ Sun, 15 Mar 2026 00:00:00 +0000 https://cutgrassliesfrail.com/p/german/ <p><strong>Capsule review:</strong> German</p> <p>Is <em>Schmetterling</em> truly uglier than <em>butterfly</em> or <em>papillon</em> ? Among the finest poems in any language is in German:</p> <p><em>Über allen Gipfeln</em><br> <em>Ist Ruh,</em><br> <em>In allen Wipfeln</em><br> <em>Spürest du</em><br> <em>Kaum einen Hauch;</em><br> <em>Die Vögelein schweigen im Walde.</em><br> <em>Warte nur, balde</em><br> <em>Ruhest du auch.</em></p> <p><strong>Rating:</strong> ★★★★☆</p>