- A Personal Word Review From the Heart
Confessions of an "Expert" Proofreader
I LOVE words and consider myself an expert proofreader, ever since my stint, right after college, when I worked as one for a Midwest newspaper.
I am also a very good speller; not bragging, it is just something I found came easy to me.
But there are a few certain words which somehow escape me in both spelling and proofreading. The following 'story on myself' will tell you about it.
Huge vs. Hugh
When I was in college - and a journalism major to boot - I used to use the word 'Huge' a lot in letters home to describe something. Until, in one letter, mom told me I had been misspelling it repeatedly.
Mom wrote "Hugh is a man's name - the descriptive word you are using is spelled H U G E.”
Well, I could not get my mind around it - the word now looked like it should be pronounced hu-gee. Needless to say, I never used it again. I changed my terminology to Big, Large, Gigantic -- anything except Huge!
*Note: Take into consideration that this story dates back to a time before computers, internet, cell phones and the ever-handy (and sometimes dreaded) Spellcheck! 🙂
Ellis Sargeant Smith, Sr. - A Favorite English Teacher
A high school English teacher is directly responsible for bringing out my love of words, and for teaching me to express myself through words. ESS was a stern taskmaster in class, with ~ I later discovered ~ a soft heart. After my junior year under his tutelage, I found myself ‘visiting’ him in his classroom frequently for the remainder of my high school time. We became good friends, and he taught me as much about life as about the words of English.
Upon graduation, I left for college and enrolled in journalism as a major. I began to regularly write to Mr. Smith about my classes and activities. He would write back, enclosing my current letter with ‘corrections’ in red ink in the margins. ESS never stopped teaching this student, even when she went away to college and he retired from teaching. His ‘corrections’ were as helpful as my mother’s Hugh vs. Huge correction, particularly in making me aware of the impact of my ‘way with words’.
The site “ReviewThisReviews.com has a group of ‘wordsmith’ writers who daily bring you reviews with their opinions about the products they use, the books they read, the music they enjoy, and a wide variety of interesting things in many other categories. This missive has been a few shared thoughts from me in the ‘From the Heart’ category on RTR. Below is a list of other WORD stories we have brought you in the past; each one well worth reading.
And, aren’t WORDS there for us to READ, in one form or another, both funny and serious, personal, and in the form of helpful books?
Related Reviews:
- Recycle Words to Create a Compelling Story by Coletta Teske
- Express Yourself with Wooden Words by Wednesday Elf
- Roget’s Words for Writers Reviewed written by Beverly Owens
Summary
There are many more word-related stories out there. These has been just a few to get you started. In addition, hopefully my stories will give you a laugh when you read my words and English ‘mistakes’ and corrections’, and how my high school English teacher continued to ‘teach me’ even after I was away at college. 🙂
*Word Woes stories by Wednesday Elf
Helpful Word Books . . .
Common Mistakes in EnglishCheck PriceTeacher Appreciation Blanket – Unique Inspirational Gifts for Teachers – 60”x50” Soft Flannel Throw BlanketCheck PriceSpot the mistake: 50 spelling puzzles for kids and adultsCheck Price
