Be Sure to Check Your Sources

Be Sure to Check Your Sources Be Sure to Check Your Sources Be Sure to Check Your Sources By Maeve Maddox A reader recently wanted to know if I could corroborate my reflections on certain idioms (Lying in State: Changing Perceptions Change Language). Considering the half-digested information and deliberate hoaxes that abound on the web, the question was a valid one. I know just what kind of thing has made that reader suspicious. A year or so ago, a colleague of mineaware of my areas of expertisesent me an email shed received, wanting to know if the facts presented in it were true. The text purported to explain the origin of various common expressions by linking them to supposed medieval activities. Some of the explanations sounded plausible, but had nothing to do with historical fact. As far as I know, the spurious email is still out there in cyberspace, spreading misinformation. The articles I write for Daily Writing Tips are not made up out of whole cloth. Some of what I write is a matter of opinion and when it is, I say so. Whenever I offer information about grammar or diction, I consult standard works on the subject. When Daniel launched DWT earlier this summer, I wrote my first articles more or less blindly, with little notion of whom I was writing for. Thanks to readers comments, I now know that the site is attracting a wonderful cross-section of English speakers and writers who have questions and insights relating to every aspect of the language. Knowing that my articles are being read gives me great pleasure, but it also keeps me on my toes. I dont want to be guilty of circulating faulty information if I can help it. So far Ive been relying on my considerable experience as a student and teacher of English. Sometimes Ill throw in a literary example from memory, but if I have any doubts about the instructional content of an article, I check with acknowledged printed authorities. Here are the desk references I reach for first: The Oxford English Dictionary (unabridged) Websters New Collegiate Dictionary Modern English Usage by H.W. Fowler English Pronouncing Dictionary by Daniel Jones A History of the English Language by A. C. Baugh Higher English by F. J. Rahtz A Dictionary of Modern American Usage by H. W. Horwill Language: Its Nature, Development, and Origin by Otto Jespersen When I need more specialized information, I go to my nearby university library. TIP: Whether youre gathering information for your latest writing project, or asking questions to improve your craft, it never hurts to double- and triple-check your sources. Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the General category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:How to Structure A Story: The Eight-Point ArcTry to vs. Try andConfusion of Subjective and Objective Pronouns