"Eat your cake and have it too" likely wasn't accidental on Ted's part, it's a more logical word ordering than the more common "you can't have your cake and eat it too." I can, and often do, have my cake, then eat it. I would go so far as to say this is the typical use of a cake: to have it, then eat it. Per Wikipedia, the eat-have order was actually the more common form until the 1930s
One of the hardest parts of trying to be a writer, in my experience, has been coming to terms with the fact that we each have our own idiolect. As much as I'm researching the English language (thanks Etymology Nerd) and trying to hone my skills, I can never quite get it right, and I think that's ok because we're not meant to write like robots, we're individuals.
Hi Arthur! Merriam-Webster lists "distinctly peculiar" as a valid definition of "unique," but that shouldn't even matter, since you understood what my point was, and it's normal for words to change meanings over time.
This has the opportunity to be a fun icebreaker; what phrases do you use that the FBI would catch onto in your writing?
wait me and the unabomber both say “eat your cake and have it too”
Thanks, Adam! They'll never catch me now!
"Eat your cake and have it too" likely wasn't accidental on Ted's part, it's a more logical word ordering than the more common "you can't have your cake and eat it too." I can, and often do, have my cake, then eat it. I would go so far as to say this is the typical use of a cake: to have it, then eat it. Per Wikipedia, the eat-have order was actually the more common form until the 1930s
i think you posted the wrong link for the cnn article (otherwise fire essay brother 🔥)
haha it should be fixed in-app now, my bad!! i guess you got a sneak preview of something else i'm researching LOL
This reminds me of how they discovered Joe Klein was the author of Primary Colors. The book Author Unknown breaks it down.
This is great. I wanna become a forensic linguist
Brilliant piece
One of the hardest parts of trying to be a writer, in my experience, has been coming to terms with the fact that we each have our own idiolect. As much as I'm researching the English language (thanks Etymology Nerd) and trying to hone my skills, I can never quite get it right, and I think that's ok because we're not meant to write like robots, we're individuals.
Unique is a superlative and does not take modifiers.
Hi Arthur! Merriam-Webster lists "distinctly peculiar" as a valid definition of "unique," but that shouldn't even matter, since you understood what my point was, and it's normal for words to change meanings over time.