You Could Look It Up
Q. My fashion expert daughter insists that denim does not go with “almost anything,” as I say it does. What is your opinion? Does denim match almost anything, including other colors and other fabrics, e.g., silk? Answer »
Q. Dear CMOS, What is the proper way to cite computer software or computer programs? Should the name of the software be italicized, or should it have quotation marks? I wasn’t able to find this information on the CMOS website. Answer »
Q. I am trying to find the definition of “roman style” as contrasted with “Times New Roman.” Answer »
Q. “School-age” or “school-aged”: the two seem to be used interchangeably. Answer »
Q. I can’t find a clear answer regarding “oversize” vs. “oversized” and similar terms. Answer »
Q. Are “more than” and “over” interchangeable when writing about quantities? Answer »
Q. Dictionary.com defines “teleconference” as “a conference held among people in different locations by means of telecommunications equipment, such as closed-circuit television.” Would that mean that “teleconference call” is not as redundant as it seems? If we offer a teleconference via telephone only, would it be prudent to add “call” to the marketing collateral in order to avoid being pressed to provide a videoconference in fulfillment of our contract? Thank you. Answer »
Q. Is it “cell phone” or “cel phone”? I am working on a crash deadline, and would appreciate a quick response. Thank you so much! Answer »
Q. With respect to insurance claims, which is the preferred usage, “payer” or “payor”? They appear to each be legitimate. Webster’s refers to “payor” as a variant of “payer,” but usage of “payor” is commonplace within the industry as well. Any definitive help is appreciated. Answer »
Q.For those who make a hobby of cruising garage sales, are they going “garage sale-ing,” “garage saling,” or “garage saleing?” Or are they not permitted this usage? Answer »
Q.I would like to know if a rule exists for the use of “all” and “all of.” Which of these sentences is correct: All the employees submitted vacation requests OR All of the employees submitted vacation requests? Thanks for your help. Answer »
Q.What exactly does the phrase “in terms of” mean? I hear it used constantly, but try to avoid using it myself. I think it’s a trite phrase that doesn’t actually mean anything or have any purpose except to annoy me, actually. I know you’ve used it before, but what’s the best way to avoid using such a common phrase? I want to include it in my company’s style guide as a phrase not to use, and would like to offer an alternative. I’ve used “as far as” but I don’t like that either. Answer »
Q. I have always been taught that there are two ways to spell dietitian (or dietician), but that the correct style is with a t not a c. A friend of mine disagrees completely and feels that dietitian is the wrong spelling and therefore should never be used. Another friend of mine says that dietitians spell it with a t. I am really curious. . . . What is the correct spelling? Answer »
