Daily Content Archive
(as of Friday, September 22, 2017)| Word of the Day | |||||||
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valiant
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| Daily Grammar Lesson | |
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Grading and Non-Grading AdverbsAdverbs of degree can be mild, medium, strong, or absolute in how they describe the intensity, degree, or extent of the word they modify. Adverbs that are mild, medium, or strong are known as "grading adverbs." What are "non-grading adverbs"? More... | |
| Article of the Day | |
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 The Gratuitous UmlautAn umlaut is a diacritical mark consisting of two dots placed over a letter to alter pronunciation. However, the so-called "heavy metal umlaut" is used in the names of bands, such as Mötley Crüe and Motörhead, not to change pronunciation, but to evoke the stereotypes of boldness and strength commonly attributed to peoples whose languages incorporate such marks. It has since been widely parodied, including in the mockumentary This Is Spin¨al Tap. Which band first used a gratuitous umlaut? More... | |
| This Day in History | |
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 Sara Jane Moore Attempts to Assassinate US President Gerald Ford (1975)In September 1975, Ford was the target of two assassination attempts. Just 17 days after Manson Family member Lynette "Squeaky" Fromme unsuccessfully attempted to shoot Ford, Moore shot at him outside a San Francisco, California, hotel. The bullet just missed the president, and Moore was then subdued by a bystander, who likely saved Ford's life. Moore was sentenced to life in prison but was paroled in 2007. What has she since said about the assassination attempt? More... | |
| Today's Birthday | |
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 Anne of Cleves (1515)Anne was the fourth queen consort of King Henry VIII of England. She was the sister of a powerful German Protestant leader and was considered a desirable match for Henry by English councilors, most notably Thomas Cromwell, who sought to ally England with Protestants in Germany. The marriage was agreed upon in 1539, and although Henry tried to break the contract after actually seeing his bride, they married in 1540. The marriage was never consummated, however, and they divorced after how long? More... | |
| Quotation of the Day | |
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 Every artist makes himself born. It is very much harder than the other time, and longer.Willa Cather (1873-1947) | |
| Idiom of the Day | |
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contrary to popular opinion— Opposite to what is popularly or generally expected or believed. Usually used to introduce such a statement. More... | |
| Today's Holiday | |
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 Appleseed Festival (2019)A legend in his own time, John Chapman—better known as "Johnny Appleseed"—was born in Leominster, Massachusetts, on September 26, 1774. It was supposedly in Fort Wayne, Indiana, that he died in 1845, and Chapman has been commemorated there since 1974 with a two-day fall festival at Johnny Appleseed Park. The festival includes traditional music and entertainment, demonstrations of pioneer arts and crafts, and discussions with "The Living Lincoln," who talks with visitors about the social issues of the period in history he shared with Johnny Appleseed. More... | |
| Word Trivia | |
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Today's topic: rhetoricrhetor - A teacher of rhetoric or a master of it. More... climax - First described propositions in rhetoric, one rising above the other in effectiveness; it comes from Greek klimax, "ladder." More... demagoguery, demagogy - Demagoguery and demagogy are the practices or rhetoric of a demagogue. More... scheme - From Greek skhema, "figure, form," it first referred to a figure of speech, especially a figure of rhetoric, denoting a way of deviating from the ordinary use and order of words to create special effect. More... | |