Grammar Girl: Woman tracks language's changes

Do you know the differences between “assure,” “ensure” and “insure”? How about “between” and “among”? Are you confident about the proper use of a semicolon? Do you even know why semicolons exist?

Former Gilbert resident Mignon Fogarty does. She uses her background and skills as a science writer in her popular podcast “Grammar Girl’s Quick and Dirty Tips for Better Writing,” which was named a favorite podcast by the iTunes staff in 2006. The shows, usually weekly and two to nine minutes in length, are free and available on iTunes and the Web site grammar.quickanddirtytips.com.

Fogarty has parlayed the podcast into an appearance on Oprah Winfrey’s TV show and now a book, also titled “Grammar Girl’s Quick and Dirty Tips for Better Writing.” Her book tour kicks off today at Changing Hands Bookstore in Tempe; we caught up with Fogarty (notice the semicolon there?) by phone from her new home in Reno, Nev.

Q: So how did you decide that grammar was your calling?

A: It was funny how it came around. It wasn’t really a decision I made one day. I became really interested in podcasting, at the same time I was working as a technical writer. One day, it occurred to me that it would be fun and possibly useful to do a short podcast about writing and grammar. I didn’t consider myself an expert, just someone who, because of my job, probably knew more than a lot of other people — but certainly not a professional grammarian or linguist.

Q: Do you see some irony in the fact that your podcast has become so successful yet so much of the Internet has such atrocious grammar?

A: It actually doesn’t surprise me. People write more these days because of the Internet. Everyone’s blogging, writing e-mails — I think that’s the reason grammar is becoming more popular. It’s something more people are interested in. I guess on some level the Internet may have contributed to the degradation of language, but on the flip side it’s made people more aware that they need to write well.

Q: Language is always changing and evolving, though. Isn’t it possible that if enough people on the Internet decide that, say, we don’t need apostrophes with contractions any longer, that could become the new rule?

A: It could. Things change faster on the Internet than they do in print. A good example of that is e-mail — traditionalists prefer the hyphen. But as much as the traditionalists lobby for the hyphen, and I’m one of them, I think removing the hyphen is inevitable. People have more individual power over language today than they used to.

Q: Are there any common errors you find particularly egregious, like nails on a chalkboard when you see it?

A: The longer I do this, the less things actually annoy me, because I become more and more aware on how language is changing, and how hard it is for people to remember. I’m much more sympathetic. But it bothers me when people capitalize nouns when they shouldn’t be capitalized, and when people use “literally” to mean “figuratively.”

Q: Not to question your authority, but what still gives you pause, grammatically?

A: I have about 30 different reference books. I have to look stuff up all the time. I often have to look up how to conjugate “lay” and “lie.” I can always remember the simple past tense, but not the past participle.

Q: Did you think the podcast would be as successful as it is? Grammar isn’t exactly the most conventionally exciting subject.

A: Not in a million years. How many people could really care? Even when it started taking off, I thought, “Well, this can’t last.” It’s encouraging to see that so many people do care.

Q: How does Reno life compare to the East Valley?

A: Reno is a fantastic place. But I miss Arizona. The great thing about Arizona is that there is a really strong podcasting and new media culture there. A great community there and a great network, and there’s nothing like that in Reno.

‘Grammar Girl’s Quick and Dirty Tips for Better Writing’

What: Presentation, Q&A and book signing with author Mignon Fogarty
When: 7 p.m. Monday July 14
Where: Changing Hands Bookstore, 6428 S. McClintock Drive, Tempe
Cost: Free
Information: (480) 730-0205 or www.changinghands.com