What Made the Crocodile Cry?, By Susie Dent

Friday 08 January 2010 01:00 GMT

Your support helps us to tell the story

From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.

At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.

The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.

Your support makes all the difference.

In last week's New Yorker, a long article on US pop group Vampire Weekend included a quote from their breakthrough song, "Oxford Comma" though the writer failed to say what this was.

For enlightenment, we can now turn to the latest work by Countdown lexicographer Susie Dent. The Oxford comma is inserted before "and" in a list: "superfluous, pedantic, and fussy".

Dent's lively canter round the more curious corners of English roams from contranyms (words with two contradictory meanings, like sanction meaning both approve and boycott). Discussing meretricious ("alluring by false show"), she mentions Gore Vidal's reply when Richard Adams used the word to describe his work: "Well, meretricious to you and a happy new year."

Join our commenting forum

Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies

Comments

Thank you for registering

What Made the Crocodile Cry?, By Susie Dent

Join our commenting forum

Thank you for registering