Join us for a lecture from the University of Michigan’s Anne Curzan inspired by this year’s Big Read books and lectures.
Does “irregardless” make you cringe? Do you worry that no one knows how to use the apostrophe anymore? If so, this lively session on language is for you. From her perspective as a historian of the English language, linguist, and veteran English professor, Anne Curzan explains changes happening in spoken and written English and whether we need to worry. Curzan shares how she handles specific usage questions–including “who vs. whom,” “less vs. fewer,” “based on vs. based off,” and the perennial favorite “between you and I”–as a former member of the American Heritage Dictionary Usage Panel, a teacher of writing, and a copy editor. You’ll leave with a heightened awareness of changes afoot in the English language and tools for becoming an even more skilled speaker and writer.