I hate to sound like a curmudgeon, but I was quite horrified to read the following final line in an email sent to me asking for help:

quote:

Waiting with baited breadth!!!!

This was sent to me at work by the headteacher of a school. It so happened that I couldn't help, but the terrible example would have hardly persuaded me to assist.

Well, Arnie, it could have been I. So many times I have caught myself with errors such as this...and sometimes I haven't caught myself in enough time. Wordcraft has helped, and many of you have caught some of these errors.

And we'd never think that you're a curmudgeon!

Was he being whimsical? One mistake might be through ignorance, but two? Perhaps he knows what a curmudgeon you are.

Quite a few years back, I had the pleasure of working with a fellow who was gifted with words and was also very witty. He remarked one day on the common misspelling of "bated breath," and told me he and his wife had a private joke related to that, saying to each other, when they are eagerly awaiting something, that they are "waiting with worm on tongue."

quote:

Was he being whimsical?

Highly unlikely. She (for it was a she) doesn't know me at all.

Actually there were three mistakes. Four exclamation marks are three too many.

I've heard in songs of women with kisses like wine, honey, etc, so maybe she was coming on to you?

Oh...Saranita...I love "waiting with worm on tongue!"

Perhaps she normally writes, with baited breasts.