Even, Yet, and Still

Until recently I thought that the pleonasm “even still” was to be found only in the uncertain writings of college freshmen. Then I read this in the current issue of my favorite writer’s magazine:

Traditionally published books get the nice displays, posters and extra attention from store managers. Even still, many of the titles end up in the bargain bin.

I did a Google search and found millions of examples of the wretched expression. It seems to be especially popular in the titles of songs, poems, and blogs. Here are some examples:

. …even still, I’d happily do it all over again.
…even still, Safari sucks.
Even still we lose our way
Is Anyone Even Still Blogging Anymore?

At the risk of beating a dead horse, I’ll try to explain why “even still” does not belong in careful writing.

As adverbs modifying comparatives, the words are virtually interchangeable:

She is even happier today than she was yesterday. She is still happier today than she was yesterday.
Fans want still more details of their favorite celebrities. Fans want even more details…

If the expression is intended to mean “still,” then “still” is enough:

Is anyone still blogging?

If it is intended to mean “yet,” then “yet” or one of its synonyms should serve:nevertheless, however, notwithstanding:

Nevertheless, I’d happily do it all over again.
Notwithstanding, Safari sucks.
Nevertheless, we lose our way.

That being said, sometimes the words even and still can come together correctly when the “even” is being used as an intensifier and the “still” is an adverb of time:

Do they even still make Zima?
Why Hilary is even still in the race….

Finally, here’s a dilly of a headline that I’ll leave to our readers to sort out:

Yet Even Still More U.S. Presidential Election Maps Already

Autumn or Fall?

Why can’t Americans admit they have rewritten the English language. Fall for Autumn, color for colour. –Diane, comment onAmong/Amongst

Changing colour to color can be blamed on American dictionary maker Noah Webster, but Fall forAutumn deserves another look.

Taking the vocabulary of Old English as a starting point, both Fall and Autumnas names for the season between summer and winter are late-comers.

Fall derives from an Old English verb, but it wasn’t used as a noun to designate the season until the 16th century. This use most likely developed from the Middle English expression “fall of the leaf.”

So what did Old English speakers call the season?

Harvest.

The need for a new word arose from a population shift that made cities more important than farmland. From being a word for the season, harvest came to refer only to the agricultural event that occurs in that season.

Autumn as a word for the season came into common usage about the same time as Fall did. The English who settled the eastern American seaboard brought the word Fall with them from the homeland. The English who stayed home eventually adopted the word Autumn.

Nowadays in England “Fall” sounds archaic and poetic, but in U.S. English “Autumn” has those connotations.

Check out this comprehensive Wikipedia article on differences between British and American spelling.

Cut To The Chase

ut to the chase is a common expression, meaning get to the point. It’s an exhortation to omit flowery phrases and unnecessary preamble and focus on the core issue. This expression first appeared in newspapers in the 1940s, though it has an older origin in the American film industry.

In the era of silent film, a romantic love story often ended in a thrilling chase sequence, which was the most exciting part of the film. At that time ‘cut to chase’ was a script direction indicating that the chase was next in the sequence of events. One example cited is in the novel Hollywood Girl by Joseph McEvoy, where a character gives the script direction: ‘Jannings escapes; cut to chase’.

Some “All” Words and Expressions

You’ll hear some of these in conversation and see them on blog sites, but when it comes to formal writing, beware of these “all” words and expressions.

all of – I ate all of the cookies. The “of” is unnecessary. Better:I ate all the cookies.

alright – As my English teachers pounded into my brain, there’s no such word as “alright.” There is the phrase all right. Is it all right if I search your house?

already – This word is an adverb. Too late! The cat has already eaten the canary.

all ready – This is a phrase. When you are all ready, I’ll get the car. We were all ready to go to the movies.

altogether – This word is an adverb meaning “entirely.” Your idea is altogether wrong-headed.

all together – This is a phrase. All together, now, sing! The family was all together for Thanksgiving.

alot – This is the bane of English teachers and, I suppose, editors. The expression is a lot, two words. I like you a lot. My children read a lot. There is a word allot, a verb meaning “to divide into lots.” When I plan my day, I allot four hours to meals and a minimum of six hours to writing.