Grammar Moses: Good communicators are good readers, too

Reading, as they say, is fundamental.

If you're not a good reader, odds are slim that you'll be a good writer or speaker.

Why?

There are myriad reasons, but I'll focus on one: If you base your knowledge of the spoken word on what you hear from others, the best you can be is the best those other people are.

And this column wouldn't exist if everyone communicated perfectly.

When I was a lad in the 1960s, the Buckinghams had a an AM-radio hit with "Kind of a Drag."

But my 5-year-old ears heard "Canada Dry," probably because Canada Dry ginger ale was the closest thing to a soda my mom would allow in the house.

So I was surprised several years later to realize the song was not a jingle for a soft drink.

It's not at all uncommon to misunderstand lyrics.

But it's quite common for adults to take what they mishear and turn it into everyday language.

Show of hands: Who knows that it is a "safe deposit box," not a "safety deposit box"?

Or that you drive under a "viaduct," not a "viadock"?

Shirley Herzlich is executive assistant to the owner of Ball Horticultural Co. in West Chicago. Shirley has been a secretary for more than 50 years and gets along famously with her boss, who also is a grammar freak.

"A new thing that's been annoying me is when people say they are taken 'back' by something," Shirley writes. "Does that mean they are going back in time? Of course, it should be that they are taken 'aback,' as we know."

Good one, Shirley.

I could pad out the rest of this column with dozens more examples, but I'll save some for treats later.

One word or two?

Many people get tripped up on whether to use "every day" or "everyday," and "some day" or "someday."

Here's how I distinguish them:

I go to work every day.

I am an everyday guy who puts his pants on one leg at a time.

"Every day" describes when I do something. "Everyday" describes me as an average guy.

Grammarist.com is a nice online resource that offers quick explanations and examples of grammar bugaboos.

Grammarist points out that the adverb "someday" should be used to describe an indefinite future time.

Maybe we'll meet again someday.

But "some day" as two words should be used when you're writing about a single day, even if it's not defined.

Let's go out for drinks some day next week.

The final word

Here is where newspaper writing and real life diverge.

Until recently, it was OK for me to write, "I'm having a backyard barbecue this weekend. Not in my back yard, but in Brandon's."

"Backyard" was an adjective describing the type of barbecue.

But the AP Stylebook deciders concluded that we should use "backyard" in all instances.

I still have trouble accepting that. Why does the AP still have "front yard" and "side yard" as two words?

Because you don't have to write in AP style, you're welcome to use "back yard" to describe that lovely patch of grass behind your house.

Write carefully!

• Jim Baumann is assistant vice president/managing editor of the Daily Herald. Write him at jbaumann@dailyherald.com. Put Grammar Moses in the subject line. You also can follow or friend Jim on social media at facebook.com/baumannjim.