Grammar Quirks: Romy Hausmann on Rhabarbermarmelade

Grammar Girl: What’s your favorite word and why?

Romy Hausmann: First of all, I have to say that my native language is German and that I’m only just starting to train myself at a level of English that does not pass as “oh how cute, at least she’s trying,” but rather as something to be taken seriously (spoiler alert: there is still a looong way to go!). Because of this, I probably approach the English language a little differently. My favorite English word is “kindness.” It sounds so beautifully light, but of course, its meaning is more important. In my short career, I have dealt with a number of people, who tend to use their elbows in life and really fight their competition. Therefore: kindness, guys! And respect. We are all just human beings. We all do our best to get through this life well, and we all have feelings that are sometimes irreparably hurt by only a few inconsiderate words.

We are all just human beings. We all do our best to get through this life well, and we all have feelings that are sometimes irreparably hurt by only a few inconsiderate words.

GG: What’s a word you dislike (either because it’s overused or misused) and why?

RH: "Sexy." Unfortunately, it is still most often associated with the outward appearance of women. And it is understood in probably every language, which only makes it worse. Do you know what is really sexy? Good manners, humour, courage, and, yes, kindness. Kindness is sexy. Damn it, now I used it myself.

GG: What word will you always misspell?

RH: As a non-native speaker, I struggle with pretty much any word that is spelled almost identically to another word that has a completely different meaning, often differing by just one letter. I've sat in restaurants and talked to people about the "desert," yet all I wanted was a chocolate mousse.

GG: What word (or semblance of a word) would you like to see added to the dictionary? Why?

RH: “Rhabarbermarmelade.” I mean, okay, it’s just the German expression for “rhubarb jam,” and you wouldn’t really need it in your dictionary. But it's a fun word, both in its spelling and in its pronunciation. It sounds like a drunken Viking mumbling under his beard.

GG: Any grammar pet peeves we should know about?

RH: Hahaha, that’s a good one. You know better about pet peeves than I do. I'm the one who still writes "The police is coming" even though I've been told a thousand times that ‘the police’ is a collective noun in English...

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