Grammar Quirks: Heather Morris on 'Love' and 'Redundant'

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

Heather Morris:  "LOVE."  This one four-letter word embraces every aspect of my life. It allows me to express to my family and friends how I feel about them. It finds its way into so many of my conversations. I love food. I love traveling. I love writing. I love meeting people. Most of all I love spending time with the five little people in my life, my grandchildren. See what I’m saying! However, I do not use it willy-nilly.

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

HM: "Redundant." All too often used incorrectly, instead of the word "ineffective."

GG: What word will you always misspell?

HM:  "Fill." Too often I mistakenly write "full."

I allow my computer to spell words for me when I shouldn’t.

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

HM: "Kia kaha"—any Kiwi knows it. It means be brave; have strength; stand firm in the faith.

GG: Any grammar pet peeves we should know about?

HM: I am very grateful for the editors I have in Australia, the UK, and the US who have to correct my spelling of English words that are written differently in these territories. "Colour"/"color"; "organise"/"organize". I allow my computer to spell words for me when I shouldn’t.

GG: To what extent does grammar play a role in character development and voice?

HM: Having studied screenwriting and with a passion for writing dialogue, I prefer to use the language given to me which may not be correct but underscores the "voice" of my character. This is especially so when writing language for persons for whom English is not their first language.

GG: Do you have a favorite quotation or passage from an author you’d like to share?

HM:

‘They met the same work norms and they ate the same watery soup. They lived in the same sort of barracks and traveled in the same cattle trains. Their clothes were almost identical, their shoes equally inadequate. They were treated no differently under interrogation. And yet—men’s and women’s camp experiences were not quite the same.’

 "Gulag: A History" by Anne Applebaum

GG: What grammar, wording,...

Keep reading on Quick and Dirty Tips