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December 21, 2006: Issue 169

Be careful about using the term “pie-shape.” Pies are round. You probably mean “wedge-shape,”
like a slice of pie.

incorrect: The pie-shape lot is nestled at the end of a quiet cul-de-sac.
correct: The wedge-shape lot is nestled at the end of a quiet cul-de-sac.

incorrect: This round ottoman splits into four pie-shape pieces.
correct: This round ottoman splits into four wedge-shape pieces.

Remember that as you slice your holiday dessert next week. Have a good one.

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November 30, 2006: Issue 166

We’re phasing out the phone number to order back issues of SIM titles. “To Better Serve You” columns (or mastheads) should include a Web address for back issues, but no phone number.

The general Web address for single-copy sales is www.bhg.com/sip. Click here to find Web sites for specific groups or individual titles.

Reminder: In print (cover overlines, mastheads, “To Better Serve You” columns, etc.), we’re still referring to ourselves as Special Interest Publications or SIP.

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December 7, 2006: Issue 167

No, we’re not talking about Lance and Reichen or Pam and Kid. These are pairs of words that are easily confused.

• insure/ensure
Insure means to protect against financial loss: The house was insured against flood damage.
Ensure means to make certain: Two coats of primer ensure the old color won’t show through.
TIP: Remember the word insurance as in insurance policy. If there’s no policy involved, you probably wantensure.

• gleam/glean
Gleam means to shine: She polished the faucet handles until they gleamed.
Glean means to gather: Glean ideas from magazines before you start shopping.
TIP: Think of Gleem toothpaste. Despite the double-e problem, they did get the m right. (Let’s hope you never have to gather your teeth.)

• jibe/jive
Jibe means to mesh: The dull colors didn’t jibe with her bright personality.
Jive means to swing: You gotta jump, jive, then you wail.
TIP: Try to associate the be in jibe with be in accord.

• forego/forgo
Forego means to go before: Having read the foregoing, do you understand the distinction?
Forgo means to go without: In this secluded house, he decided to forgo window treatments.
TIP: Remember that forgo goes without the e. Forego shares its fore with before.

• principle/principal
Principal means money or a leader: Pay a little extra on your mortgage each month, and you’ll pay off the principal much sooner. Uh-oh, the principal of Timmy’s school wants to meet with us.
Principle means a code or doctrine: Symmetry is one of his central design principles.
TIP: We give up. This one confounds people, and even Web 11 says simply, “If you are unsure which noun you want, read the definitions in this dictionary.” Anyone have a better system?

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November 16, 2006: Issue 165

Our online stylebook has a new name, a new address, and a new lookall to reflect the change of our department name from Special Interest Publications to Special Interest Media.

In our magazines, however, we’ll continue to refer to ourselves as Special Interest Publications or SIP. This goes for cover overlines, mastheads, “To Better Serve You” columns, and any other place our name might come up.

Routing tip: As we move into the season of holidays and vacation days, many of you will have special requests for routing your stories. (“Give my layouts to so-and-so the week of November 20,” “Give me a call at home when layouts come back from the freelancer,” etc.) Please write these requests directly on the routing slips and highlight them. That way the right person has the information at the right time, and we can honor your request.

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July 20, 2006: Issue 148

In letters and Q&A columns, identify people who wrote the submissions as completely as possible. Our preference is to use name, city, and state. Just a name or just a city and state will also suffice. (Sometimes location is more important than the writer’s name—in a gardening question that refers to specific climate concerns, for instance.) Whichever identification you choose, be consistent throughout the issue.

In some cases, such as a letter that refers to the writer’s health problems, identifying that person might not be appropriate. When there’s a compelling reason to do so, end the letter with “Name withheld by request.”

Do not use “via e-mail” in place of a location. E-mail correspondence has become so common that this attribution is meaningless. If the writer did not include her location in the original letter, verify it before publication.

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September 1, 2005: Issue 103

Foreign articles or prepositions as part of surnames (De Mille, Van Helsing, La Guardia) are confusing when it comes to capitalization. On first reference, follow the rules in Words into Type: Generally, capitalize those prepositions in the names of North Americans, unless the person in question has expressed a preference for lowercase. When the person prefers, lowercase the preposition when you use both first and last names.

correct: Designer Lynn von Kersting decorated this 1927 Beverly Hills home.

When you use the last name alone, however, capitalize the preposition.

incorrect: The decor reflects von Kersting’s singular talent.
correct: The decor reflects Von Kersting’s singular talent.

For more information on this topic than you could ever want, see Words into Type, “Part III: Copy-Editing Style,” under “Capitalization,” then “Proper Nouns and Adjectives.”

ON BHGstylebook.com: See other rules about capitalizing names.

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April 4, 2002: Issue 17

SIM STYLE: Is there a difference between “marbled” and “marbleized”?
Yes and no. “Marbled” and “marbleized” are both past-tense verb forms, but “marbled” is also an adjective. “Marbleize” is only a verb, a synonym of “to marble.”

Because it’s SIM style to use the first listing in Webster’s 10th, the
verb “marble” and the adjective “marbled” are almost always the preferred terms. “To marble” means to cover something in marble or to give it a marblelike look. The adjective “marbled” describes something made of marble, covered with marble, made to look like marble, or given a mottled look in general.
correct: She marbled the cake batter (to give a marblelike look)
correct: The marbled vanity (covered in marble)
incorrect: The marbleized solid-surfacing (the adjective “marbled” would be correct)

GRAMMAR: Is there a difference between “awhile” and “a while”?
Yes. Let the presence of a preposition tip you off. Without one, you probably mean “awhile,” which is an adverb meaning “for a while.” With a preposition,” while” is the object, so “a while” is correct.
incorrect: Why don’t you stay for awhile?
correct: Why don’t you stay awhile? (or for a while)
incorrect I’ll see you in awhile.
correct: I’ll see you in a while.

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November 8, 2007: Issue 212

Be very careful how you use the words win and winner. No one wins anything unless we’re running a sweepstakes.

A reader who submits a question might receive a book. A website visitor who shares a great idea might get a tiara. But nobody wins anything except in a sweepstakes—in which case we must get legal approval and run all that fine print.

How time flies: We still have 47 shopping days until Christmas, but remember that the magazines we’re closing now will publish next year. Make sure covers, folios, and copyright statements say 2008.

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May 29, 2008: Issue 241

In general, use periods in academic degrees:
Ph.D.
M.D.
B.A.

The exception is MBA. Most reference books leave the periods out of that one, so we will, too.

In professional certifications, on the other hand, don’t use periods:
CDE
CKD

Sometimes this will result in mixed formats in a single byline:

Jane Johnson, Ph.D., CDE

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September 18, 2008: Issue 256

And she’s checking it more than twice. Cindy updates group e-mail lists at least once a week. Save yourself some trouble and use these lists instead of trying to keep your own. You’ll find them in your drop-down e-mail contacts if you type SIM in the “to” field.

The lists include:
SIM Admin
SIM All Groups
SIM Creative Collection
SIM Food Group
SIM Garden Group
SIM Health Group
SIM Home Design Group
SIM New Media Group

And the Eebie goes to … Erich Gaukel, for his editor’s letter in the fall issue of Renovation Style. This column is a nice mix of personal anecdote, peek behind the scenes, design history lesson, and news you can use. Erich receives a commemorative paperweight.

(The Eebies, named for E. B. White, are occasional awards that recognize outstanding use of language. Make a nomination.)

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