As a ghost writer in Mesa who pays close attention to the way words work and the way people sometimes twist them without realizing, I cannot help noticing when everyday language goes a little off-track. Whether I am writing, editing, or simply moving through daily life, these small linguistic slip-ups always catch my ear. Sometimes they are just too good not to share.
When I practiced yoga, I did it twice a week. I was never certain if it was doing any good. I never sensed I got more limber or flexible.But I did notice that the pinched nerve in my back didn’t bother me as much, so there was that.
But my ears didn’t deceive me: All of the instructors I had over the years incorrectly used vertebrae.
They all misused it the same way: We’re in a forward bend, and the yogi told us to slowly rise “one vertebrae at a time.”
Except the singular form is vertebra, and it refers to “any of the bones or segments composing the spinal column.”
I don’t think rising up two vertebrae at a time is what the instructors had in mind, especially when they next said, “Head is the last to come up.” Head is singular, thereby inferring that the bones in the spine rise one at a time, too, starting with the closest to the waist (the sacrum) and continuing through the lumbar and up to the neck and head.
I wish my “downward facing dog” could be fixed as easily.
Moments like these remind me why I love what I do. Words matter, and noticing how we use them can be both helpful and entertaining. If you have ever caught yourself wondering whether something sounds right, trust that instinct. It is the first step toward clearer, stronger communication. And if you ever need a ghost writer serving Phoenix who focuses on the details so you do not have to, you know where to find me. Until next time! Use the right words!
Until next time! Use the right words!
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