b'language mattersA whole entire responseRecognizing Difference. Enabling Success. to redundanciesStudents with language-based Orton-Gillingham instruction I er wrote in withBY KRISTEN DI GENNAROlearning differences thrive atWinston! We serve brightlearners with challenges such n response to my last columncommercial break, he apologized for as dyslexia, ADHD, dysgraphia, describing the new(ish) use ofhaving uttered it, as if he had said a dyscalculia, and executive the possessive and Is, a read- four-letter rather than a four-syllable functioning differences, an observa- word. In case anyone missed his spo-turning obstacles into tion about whole entire, asken apology, Dokoupil followed up opportunities.in, I cant believe she ate thewith a social media post:whole entire thing. I must admit, it took me in small and structured a minute to see the poten-groups ensures that students tialproblemwithwhole receive personalized, entire,butIassumeits systematic, multisensory bothersome because its re-support tailored to their dundantboth whole and entireAs a linguist, Im less interested needs. mean the same thing. So why use thein Dokoupils use of a questionable two words together? word than I am in his response. What The Winston School of Short Hills My guess is that speakers use themakes irregardless so offensive that Visit us on the web to 30 East Lane two-word phrase for emphasis, like aits use warrants an apology? Many schedule a tour today!Short Hills, NJ 07078(973) 379-4114 | www.winstonschool.org cleaner way of saying, She didnt justinsist the word isnt logical because eatthewholecake,butsheatetheit includes two negatives: the prefix whole*&%$thing!Afterhearingir- and the suffix -less. But language ENROLLING NOW! wholeentiremultipletimes,otherisnt math, so no, two negative affix-speakers start to use the phrase as welles do not equal a linguistic positive. without even noticing the redundancy.Some say it derives from a blend of In fact, many of us are guilty of us- regardless and irrespective, mak-ing whole entire and other redun- ing one of the affixes redundant. Or dant phrases, such as when we men- maybeirregardlessisemphatic tion the free gift we received withnot simply without regard for what apurchase,ourpasthistorywithfollows, but really without any con-someone, or the end result of a long,sideration whatsoever. This brings us complicated situation. In fact, wereback to whole entire. If past histo-probably not even aware of using suchry is any guide, (ir)regardless of our questionable words or phrases.individual preferences, the end result Take,forexample,thesitua- will probably have all of us using the tionMattersMagazineeditorEllenword eventually.Why us? Donkerdescribesinthespringis- Whatotherquestionablewords sue, noting how a former boss fre- or phrases have you noticed? How Developmentally appropriate curriculum quently used the word irregardless.do you react when people use them? Play-based learning ThisimmediatelyremindedmeofPlease email your thoughts or ques-one morning when Tony Dokoupil,tions on language matters to Kristen Outdoor play Register ajournalistonCBSThisMorning,diGennaro,yourlocallinguist,at uttered this word during a segment.languagematters@mattersmagazine.REGISTER NOW Now! I have no idea what he was talkingcom. FOR 2025-2026! Schedule a tour! about, but just as Ellen noticed whenKristen di Gennaro is an associate pro-Schedule a tour!herformerbossusedthisword,IfessorofEnglishatPaceUniversity, 973-763-5460 tuned in and made a note of it. Un- where she teaches courses on linguistics. morrowpreschool.org like with Ellens boss, however, some- She lives in Maplewood and sometimes @morrowpreschool one must have told Dokoupil aboutgathers language data during her com-histransgressionbecauseafterthemute on the train. 24/ matters magazine / school 2025'