Friday, December 19, 2014

realms of possibility/realm of possibility: The Weekend Edition—Common Errors in English Usage Entry for Friday–Sunday, December 19–21, 2014

realms of possibility/realm of possibility 
We say of something that is not impossible that it is “within the realm of possibility,” or “within the realm of the possible.” The plural form “realms” is so popular in the worlds of fantasy fiction and gaming that it is understandable that many people would refer to “realms of possibility,” but the realm of the possible contains everything that is possible. That’s what its name means. The idea of plural possibilities is already inherent in the word “realm.”

When even serious physicists speculate about multiple “universes” the concept of multiple realms of possibility may sound all right, but it’s neither logical nor traditional.

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The Week’s End Extra from the Archives: “Sorta Speak” (June 18, 2012).

Something is a-SKU in the comics, according to Paul Brians' latest blog post.

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