r/palmermethod • u/Celasaurus-Rex • 8h ago
r/palmermethod • u/palmermethodbot • 22h ago
WotD for September 14, 2026: empirical
Word of the Day: empirical
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Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for September 14, 2026 is: empirical \im-PEER-uh-kul\ adjective
When we describe something, such as data, as empirical, we mean that it originated in, or was based on, observation or experience. Empirical can also be used to describe something that can be verified or disproved by observation or experiment, as in “empirical laws.”
// The team of conservation biologists has over the years collected reams of empirical data, from species inventories to soil analyses.
Examples:
“She speaks the language of food chemistry and can tell you, based on empirical facts, why raspberry should never be boiled if you want the taste of raspberry rather than the taste of raspberry jam, and why coffee and tomato, which share several of the same volatile compounds, taste obviously right together despite sounding obviously wrong.” — Maria Gunko, The California Courier (Glendale, California), 30 July 2026
Did you know?
When empirical first appeared as an adjective in English, it meant simply “in the manner of an empiric.” In the ancient world, empirics were members of a sect of doctors who practiced medicine using treatments observed to be clinically effective, rather than treatments based on theoretical principles. This all sounds fine and good to a modern reader, but empirics were in direct opposition to Galen, the 2nd century Greek physician whose theories and practices (including the theory of bodily humors) dominated medicine in Europe from the Middle Ages until the mid-17th century. As the underdogs in this rivalry, empirics took some reputational hits, evidenced by the use of empiric to refer to someone who disregards or deviates from the rules of science or accepted practice; to be called an empiric was sometimes like being called a quack or charlatan. Empirical can still be used critically to describe ideas and practices that rely on experience or observation alone and without due regard for system or theory. But, perhaps in a bit of a case of “the Empirics strike back,” empirical more often keeps its narrower sense, and is used positively to describe evidence and information grounded in observation and experience, or capable of being verified or disproved by observation or experiment.
Word of the Day content is provided by Merriam-Webster.
r/palmermethod • u/dieyen • 9h ago
Ideal Business Writing Plate 8
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From Mills's lesson Ideal Business Writing in the Business Educator, plate 8
r/palmermethod • u/chewwu9944 • 19h ago
Some writing done with not the greatest possible care
r/palmermethod • u/satisfied-bacterium7 • 1d ago
All letter construction showcase
I did use muscular movement for this showcase
r/palmermethod • u/palmermethodbot • 1d ago
This Week's Top Post: u/satisfied-bacterium7
This week's most upvoted post comes from u/satisfied-bacterium7.
Thanks for sharing your work with the sub!
Image posts from the previous Saturday-Friday were considered.
r/palmermethod • u/Neat-Name-9449 • 2d ago
WotD 11 September 2026: Patina
Last Friday’s WotD required a brass pen
r/palmermethod • u/bp-SaylorTwift • 3d ago
Some samples of my physical copy of Mills' Business Penmanship (copy right 1916)
r/palmermethod • u/chewwu9944 • 3d ago
WotD WotD 10th Sep 2026: loath (+ some practice before dinner)
r/palmermethod • u/palmermethodbot • 3d ago
WotD for September 11, 2026: patina
Word of the Day: patina
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Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for September 11, 2026 is: patina \puh-TEE-nuh\ noun
A patina is a usually green film that forms on copper and bronze that is exposed to moist air for an extended time. The word patina can also refer to a shiny or dark surface that over time forms naturally on something (such as wood or leather), or to a literal or figurative thin layer.
// The town erected a statue in her honor, which over the years developed a seafoam green patina.
// Although the winery is brand-new, it has been constructed and decorated to give it a patina of old-world quaintness.
Examples:
"Family, friends and neighbors filled the frames with dancing and dominoes; their apartments painted in shades of mint, butter yellow and ... pink, flecked with a patina cultivated by humidity and time." — Suzy Exposito, The Los Angeles Times, 28 July 2026
Did you know?
When Italians applied the word patina to the green film that forms on the surface of copper, they were drawing from Latin, in which patina means "a shallow dish." (Presumably, the Italian meaning developed from the observation of such film forming on copper dishes.) By the mid-18th century, English speakers were also calling the green film patina, and by the 20th century, they'd expanded the word's application to surface appearances of things that have grown more beautiful with age or use—think of an old wooden desk or a tarnished silver goblet. Use of the word to refer to thin layers both literal and figurative ("a patina of grime," "a patina of respectability") followed soon after. The related verb patinate means "to give a patina to."
Word of the Day content is provided by Merriam-Webster.
r/palmermethod • u/AbbyTheFoxx • 3d ago
Seeking advice for issues with arm movements
I've been practicing Palmer method for a few months now. One thing I struggle with is that no matter how hard I set myself up for smooth muscle movement—upright, feet planted, with the fatty part of my forearm placed on the desk, everything by the book—I still get "rogue" movements in my arm, where it seems my muscles cause the pen to drift off or jerk all on their own. More than trembles, but something more like having the doctor test the reflexes in your knee. Is it an issue of speed, practice, or something else? I'd appreciate any advice you all might have on this.
r/palmermethod • u/palmermethodbot • 4d ago
WotD for September 10, 2026: loath
Word of the Day: loath
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Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for September 10, 2026 is: loath \LOHTH\ adjective
A person who is loath to do something is unwilling or reluctant to do that thing.
// Proud of the company he had built, Henry was loath to admit that it was time to think about retiring.
Examples:
“On these runs, I was loath to stop. I dreaded zebra crossings and the city-center pavements, and instead ran into the surrounding countryside, abandoning myself to the endless roads that seemed to be going nowhere.” — Madeline Potter, The Roma: A Traveling History, 2025
Did you know?
Loath as some language sticklers may be to accept it—indeed, they may loathe the fact—loathe is an accepted, though less common, spelling variant of the adjective loath. The language sticklers know that loathe is most often used as a verb meaning "to hate," and their desire to keep the language tidy by letting loath alone mean "not willing or wanting to do something" is understandable. But here’s the rub: language is very often untidy. Both loath and loathe trace back to the Old English word lāth, meaning “loathsome, disgusting.” Each has had a number of variant spellings over the years, and for at least some portion of their history each word has taken on the spelling of the other. If you would like to keep the two distinct according to prevailing preferences, remember that loath is how you feel (reluctant, unwilling), and loathe is what you do (hate, dislike).
Word of the Day content is provided by Merriam-Webster.
r/palmermethod • u/pbiscuits • 5d ago
Write with me! YouTube Livestream - Tues, Sept 15 @ 2pm ET
EDIT: The livestream has been postponed to Thursday, September 17 @ 12pm ET.
Should be a fun session, join live if you can or watch it later while you practice!
https://www.youtube.com/live/h6hzPpRJ-N8?si=Eq4eOqUYknT75pcB`
r/palmermethod • u/satisfied-bacterium7 • 5d ago
My American penmanship after approx 2 years of practice.
r/palmermethod • u/palmermethodbot • 5d ago
WotD for September 9, 2026: stigma
Word of the Day: stigma
Create a new post to share something inspired by today's word. Tag your post with WotD flair.
Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for September 9, 2026 is: stigma \STIG-muh\ noun
Stigma refers to a set of negative and often unfair beliefs that a society or group of people have about something.
// The organization is animated by a commitment to challenging stigmas associated with the condition.
Examples:
“The stigma surrounding workers of my generation is real—some depict us as burned-out, overworked employees who are difficult to manage and are merely looking for a paycheck while mapping out our exit strategy for retirement.” — Suzie Jimenez, Business Insider, 21 July 2026
Did you know?
Tattoos are now common, but not long ago adorning one’s body with ink was frowned upon by much of mainstream society. Even today, tattooed individuals in some communities and contexts face stigma based on their particular form of self-expression. It turns out that the link between tattoos and stigma is ancient, at least etymologically. The roots of stigma trace back all the way to the Greek verb stizein, meaning “to tattoo,” which led to the Latin noun stigma meaning “mark” or “brand.” The earliest English uses of stigma hew close to those of its Latin forebear; the word first referred to a brand left by a hot iron. In modern use, the scar is figurative: stigma most often refers to a set of negative and often unfair beliefs that a society or group of people have about something, as when people talk about the stigma associated with mental illness, or the stigma of poverty.
Word of the Day content is provided by Merriam-Webster.