Mark Abley

Where this writer stands

No opinion piece by this writer has been scored on a policy topic yet.

Only opinion columns and editorials are scored. Each piece is read twice by a language model, which records the author's own stance on a policy topic only where the piece argues one, with a quote that must appear in the piece. An author's position on a topic is the average of their pieces, weighted by the model's confidence. News reporting is listed but never scored.

Recent work

• Opinion: A healthy diversion from doomscrolling is cathartic for the soulOpinion · Montreal Gazette · Aug 17, 2026
• Watchwords: Origin of the term 'Canuck' lies in an unlikely placeOpinion · Montreal Gazette · Mar 27, 2026
• Watchwords: Obviously, your linguistic pet peeves include clichésOpinion · Montreal Gazette · Mar 27, 2026
• Opinion: Putting on the writs: How incorrect idioms enter into the English language, and what it says about usOpinion · The Globe and Mail · Sep 11, 2019
• One way to keep language real: Reconfigure our figures of speechOpinion · The Globe and Mail · Nov 1, 2018
• Watchwords: A shared passion for the languageOpinion · Montreal Gazette · Aug 24, 2017
• Watchwords: A shared passion for the languageOpinion · Montreal Gazette · Aug 24, 2017
• Watchwords: Arcade Fire headline was an example of 'verbing'Opinion · Montreal Gazette · Aug 10, 2017
• Watchwords: Arcade Fire headline was an example of 'verbing'Opinion · Montreal Gazette · Aug 10, 2017
• Watchwords: Test your skill, with bated breathOpinion · Montreal Gazette · Jul 27, 2017
• Watchwords: Test your skill, with bated breathOpinion · Montreal Gazette · Jul 27, 2017
• Watchwords: An appetite for 'h'orderves'?Opinion · Montreal Gazette · Jul 13, 2017
• Watchwords: An appetite for 'h'orderves'?Opinion · Montreal Gazette · Jul 13, 2017
• Watchwords: An appetite for 'h'orderves'?Opinion · Montreal Gazette · Jul 13, 2017
• Watchwords: Origin of the term 'Canuck' lies in an unlikely placeOpinion · Montreal Gazette · Jun 29, 2017
• Watchwords: As English becomes more gender neutral, 'bachelorette' enduresOpinion · Montreal Gazette · Jun 15, 2017
• Watchwords: As English becomes more gender neutral, 'bachelorette' enduresOpinion · Montreal Gazette · Jun 15, 2017
• Watchwords: Clarity is a virtueOpinion · Montreal Gazette · Jun 1, 2017
• Watchwords: Clarity is a virtueOpinion · Montreal Gazette · Jun 1, 2017
• Watchwords: 2 Chow and our appetite for nicknamesOpinion · Montreal Gazette · May 18, 2017
• Watchwords: 2 Chow and our appetite for nicknamesOpinion · Montreal Gazette · May 18, 2017
• Watchwords: Doggo-speak leaps off the Internet and into conversationOpinion · Montreal Gazette · May 4, 2017
• Watchwords: Doggo-speak leaps off the Internet and into conversationOpinion · Montreal Gazette · May 4, 2017
• Watchwords: 'Gung ho' originates with U.S. MarinesOpinion · Montreal Gazette · Apr 20, 2017
• Watchwords: 'Gung ho' originates with U.S. MarinesOpinion · Montreal Gazette · Apr 20, 2017
• Watchwords: The strange history of 'pothole'Opinion · Montreal Gazette · Apr 6, 2017
• Watchwords: The strange history of 'pothole'Opinion · Montreal Gazette · Apr 6, 2017
• Watchwords: Not quite 'future-ready' for adjectives to become verbsOpinion · Montreal Gazette · Mar 23, 2017
• Watchwords: Not quite 'future-ready' for adjectives to become verbsOpinion · Montreal Gazette · Mar 23, 2017
• Watchwords: It turns out you can indeed 'rehabilitate' a roadOpinion · Montreal Gazette · Mar 9, 2017
• Watchwords: It turns out you can indeed 'rehabilitate' a roadOpinion · Montreal Gazette · Mar 9, 2017
• Watchwords: Symphony program revealed a contrast in linguistic tonesOpinion · Montreal Gazette · Feb 23, 2017
• Watchwords: Symphony program revealed a contrast in linguistic tonesOpinion · Montreal Gazette · Feb 23, 2017
• Watchwords: Mixing up me, myself and IOpinion · Montreal Gazette · Feb 9, 2017
• Watchwords: Mixing up me, myself and IOpinion · Montreal Gazette · Feb 9, 2017
• Watchwords: Pet peeves about how English is spokenOpinion · Montreal Gazette · Jan 26, 2017
• Watchwords: Pet peeves about how English is spokenOpinion · Montreal Gazette · Jan 26, 2017
• Watchwords: Just to reconfirm, here are your pet peevesOpinion · Montreal Gazette · Jan 12, 2017
• Watchwords: It's time to send in your pet peevesOpinion · Montreal Gazette · Dec 29, 2016
• Watchwords: It's time to send in your pet peevesOpinion · Montreal Gazette · Dec 29, 2016
• Watchwords: Montreal's Christmas tree made me think about 'balsam'Opinion · Montreal Gazette · Dec 15, 2016
• Watchwords: Montreal's Christmas tree made me think about 'balsam'Opinion · Montreal Gazette · Dec 15, 2016
• Watchwords: We live in a 'post-truth' momentOpinion · Montreal Gazette · Dec 1, 2016
• Watchwords: We live in a 'post-truth' momentOpinion · Montreal Gazette · Dec 1, 2016
• Watchwords: From airplane mode to temblors, we're using new termsOpinion · Montreal Gazette · Nov 17, 2016
• Watchwords: From airplane mode to temblors, we're using new termsOpinion · Montreal Gazette · Nov 17, 2016
• Watchwords: Denis Villeneuve's new film, Arrival, gets to the heart of languageOpinion · Montreal Gazette · Nov 3, 2016
• Watchwords: Denis Villeneuve's new film, Arrival, gets to the heart of languageOpinion · Montreal Gazette · Nov 3, 2016
• Watchwords: The Canadiens have many nicknamesOpinion · Montreal Gazette · Oct 20, 2016
• Watchwords: The Canadiens have many nicknamesOpinion · Montreal Gazette · Oct 20, 2016
• Watchwords: 'Clicktivism' and 'YOLO' enter the dictionaryOpinion · Montreal Gazette · Sep 22, 2016
• Watchwords: 'Clicktivism' and 'YOLO' enter the dictionaryOpinion · Montreal Gazette · Sep 22, 2016
• Watchwords: The language that gave us 'coffee' and 'algebra'Opinion · Montreal Gazette · Sep 8, 2016
• Watchwords: Ugly words form Donald Trump's campaign of fear, loathing and resentmentOpinion · Montreal Gazette · Aug 11, 2016
• Watchwords: British English continues to be distinctOpinion · Montreal Gazette · Jul 28, 2016
• Watchwords: What’s behind the #Brexit shorthand?Opinion · Montreal Gazette · Jun 30, 2016
• Watchwords: A linguistic tour of Montreal’s TamsOpinion · Montreal Gazette · Jun 2, 2016
• Watchwords: A linguistic tour of Montreal's TamsOpinion · Montreal Gazette · Jun 2, 2016
• Watchwords: Why has this idiom taken off? Because brevityOpinion · Montreal Gazette · May 19, 2016
• Watchwords: The Czech Republic changes its nameOpinion · Montreal Gazette · May 5, 2016