It's called a joke.

I was going to say, mathing is actually a gerund . . .and I approve of its use.

If you're truly a grammar cop, you know that there's descriptive grammar (which describes HOW people use language), and prescriptive grammar (which tells people HOW to use language). And you'd further know that prescriptive grammar is only appropriate when in a teacher/student role, or if a person is specifically asking for assistance - if such a person is not a native speaker of the language, for example. And I'd go even further to remind you that it is the exploration and creative use of one's native language that enriches and - dare I say it - embiggens that native language.

I think we can all be grateful that Shakespeare either was not plagued by grammar cops, or ignored them completely. If Chase wants to Shakespeare his column by mathing it up, we should be grateful he's embiggening our collective vocabulariousity, instead of being grammar-copped into silence.

It's a slow day at work, I tell myself, so why not reply one more time just to get another vote down?

Although I didn't call myself grammar cop, but rather invited you lot to do so, I am totally happy to concede prescriptive vs. descriptive etc. and frankly in this, ahem, modern era of texting, the "battle" is already lost. That said, I don't foresee many people actually adopting "embiggened" because there already are too many shorter alternatives. xD

As to Shakespeare, there are some good points in what you say, but the idea that Chase is going to be grammar-copped into silence, well, you're taking the argument past its logical extreme. I only objected to one word, not the whole thing, and there only because he needlessly insisted that it is a word. If a word communicates something, you don't need to defend it. I like Chase's columns, I learn a ton from him. I just don't think "mathing" communicates anything more than alternatives and was basically just a way to tart things up. YMMV. Cheerio all, vote me down now.

Now I won't!
/sticks out tongue

:-p