Interesting list
http://www.economist.com/research/styleGuide/index.cfm?page=673903 This is a list of words that get misused a lot. Examples: Appraise means set a price on. Apprise means inform. Blooded means pedigreed or initiated. Bloodied means wounded. Collapse is not transitive. You may collapse, but you may not collapse something. Discreet means circumspect or prudent; discrete means separate or distinct. Remember that Questions are never indiscreet. Answers sometimes are. (Oscar Wilde) Effectively means with effect; if you mean in effect, say it.The matter was effectively dealt with on Friday means it was done well on Friday. The matter was, in effect, dealt with on Friday means it was more or less attended to on Friday. Effectively leaderless would do as a description of the demonstrators in East Germany in 1989 but not those in Tiananmen Square. The devaluation of the Slovak currency in 1993, described by some as an effective 8%, turned out to be a rather ineffective 8%. Flaunt means display; flout means disdain. If you flout this distinction, you will flaunt your ignorance. (And that's as much as I'm going to copy paste right now.) Julia ___ http://www.mccmedia.com/mailman/listinfo/brin-l
Re: Interesting list
On Dec 19, 2007 6:26 AM, Julia Thompson [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: http://www.economist.com/research/styleGuide/index.cfm?page=673903 This is a list of words that get misused a lot. The Economist is a British publication, so the usages (and spelling) are not necessarily the same as we'd consider proper on this side of the pond. Around here, I don't think it is particularly uncomplimentary to say that a salesperson or company is aggressive. And we spell etiology without that silly extra 'a.' And a brokerage is and does over here. Etc. As for among and between, that one annoys me when people misuse it... and every time I have to use the BETWEEN operator in SQL, I'm slightly annoyed. In SQL, BETWEEN 1 AND 10 means 1 to 10 inclusive, even though the actual integers between 1 and 10 actually are 2 through 9. But I manage. I hate centered around, no matter how you spell center/centre. Back when integrated circuits were less common, I was frequently amused by the notion of discreet electronics. We could probably use more of them. I see disinterested misused more and more. Frankenstein was not a monster, but its creator. I think this is just pickiness about metaphor, which drives a lot of language. The word has come to mean the monster. At least over here. *Haver* means to *talk nonsense*, not *dither*,* swither *or *waver*. Haver? Swither? These are English words? My mother the English teacher despises the word hopefully. I'm not so bothered. Sometimes I use it just to see if she'll still correct me. Hopefully, some day she won't. A sad omission -- phase and faze. Every time I read that someone was phased (or unphased), I think Star Trek and its phasers. At least I think those were phasers, not fazers. Nick -- Nick Arnett [EMAIL PROTECTED] Messages: 408-904-7198 ___ http://www.mccmedia.com/mailman/listinfo/brin-l
Re: Interesting list
On 19 Dec 2007, at 15:46, Nick Arnett wrote: *Haver* means to *talk nonsense*, not *dither*,* swither *or *waver*. Haver? Swither? These are English words? They are in common use around here. -- William T Goodall Mail : [EMAIL PROTECTED] Web : http://www.wtgab.demon.co.uk Blog : http://radio.weblogs.com/0111221/ Two years from now, spam will be solved. - Bill Gates, 2004 ___ http://www.mccmedia.com/mailman/listinfo/brin-l
Re: Interesting list
On Dec 19, 2007 8:48 AM, William T Goodall [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: On 19 Dec 2007, at 15:46, Nick Arnett wrote: *Haver* means to *talk nonsense*, not *dither*,* swither *or *waver*. Haver? Swither? These are English words? They are in common use around here. Concerning religion, undoubtedly ;-) Nick -- William T Goodall Mail : [EMAIL PROTECTED] Web : http://www.wtgab.demon.co.uk Blog : http://radio.weblogs.com/0111221/ Two years from now, spam will be solved. - Bill Gates, 2004 ___ http://www.mccmedia.com/mailman/listinfo/brin-l -- Nick Arnett [EMAIL PROTECTED] Messages: 408-904-7198 ___ http://www.mccmedia.com/mailman/listinfo/brin-l
Re: Interesting list
On 19 Dec 2007, at 17:15, Nick Arnett wrote: On Dec 19, 2007 8:48 AM, William T Goodall [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: On 19 Dec 2007, at 15:46, Nick Arnett wrote: *Haver* means to *talk nonsense*, not *dither*,* swither *or *waver*. Haver? Swither? These are English words? They are in common use around here. Concerning religion, undoubtedly ;-) I never swither about calling religious cant havering :) -- William T Goodall Mail : [EMAIL PROTECTED] Web : http://www.wtgab.demon.co.uk Blog : http://radio.weblogs.com/0111221/ There's no chance that the iPhone is going to get any significant market share. No chance - Steve Ballmer ___ http://www.mccmedia.com/mailman/listinfo/brin-l
Re: Interesting list
On Dec 19, 2007, at 10:29 AM, William T Goodall wrote: On 19 Dec 2007, at 17:15, Nick Arnett wrote: On Dec 19, 2007 8:48 AM, William T Goodall [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: On 19 Dec 2007, at 15:46, Nick Arnett wrote: *Haver* means to *talk nonsense*, not *dither*,* swither *or *waver*. Haver? Swither? These are English words? They are in common use around here. Concerning religion, undoubtedly ;-) I never swither about calling religious cant havering :) Indeed, not: you chunter on about it. Dave ___ http://www.mccmedia.com/mailman/listinfo/brin-l
