imply/infer
These two words, which originally had quite distinct meanings, have become so blended together that most people no longer distinguish between them. If you want to avoid irritating the rest of us, use “imply” when something is being suggested without being explicitly stated and “infer” when someone is trying to arrive at a conclusion based on evidence. “Imply” is more assertive, active: I imply that you need to revise your paper; and based on my hints, you infer that I didn’t think highly of your first draft.
Thursday, May 31, 2012
Wednesday, May 30, 2012
decade names: Common Errors in English Usage Entry for Wednesday, May 30, 2012.
decade names
There’s no requirement for the apostrophe before the S in decade names like 50s and 60s, since there are no omitted letters, though it’s also acceptable to include one. The term may be written “’50s” since “19” is being omitted, but “50s” is fine too. Writers who wish to have their references to decades clearly understood in the 21st century would be well advised not to omit the first two digits.
Note that you may have to turn off “smart quotes” in your word processor to get a leading apostrophe like the one in “’50s” to curl correctly unless you know how to type the character directly. Or you can just type two apostrophes in a row and delete the first one.
___________________________
Read the Common Errors in English Usage blog, including the latest post on an error not quite common enough to be featured on the main site.
There’s no requirement for the apostrophe before the S in decade names like 50s and 60s, since there are no omitted letters, though it’s also acceptable to include one. The term may be written “’50s” since “19” is being omitted, but “50s” is fine too. Writers who wish to have their references to decades clearly understood in the 21st century would be well advised not to omit the first two digits.
Note that you may have to turn off “smart quotes” in your word processor to get a leading apostrophe like the one in “’50s” to curl correctly unless you know how to type the character directly. Or you can just type two apostrophes in a row and delete the first one.
___________________________
Read the Common Errors in English Usage blog, including the latest post on an error not quite common enough to be featured on the main site.
Tuesday, May 29, 2012
could of, should of, would of/could have, should have, would have: Common Errors in English Usage Entry for Tuesday, May 29, 2012.
could of, should of, would of/could have, should have, would have
This is one of those errors typically made by a person more familiar with the spoken than the written form of English. A sentence like “I would have gone if anyone had given me free tickets” is normally spoken in a slurred way so that the two words “would have” are not distinctly separated, but blended together into what is properly rendered “would’ve.” Seeing that V tips you off right away that “would’ve” is a contraction of “would have.” But many people hear “would of” and that’s how they write it. Wrong.
Note that “must of” is similarly an error for “must have.”
This is one of those errors typically made by a person more familiar with the spoken than the written form of English. A sentence like “I would have gone if anyone had given me free tickets” is normally spoken in a slurred way so that the two words “would have” are not distinctly separated, but blended together into what is properly rendered “would’ve.” Seeing that V tips you off right away that “would’ve” is a contraction of “would have.” But many people hear “would of” and that’s how they write it. Wrong.
Note that “must of” is similarly an error for “must have.”
Monday, May 28, 2012
as of yet/yet: Common Errors in English Usage Entry for Monday, May 28, 2012.
as of yet/yet
“As of yet” is a windy and pretentious substitute for plain old English “yet” or “as yet,” an unjustified extension of the pattern in sentences like “as of Monday the 28th of May.”
“As of yet” is a windy and pretentious substitute for plain old English “yet” or “as yet,” an unjustified extension of the pattern in sentences like “as of Monday the 28th of May.”
Sunday, May 27, 2012
bailout/bail out: Common Errors in English Usage Entry for Sunday, May 27, 2012.
bailout/bail out
Whether you are bailing out a rowboat or a bank, use the two-word spelling to describe the action of doing it (the verb form): “we need to bail out the boat before we can go fishing.”
But to label the activity itself (the noun form), use the one-word spelling: “this bailout is going to be expensive.”
Whether you are bailing out a rowboat or a bank, use the two-word spelling to describe the action of doing it (the verb form): “we need to bail out the boat before we can go fishing.”
But to label the activity itself (the noun form), use the one-word spelling: “this bailout is going to be expensive.”
Saturday, May 26, 2012
hew and cry: Common Errors in English Usage Entry for Saturday, May 26, 2012.
hew and cry/hue and cry
If you were to accidentally whack your leg with a hatchet you might be said to hew it, and you would certainly be justified in crying.
But in the expression “hue and cry” “hue” means “shout” and is derived from an Old French verb huer, designating the shouts that soldiers or hunters make when they are on the assault. It’s a bit redundant, like “screaming and shouting”; but the spelling in this expression is definitely the same as that of the word meaning “color”: hue.
If you were to accidentally whack your leg with a hatchet you might be said to hew it, and you would certainly be justified in crying.
But in the expression “hue and cry” “hue” means “shout” and is derived from an Old French verb huer, designating the shouts that soldiers or hunters make when they are on the assault. It’s a bit redundant, like “screaming and shouting”; but the spelling in this expression is definitely the same as that of the word meaning “color”: hue.
Friday, May 25, 2012
artisanal/artesian: Common Errors in English Usage Entry for Friday, May 25, 2012.
artisanal/artesian
For the past half-century foodies have referred to foods and drinks made in small batches by hand using traditional methods as artisanal—made by artisans: workers in handicrafts. The term has also been extended to a wide variety of other handmade products. Dictionaries agree that the word should be pronounced “ARR-tizz-uh-nul” with the accent on the first syllable and the second syllable rhyming with “fizz.” Just say “artisan” and add “-ul.”
Diners and restaurant workers alike commonly confuse the pronunciation of its first three syllables with that of “artesian”—“arr-TEE-zhun”—which is an adjective to describe water which spurts out of the earth under natural pressure. In this word the accent falls on the second syllable, pronounced like “tea.” A spring such as this is called an “artesian spring” or “artesian well.”
If you hand-bottle water from a natural spring in your backyard I suppose you could call the result artisanal artesian water.
For the past half-century foodies have referred to foods and drinks made in small batches by hand using traditional methods as artisanal—made by artisans: workers in handicrafts. The term has also been extended to a wide variety of other handmade products. Dictionaries agree that the word should be pronounced “ARR-tizz-uh-nul” with the accent on the first syllable and the second syllable rhyming with “fizz.” Just say “artisan” and add “-ul.”
Diners and restaurant workers alike commonly confuse the pronunciation of its first three syllables with that of “artesian”—“arr-TEE-zhun”—which is an adjective to describe water which spurts out of the earth under natural pressure. In this word the accent falls on the second syllable, pronounced like “tea.” A spring such as this is called an “artesian spring” or “artesian well.”
If you hand-bottle water from a natural spring in your backyard I suppose you could call the result artisanal artesian water.
Thursday, May 24, 2012
bare/bear: Common Errors in English Usage Entry for Thursday, May 24, 2012.
bare/bear
There are actually three words here. The simple one is the big growly creature (unless you prefer the Winnie-the-Pooh type). Hardly anyone past the age of 10 gets that one wrong. The problem is the other two. Stevedores bear burdens on their backs and mothers bear children. Both mean “carry” (in the case of mothers, the meaning has been extended from carrying the child during pregnancy to actually giving birth). But strippers bare their bodies—sometimes bare-naked. The confusion between this latter verb and “bear” creates many unintentionally amusing sentences; so if you want to entertain your readers while convincing them that you are a dolt, by all means mix them up. “Bear with me,” the standard expression, is a request for forbearance or patience. “Bare with me” would be an invitation to undress. “Bare” has an adjectival form: “The pioneers stripped the forest bare.”
There are actually three words here. The simple one is the big growly creature (unless you prefer the Winnie-the-Pooh type). Hardly anyone past the age of 10 gets that one wrong. The problem is the other two. Stevedores bear burdens on their backs and mothers bear children. Both mean “carry” (in the case of mothers, the meaning has been extended from carrying the child during pregnancy to actually giving birth). But strippers bare their bodies—sometimes bare-naked. The confusion between this latter verb and “bear” creates many unintentionally amusing sentences; so if you want to entertain your readers while convincing them that you are a dolt, by all means mix them up. “Bear with me,” the standard expression, is a request for forbearance or patience. “Bare with me” would be an invitation to undress. “Bare” has an adjectival form: “The pioneers stripped the forest bare.”
Wednesday, May 23, 2012
last name/given name/first name: Common Errors in English Usage Entry for Wednesday, May 23, 2012.
last name/given name/first name
Now that few people know what a “surname” is, we usually use the term “last name” to designate a family name; but in a host of languages the family name comes first. For instance, “Kawabata” was the family name of author Kawabata Yasunari. For Asians, this situation is complicated because publishers and immigrants often switch names to conform to Western practice, so you’ll find most of Kawabata’s books in an American bookstore by looking under “Yasunari Kawabata.” It’s safer with international names to write “given name” and “family name” rather than “first name” and “last name.”
Note that in a multicultural society the old-fashioned term “Christian name” (for “given name”) is both inaccurate and offensive.
Now that few people know what a “surname” is, we usually use the term “last name” to designate a family name; but in a host of languages the family name comes first. For instance, “Kawabata” was the family name of author Kawabata Yasunari. For Asians, this situation is complicated because publishers and immigrants often switch names to conform to Western practice, so you’ll find most of Kawabata’s books in an American bookstore by looking under “Yasunari Kawabata.” It’s safer with international names to write “given name” and “family name” rather than “first name” and “last name.”
Note that in a multicultural society the old-fashioned term “Christian name” (for “given name”) is both inaccurate and offensive.
Tuesday, May 22, 2012
dissemble/disassemble: Common Errors in English Usage Entry for Tuesday, May 22, 2012.
dissemble/disassemble
People who dissemble are being dishonest, trying to hide what they are really up to. This is an uncommon word, often misused when “disassemble” is meant. People who disassemble something take it apart—they are doing the opposite of assembling it.
______________
Can an apostrophe do anything besides mark possession or indicate a contraction? Paul Brians' latest blog entry explores the possibilities.
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People who dissemble are being dishonest, trying to hide what they are really up to. This is an uncommon word, often misused when “disassemble” is meant. People who disassemble something take it apart—they are doing the opposite of assembling it.
______________
Can an apostrophe do anything besides mark possession or indicate a contraction? Paul Brians' latest blog entry explores the possibilities.
Like the calendar? Tell a friend!
Like the calendar a lot? Buy the book!
Monday, May 21, 2012
good/well: Common Errors in English Usage Entry for Monday, May 21, 2012.
good/well
You do something well, but a thing is good. The exception is verbs of sensation in phrases such as “the pie smells good,” or “I feel good.” Despite the arguments of nitpickers, this is standard usage. Saying “the pie smells well” would imply that the pastry in question had a nose. Similarly, “I feel well” is also acceptable, especially when discussing health; but it is not the only correct usage.
You do something well, but a thing is good. The exception is verbs of sensation in phrases such as “the pie smells good,” or “I feel good.” Despite the arguments of nitpickers, this is standard usage. Saying “the pie smells well” would imply that the pastry in question had a nose. Similarly, “I feel well” is also acceptable, especially when discussing health; but it is not the only correct usage.
Sunday, May 20, 2012
trustee/trusty: Common Errors in English Usage Entry for Sunday, May 20, 2012.
trustee/trusty
A member of an organizational board is a trustee; a trusted convict is a trusty.
A member of an organizational board is a trustee; a trusted convict is a trusty.
Saturday, May 19, 2012
gull/gall: Common Errors in English Usage Entry for Saturday, May 19, 2012.
gull/gall
“How could you have the nerve, the chutzpah, the effrontery, the unmitigated gall to claim you didn’t cheat because it was your girlfriend who copied from the Web when she wrote your paper for you?”
This sense of “gall” has nothing to do with seabirds, so don’t say “How could you have the gull?”
“How could you have the nerve, the chutzpah, the effrontery, the unmitigated gall to claim you didn’t cheat because it was your girlfriend who copied from the Web when she wrote your paper for you?”
This sense of “gall” has nothing to do with seabirds, so don’t say “How could you have the gull?”
Friday, May 18, 2012
genius/brilliant: Common Errors in English Usage Entry for Friday, May 18, 2012.
genius/brilliant
In standard English “genius” is a noun, but not an adjective. In slang, people often say things like “Telling Mom your English teacher is requiring the class to get HBO was genius!” The standard way to say this is “was brilliant.”
In standard English “genius” is a noun, but not an adjective. In slang, people often say things like “Telling Mom your English teacher is requiring the class to get HBO was genius!” The standard way to say this is “was brilliant.”
Thursday, May 17, 2012
complement/compliment: Common Errors in English Usage Entry for Thursday, May 17, 2012.
complement/compliment
Originally these two spellings were used interchangeably, but they have come to be distinguished from each other in modern times. Most of the time the word people intend is “compliment”: nice things said about someone (“She paid me the compliment of admiring the way I shined my shoes”). “Complement,” much less common, has a number of meanings associated with matching or completing. Complements supplement each other, each adding something the others lack, so we can say that “Alice’s love for entertaining and Mike’s love for washing dishes complement each other.” Remember, if you’re not making nice to someone, the word is “complement.”
Originally these two spellings were used interchangeably, but they have come to be distinguished from each other in modern times. Most of the time the word people intend is “compliment”: nice things said about someone (“She paid me the compliment of admiring the way I shined my shoes”). “Complement,” much less common, has a number of meanings associated with matching or completing. Complements supplement each other, each adding something the others lack, so we can say that “Alice’s love for entertaining and Mike’s love for washing dishes complement each other.” Remember, if you’re not making nice to someone, the word is “complement.”
Wednesday, May 16, 2012
fulsome: Common Errors in English Usage Entry for Wednesday, May 16, 2012.
fulsome
In modern usage, “fulsome” has two inconsistent meanings. To some people it means “offensive, overdone,” so “fulsome praise” to them would be disgustingly exaggerated praise.
To other people it means “abundant,” and for them “fulsome praise” is glowingly warm praise.
The first group tends to look down on the second group, and the second group tends to be baffled by the first. Best to just avoid the word altogether.
In modern usage, “fulsome” has two inconsistent meanings. To some people it means “offensive, overdone,” so “fulsome praise” to them would be disgustingly exaggerated praise.
To other people it means “abundant,” and for them “fulsome praise” is glowingly warm praise.
The first group tends to look down on the second group, and the second group tends to be baffled by the first. Best to just avoid the word altogether.
Tuesday, May 15, 2012
downgrade/degrade/denigrate: Common Errors in English Usage Entry for Tuesday, May 15, 2012.
downgrade/degrade/denigrate
Many people use “downgrade” instead of “denigrate” to mean “defame, slander.” “Downgrade” is entirely different in meaning. When something is downgraded, it is lowered in grade (usually made worse), not just considered worse. “When the president of the company fled to Rio with $15 million, its bonds were downgraded to junk bond status.” “Degrade” is much more flexible in meaning. It can mean to lower in status or rank (like “downgrade”) or to corrupt or make contemptible; but it always has to do with actual reduction in value rather than mere insult, like “denigrate.” Most of the time when people use “downgrade” they would be better off instead using “insult,” “belittle,” or “sneer at.”
While we’re at it, let’s distinguish between “deprecate,” meaning “disapprove,” and “depreciate,” which, like “downgrade,” is not a mere matter of approval or opinion but signifies an actual lowering of value.
Many people use “downgrade” instead of “denigrate” to mean “defame, slander.” “Downgrade” is entirely different in meaning. When something is downgraded, it is lowered in grade (usually made worse), not just considered worse. “When the president of the company fled to Rio with $15 million, its bonds were downgraded to junk bond status.” “Degrade” is much more flexible in meaning. It can mean to lower in status or rank (like “downgrade”) or to corrupt or make contemptible; but it always has to do with actual reduction in value rather than mere insult, like “denigrate.” Most of the time when people use “downgrade” they would be better off instead using “insult,” “belittle,” or “sneer at.”
While we’re at it, let’s distinguish between “deprecate,” meaning “disapprove,” and “depreciate,” which, like “downgrade,” is not a mere matter of approval or opinion but signifies an actual lowering of value.
Monday, May 14, 2012
about: Common Errors in English Usage Entry for Monday, May 14, 2012.
about
“This isn’t about you.” What a great rebuke! But conservatives sniff at this sort of abstract use of “about,” as in “I’m all about good taste” or “successful truffle-making is about temperature control”; so it’s better to avoid it in very formal English.
“This isn’t about you.” What a great rebuke! But conservatives sniff at this sort of abstract use of “about,” as in “I’m all about good taste” or “successful truffle-making is about temperature control”; so it’s better to avoid it in very formal English.
Sunday, May 13, 2012
worser: Common Errors in English Usage Entry for Sunday, May 13, 2012.
worser
If you look “worser” up in a dictionary, you’re likely to find it labeled “archaic,” which means that although Shakespeare and many other writers once used it, the word is no longer a part of standard English. Just use “worse” instead: “It just keeps getting worse and worse.”
If you look “worser” up in a dictionary, you’re likely to find it labeled “archaic,” which means that although Shakespeare and many other writers once used it, the word is no longer a part of standard English. Just use “worse” instead: “It just keeps getting worse and worse.”
Saturday, May 12, 2012
rampart/rampant: Common Errors in English Usage Entry for Saturday, May 12, 2012.
rampart/rampant
“Rampant” is an adjective which originally meant a posture seen in animals on coats of arms: rearing up on their hind legs, but in modern times it mainly means “wild” or “very widespread.” Some people confuse this word with “rampart,” a noun denoting a barricade or fortification.
Crime, disease, and greed may all be rampant, but not “rampart.”
“Rampant” is an adjective which originally meant a posture seen in animals on coats of arms: rearing up on their hind legs, but in modern times it mainly means “wild” or “very widespread.” Some people confuse this word with “rampart,” a noun denoting a barricade or fortification.
Crime, disease, and greed may all be rampant, but not “rampart.”
Friday, May 11, 2012
offense/offence: Common Errors in English Usage Entry for Friday, May 11, 2012.
offense/offence
In the US “offense” is standard; in the UK use “offence.” The sports pronunciation accenting the first syllable should not be used when discussing military, legal, or other sorts of offense.
In the US “offense” is standard; in the UK use “offence.” The sports pronunciation accenting the first syllable should not be used when discussing military, legal, or other sorts of offense.
Thursday, May 10, 2012
tattle-tail/tattle-tale: Common Errors in English Usage Entry for Thursday, May 10, 2012.
tattle-tail/tattle-tale
Somebody who reveals secrets—tattling, telling tales—is a tattle-tale, often spelled as one word: “tattletale.”
Somebody who reveals secrets—tattling, telling tales—is a tattle-tale, often spelled as one word: “tattletale.”
Wednesday, May 9, 2012
preventive/preventative: Common Errors in English Usage Entry for Wednesday, May 9, 2012.
preventive/preventative
It is sometimes argued that “preventive” is the adjective, “preventative” the noun. I must say I like the sound of this distinction, but in fact the two are interchangeable as both nouns and adjectives, though many prefer “preventive” as being shorter and simpler. “Preventative” used as an adjective dates back to the 17th century, as does “preventive” as a noun.
It is sometimes argued that “preventive” is the adjective, “preventative” the noun. I must say I like the sound of this distinction, but in fact the two are interchangeable as both nouns and adjectives, though many prefer “preventive” as being shorter and simpler. “Preventative” used as an adjective dates back to the 17th century, as does “preventive” as a noun.
Tuesday, May 8, 2012
second of all/second: Common Errors in English Usage Entry for Tuesday, May 8, 2012.
second of all/second
“First of all” makes sense when you want to emphasize the primacy of the first item in a series, but it should not be followed by “second of all,” where the expression serves no such function. And “secondly” is an adverbial form that makes no sense at all in enumeration (neither does “firstly”). As you go through your list, say simply “second,” “third,” “fourth,” etc.
_________
Paul Brians' latest blog post is now available for reading.
Follow along on Facebook.
“First of all” makes sense when you want to emphasize the primacy of the first item in a series, but it should not be followed by “second of all,” where the expression serves no such function. And “secondly” is an adverbial form that makes no sense at all in enumeration (neither does “firstly”). As you go through your list, say simply “second,” “third,” “fourth,” etc.
_________
Paul Brians' latest blog post is now available for reading.
Follow along on Facebook.
Monday, May 7, 2012
prodigy/progeny/protégé: Common Errors in English Usage Entry for Monday, May 7, 2012.
prodigy/progeny/protégé
Your progeny are your kids, though it would be pretty pretentious to refer to them as such. If your child is a brilliantly outstanding person he or she may be a child prodigy. In fact, anything amazingly admirable can be a prodigy. But a person that you take under your wing in order to help promote his or her career is your protégé.
Avoid misspelling or mispronouncing “prodigy” as “progidy.”
Your progeny are your kids, though it would be pretty pretentious to refer to them as such. If your child is a brilliantly outstanding person he or she may be a child prodigy. In fact, anything amazingly admirable can be a prodigy. But a person that you take under your wing in order to help promote his or her career is your protégé.
Avoid misspelling or mispronouncing “prodigy” as “progidy.”
Sunday, May 6, 2012
turn into/turn in to: Common Errors in English Usage Entry for Sunday, May 6, 2012.
turn into/turn in to
Probably out of simple absentmindedness, an amazing number of Web pages of educational institutions call for people to fill out a form and “turn it into” some office or official. “Turn into” means “transform into.” Your fairy godmother can turn a pumpkin into a coach.
The way to instruct someone to submit a document is “turn in to,” with a space between the “in” and the “to”: “turn your application in to the registrar.”
Once you have your coach, you can turn into a driveway: but you cannot turn a form into a registrar unless you have very advanced origami skills.
Probably out of simple absentmindedness, an amazing number of Web pages of educational institutions call for people to fill out a form and “turn it into” some office or official. “Turn into” means “transform into.” Your fairy godmother can turn a pumpkin into a coach.
The way to instruct someone to submit a document is “turn in to,” with a space between the “in” and the “to”: “turn your application in to the registrar.”
Once you have your coach, you can turn into a driveway: but you cannot turn a form into a registrar unless you have very advanced origami skills.
Saturday, May 5, 2012
discretion is the better part of valor: Common Errors in English Usage Entry for Saturday, May 5, 2012.
discretion is the better part of valor
In Shakespeare’s Henry IV, Part I when Prince Hal finds the cowardly Falstaff pretending to be dead on the battlefield, the prince assumes he has been killed. After the prince leaves the stage, Falstaff rationalizes “The better part of Valour, is Discretion; in the which better part, I haue saued my life” (spelling and punctuation from the First Folio, Act 5, Scene 3, lines 3085–3086).
Falstaff is saying that the best part of courage is caution, which we are to take as a joke. Truly courageous people may be cautious, but caution is not the most important characteristic of courage.
This passage is loosely alluded to in the saying “discretion is the better part of valor,” which is usually taken to mean that caution is better than rash courage or that discretion is the best kind of courage. Only Shakespeare scholars are likely to be annoyed by this usage.
However, those who take “discretion” in this context to mean the quality of being discreet—cautiously quiet—are more likely to annoy their readers.
Much more of a problem are misspellings like “descretion,” “disgression,” “digression,” and “desecration.” Unless you are deliberately punning, stick with “discretion.”
______________
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In Shakespeare’s Henry IV, Part I when Prince Hal finds the cowardly Falstaff pretending to be dead on the battlefield, the prince assumes he has been killed. After the prince leaves the stage, Falstaff rationalizes “The better part of Valour, is Discretion; in the which better part, I haue saued my life” (spelling and punctuation from the First Folio, Act 5, Scene 3, lines 3085–3086).
Falstaff is saying that the best part of courage is caution, which we are to take as a joke. Truly courageous people may be cautious, but caution is not the most important characteristic of courage.
This passage is loosely alluded to in the saying “discretion is the better part of valor,” which is usually taken to mean that caution is better than rash courage or that discretion is the best kind of courage. Only Shakespeare scholars are likely to be annoyed by this usage.
However, those who take “discretion” in this context to mean the quality of being discreet—cautiously quiet—are more likely to annoy their readers.
Much more of a problem are misspellings like “descretion,” “disgression,” “digression,” and “desecration.” Unless you are deliberately punning, stick with “discretion.”
______________
Looking for something new to like? Visit the all new Common Errors in English Usage Facebook page.
Friday, May 4, 2012
lamblast/lambaste: Common Errors in English Usage Entry for Friday, May 4, 2012.
lamblast/lambaste
“Lambaste” has its roots in words having to do with beating, not blasting.
________________________
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“Lambaste” has its roots in words having to do with beating, not blasting.
________________________
Looking for something new to like? Visit the all new Common Errors in English Usage Facebook page.
Thursday, May 3, 2012
rollover/roll over: Common Errors in English Usage Entry for Thursday, May 3, 2012.
rollover/roll over
A rollover used to be only a serious highway accident, but in the computer world this spelling has also been used to label a feature on a Web page which reacts in some way when you roll the trackball of a mouse over it without having to click. It also became an adjective, as in “rollover feature.” However, when giving users instructions, the correct verb form is “roll over”—two words: “roll over the photo of our dog to see his name pop up.”
Since most people now use either optical mice or trackpads the term “rollover” has become technically obsolete, but it persists.
A rollover used to be only a serious highway accident, but in the computer world this spelling has also been used to label a feature on a Web page which reacts in some way when you roll the trackball of a mouse over it without having to click. It also became an adjective, as in “rollover feature.” However, when giving users instructions, the correct verb form is “roll over”—two words: “roll over the photo of our dog to see his name pop up.”
Since most people now use either optical mice or trackpads the term “rollover” has become technically obsolete, but it persists.
Wednesday, May 2, 2012
I/me/myself: Common Errors in English Usage Entry for Wednesday, May 2, 2012.
I/me/myself
In the old days when people studied traditional grammar, we could simply say, “The first person singular pronoun is ‘I’ when it’s a subject and “me” when it’s an object,” but now few people know what that means. Let’s see if we can apply some common sense here. The misuse of “I” and “myself” for “me” is caused by nervousness about “me.” Educated people know that “Jim and me are goin’ down to slop the hogs,” is not elegant speech, not “correct.” It should be “Jim and I” because if I were slopping the hogs alone I would never say “Me am going. . . .” If you refer to yourself first, the same rule applies: It’s not “Me and Jim are going” but “I and Jim are going.”
So far so good. But the notion that there is something wrong with “me” leads people to overcorrect and avoid it where it is perfectly appropriate. People will say “The document had to be signed by both Susan and I” when the correct statement would be, “The document had to be signed by both Susan and me.” Trying even harder to avoid the lowly “me,” many people will substitute “myself,” as in “The suspect uttered epithets at Officer O’Leary and myself.”
“Myself” is no better than “I” as an object. “Myself” is not a sort of all-purpose intensive form of “me” or “I.” Use “myself” only when you have used “I” earlier in the same sentence: “I am not particularly fond of goat cheese myself.” “I kept half the loot for myself.” All this confusion can easily be avoided if you just remove the second party from the sentences where you feel tempted to use “myself” as an object or feel nervous about “me.” You wouldn’t say, “The IRS sent the refund check to I,” so you shouldn’t say “The IRS sent the refund check to my wife and I” either. And you shouldn’t say “to my wife and myself.” The only correct way to say this is, “The IRS sent the refund check to my wife and me.” Still sounds too casual? Get over it.
On a related point, those who continue to announce “It is I” have traditional grammatical correctness on their side, but they are vastly outnumbered by those who proudly boast “It’s me!” There’s not much that can be done about this now. Similarly, if a caller asks for Susan and Susan answers “This is she,” her somewhat antiquated correctness is likely to startle the questioner into confusion.
In the old days when people studied traditional grammar, we could simply say, “The first person singular pronoun is ‘I’ when it’s a subject and “me” when it’s an object,” but now few people know what that means. Let’s see if we can apply some common sense here. The misuse of “I” and “myself” for “me” is caused by nervousness about “me.” Educated people know that “Jim and me are goin’ down to slop the hogs,” is not elegant speech, not “correct.” It should be “Jim and I” because if I were slopping the hogs alone I would never say “Me am going. . . .” If you refer to yourself first, the same rule applies: It’s not “Me and Jim are going” but “I and Jim are going.”
So far so good. But the notion that there is something wrong with “me” leads people to overcorrect and avoid it where it is perfectly appropriate. People will say “The document had to be signed by both Susan and I” when the correct statement would be, “The document had to be signed by both Susan and me.” Trying even harder to avoid the lowly “me,” many people will substitute “myself,” as in “The suspect uttered epithets at Officer O’Leary and myself.”
“Myself” is no better than “I” as an object. “Myself” is not a sort of all-purpose intensive form of “me” or “I.” Use “myself” only when you have used “I” earlier in the same sentence: “I am not particularly fond of goat cheese myself.” “I kept half the loot for myself.” All this confusion can easily be avoided if you just remove the second party from the sentences where you feel tempted to use “myself” as an object or feel nervous about “me.” You wouldn’t say, “The IRS sent the refund check to I,” so you shouldn’t say “The IRS sent the refund check to my wife and I” either. And you shouldn’t say “to my wife and myself.” The only correct way to say this is, “The IRS sent the refund check to my wife and me.” Still sounds too casual? Get over it.
On a related point, those who continue to announce “It is I” have traditional grammatical correctness on their side, but they are vastly outnumbered by those who proudly boast “It’s me!” There’s not much that can be done about this now. Similarly, if a caller asks for Susan and Susan answers “This is she,” her somewhat antiquated correctness is likely to startle the questioner into confusion.
Tuesday, May 1, 2012
accidently/accidentally: Common Errors in English Usage Entry for Tuesday, May 1, 2012.
accidently/accidentally
You can remember this one by remembering how to spell “accidental.” There are quite a few words with “-ally” suffixes (like “incidentally”), which are not to be confused with words that have “-ly” suffixes (like “independently”). “Incidental” is a word, but “independental” is not.
You can remember this one by remembering how to spell “accidental.” There are quite a few words with “-ally” suffixes (like “incidentally”), which are not to be confused with words that have “-ly” suffixes (like “independently”). “Incidental” is a word, but “independental” is not.
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