Saturday, November 29, 2014
Missed the one-day book sale? Still time to get a great deal!
If you couldn’t make it in time to take advantage of our one-day sale on the Common Errors in English Usage book at $12, we are still discounting the book at checkout for the next week. To get the book for $15 US before Sunday, December 8, just enter the coupon code FIFTEEN at checkout (and still free shipping within the US). This really is the last of our discounting for the year, so take advantage while you can.
Friday, November 28, 2014
show-stopper/deal-breaker: The Weekend Edition—Common Errors in English Usage Entry for Friday–Sunday, November 28–30, 2014 (coupon code included)
show-stopper/deal-breaker
Originally a “show-stopper” (now often spelled without the hyphen as one or two words) was a sensational musical number which created so much applause that the show had to be temporarily halted. By extension, anything making a sensationally positive impact could be called “show-stopping.”
Computer programmers flipped the meaning by labeling a bug that brings a program to a halt a “showstopper.” Now the word is commonly used as a synonym for “deal-breaker” in government and business. The negative meaning is now so pervasive that it can’t be called an error, but be aware that those who know only the show-business meaning may regard you as ignorant if you use it in this way.
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Want to give the Common Errors in English Usage book as a gift? We can help! Today only—Friday, November 28—click this link and use the coupon code TWELVE to order the book for only $12 US with free shipping included.
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The Week's End Extra from the Archives: "Brilliant in Britain" (January 26, 2013).
Originally a “show-stopper” (now often spelled without the hyphen as one or two words) was a sensational musical number which created so much applause that the show had to be temporarily halted. By extension, anything making a sensationally positive impact could be called “show-stopping.”
Computer programmers flipped the meaning by labeling a bug that brings a program to a halt a “showstopper.” Now the word is commonly used as a synonym for “deal-breaker” in government and business. The negative meaning is now so pervasive that it can’t be called an error, but be aware that those who know only the show-business meaning may regard you as ignorant if you use it in this way.
______________
Want to give the Common Errors in English Usage book as a gift? We can help! Today only—Friday, November 28—click this link and use the coupon code TWELVE to order the book for only $12 US with free shipping included.
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The Week's End Extra from the Archives: "Brilliant in Britain" (January 26, 2013).
Thursday, November 27, 2014
underlining/underlying: Common Errors in English Usage Entry for Thursday, November 27, 2014
underlining/underlying
You can stress points by underlining them, but it’s “underlying” in expressions like “underlying story,” “underlying motive,” and “underlying principle.”
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Want to give the Common Errors in English Usage book as a gift? We can help! One day only—this coming Friday, November 28—use the coupon code TWELVE to order the book for only $12 US with free shipping included. (Link to buy the book will be included with this message later this week.)
You can stress points by underlining them, but it’s “underlying” in expressions like “underlying story,” “underlying motive,” and “underlying principle.”
______________
Want to give the Common Errors in English Usage book as a gift? We can help! One day only—this coming Friday, November 28—use the coupon code TWELVE to order the book for only $12 US with free shipping included. (Link to buy the book will be included with this message later this week.)
Wednesday, November 26, 2014
wet your appetite/whet your appetite: Common Errors in English Usage Entry for Wednesday, November 26, 2014
wet your appetite/whet your appetite
It is natural to think that something mouth-watering “wets your appetite,” but actually the expression is “whet your appetite”—sharpen your appetite, as a whetstone sharpens a knife.
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Want to give the Common Errors in English Usage book as a gift? We can help! One day only—this coming Friday, November 28—use the coupon code TWELVE to order the book for only $12 US with free shipping included. (Link to buy the book will be included with this message later this week.)
It is natural to think that something mouth-watering “wets your appetite,” but actually the expression is “whet your appetite”—sharpen your appetite, as a whetstone sharpens a knife.
__________
Want to give the Common Errors in English Usage book as a gift? We can help! One day only—this coming Friday, November 28—use the coupon code TWELVE to order the book for only $12 US with free shipping included. (Link to buy the book will be included with this message later this week.)
Tuesday, November 25, 2014
Upcoming one-day sale on the Common Errors in English Usage book
This extra entry to the Common Errors in English Usage calendar is to make sure you are aware of the upcoming one-day sale this Friday, November 28. On that day only, you can enter the coupon code TWELVE on checkout and order the Common Errors in English Usage book for only $12 US—a $7 savings, and shipping the US is free. Subscribers can follow the link at the bottom of the calendar entry that day; for everyone else, check this blog for the Friday entry to get the deal. There is no limit on this offer, so order as many and as often as you like all day long.
amature/amateur: Common Errors in English Usage Entry for Tuesday, November 25, 2014
amature/amateur
Most of the words we’ve borrowed from the French that have retained their “-eur” endings are pretty sophisticated, like “restaurateur” (notice, no N) and “auteur” (in film criticism), but “amateur” attracts amateurish spelling.
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CORRECTION TO YESTERDAY’S ENTRY: Jan Freeman has noted via twitter that “dialectal” would be the correct formation, not “dialectical,” in the phrase “‘Ourn’ is dialectal.”
Want to give the Common Errors in English Usage book as a gift? We can help! One day only—this coming Friday, November 28—use the coupon code TWELVE to order the book for only $12 US with free shipping included. (Link to buy the book will be included with this message later this week.)
Most of the words we’ve borrowed from the French that have retained their “-eur” endings are pretty sophisticated, like “restaurateur” (notice, no N) and “auteur” (in film criticism), but “amateur” attracts amateurish spelling.
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CORRECTION TO YESTERDAY’S ENTRY: Jan Freeman has noted via twitter that “dialectal” would be the correct formation, not “dialectical,” in the phrase “‘Ourn’ is dialectal.”
Want to give the Common Errors in English Usage book as a gift? We can help! One day only—this coming Friday, November 28—use the coupon code TWELVE to order the book for only $12 US with free shipping included. (Link to buy the book will be included with this message later this week.)
Monday, November 24, 2014
ourn/ours: Common Errors in English Usage Entry for Monday, November 24, 2014
ourn/ours
“Ourn” is dialectical; “ours” is standard English. “Well, shoot!” says Jeb, “That may be the way some folks talk, but it ain’t ourn.”
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CORRECTION: Jan Freeman has noted via twitter that “dialectal” would be the correct formation here, not “dialectical.”
“Ourn” is dialectical; “ours” is standard English. “Well, shoot!” says Jeb, “That may be the way some folks talk, but it ain’t ourn.”
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CORRECTION: Jan Freeman has noted via twitter that “dialectal” would be the correct formation here, not “dialectical.”
Friday, November 21, 2014
fellow classmate/classmate: The Weekend Edition—Common Errors in English Usage Entry for Friday–Sunday, November 21–23, 2014
fellow classmate/classmate
Some redundancies are so common that few people notice them, but it’s worthwhile to be aware of them. A good example is “fellow classmate.” “Fellow” and “-mate” perform the same function. It’s better to say simply “classmate.”
The same is true of the equally redundant “fellow shipmate,” “ fellow roommate,” “fellow co-worker,” “fellow comrade,” and “fellow colleague.”
Even worse is “fellow peer.” Your fellows are your peers: same thing. The only people who should speak of fellow peers are members of the British peerage referring to others of their social class.
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The Week's End Extra from the Archives: "Learning to spell with Obamacare: Are policies being canceled, or are they being cancelled?" (November 19, 2013).
Some redundancies are so common that few people notice them, but it’s worthwhile to be aware of them. A good example is “fellow classmate.” “Fellow” and “-mate” perform the same function. It’s better to say simply “classmate.”
The same is true of the equally redundant “fellow shipmate,” “ fellow roommate,” “fellow co-worker,” “fellow comrade,” and “fellow colleague.”
Even worse is “fellow peer.” Your fellows are your peers: same thing. The only people who should speak of fellow peers are members of the British peerage referring to others of their social class.
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The Week's End Extra from the Archives: "Learning to spell with Obamacare: Are policies being canceled, or are they being cancelled?" (November 19, 2013).
Thursday, November 20, 2014
touché: Common Errors in English Usage Entry for Thursday, November 20, 2014
touché
In formal fencing matches, when someone is hit by an opponent’s sword it is traditional for the person hit to cry out touché (French for “touched”) to acknowledge that fact. In other contexts, we may say touché when somebody scores a point against us in an argument, or otherwise skewers us verbally.
It is inappropriate to cry touché when you think you are the one who has skewered your opponent. Touché is not a synonym for “gotcha!”
In formal fencing matches, when someone is hit by an opponent’s sword it is traditional for the person hit to cry out touché (French for “touched”) to acknowledge that fact. In other contexts, we may say touché when somebody scores a point against us in an argument, or otherwise skewers us verbally.
It is inappropriate to cry touché when you think you are the one who has skewered your opponent. Touché is not a synonym for “gotcha!”
Wednesday, November 19, 2014
antihero: Common Errors in English Usage Entry for Wednesday, November 19, 2014
antihero
In literature, theater, and film, an antihero is a central character who is not very admirable: weak, lazy, incompetent, or mean-spirited. However, antiheroes are rarely actually evil, and you should not use this word as a synonym for “villain” if you want to get a good grade on your English lit paper.
In literature, theater, and film, an antihero is a central character who is not very admirable: weak, lazy, incompetent, or mean-spirited. However, antiheroes are rarely actually evil, and you should not use this word as a synonym for “villain” if you want to get a good grade on your English lit paper.
Tuesday, November 18, 2014
teeth/teethe: Common Errors in English Usage Entry for Tuesday, November 18, 2014
teeth/teethe
When your baby’s teeth are just beginning to come in, you can say she has begun to “teethe” (rhymes with “breathe”). Don’t spell this verb form as “teeth” (rhymes with “wreath”). That’s the noun form, the word for what emerges during teething.
When your baby’s teeth are just beginning to come in, you can say she has begun to “teethe” (rhymes with “breathe”). Don’t spell this verb form as “teeth” (rhymes with “wreath”). That’s the noun form, the word for what emerges during teething.
Monday, November 17, 2014
sprain/strain: Common Errors in English Usage Entry for Monday, November 17, 2014
sprain/strain
So did you sprain your leg or strain it? It will take someone with medical training to say for sure. Technically, a sprain is a ligament injury and a strain is tendon or muscle injury. But don’t fret about the distinction if you’re trying to explain to your friends why you may not be able to finish a hike; they won’t hold it against you if your “sprain” turns out to be a “strain.”
So did you sprain your leg or strain it? It will take someone with medical training to say for sure. Technically, a sprain is a ligament injury and a strain is tendon or muscle injury. But don’t fret about the distinction if you’re trying to explain to your friends why you may not be able to finish a hike; they won’t hold it against you if your “sprain” turns out to be a “strain.”
Friday, November 14, 2014
multiply by double/double, multiply by 2: The Weekend Edition—Common Errors in English Usage Entry for Friday–Sunday, November 14–16, 2014
multiply by double/double, multiply by 2
If you are talking about making a number twice as large, the expression is “double” or “multiply by 2”: “double your sales to multiply your income by 2.”
You could properly say “increase by a 100%” to mean the same thing, but lots of people won’t understand that.
And definitely do not confuse people by saying “multiply by double.”
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The Week's End Extra from the Archives: "Hocking / Hawking" (November 28, 2012).
If you are talking about making a number twice as large, the expression is “double” or “multiply by 2”: “double your sales to multiply your income by 2.”
You could properly say “increase by a 100%” to mean the same thing, but lots of people won’t understand that.
And definitely do not confuse people by saying “multiply by double.”
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The Week's End Extra from the Archives: "Hocking / Hawking" (November 28, 2012).
Thursday, November 13, 2014
gardener snake/garter snake: Common Errors in English Usage Entry for Thursday, November 13, 2014
gardener snake/garter snake
“Garter snake” is a traditional American term for small harmless snakes with stripes running lengthwise along their bodies, resembling old-fashioned garters. It is more broadly used for all manner of small non-venomous snakes. Many folks don’t get the allusion, and call them “gardener snakes” instead. Although you may find these little critters in your yard, they are unlikely to do much gardening. For that you need earthworms.
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Paul Brians works up a head of steam in his latest blog post.
“Garter snake” is a traditional American term for small harmless snakes with stripes running lengthwise along their bodies, resembling old-fashioned garters. It is more broadly used for all manner of small non-venomous snakes. Many folks don’t get the allusion, and call them “gardener snakes” instead. Although you may find these little critters in your yard, they are unlikely to do much gardening. For that you need earthworms.
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Paul Brians works up a head of steam in his latest blog post.
Wednesday, November 12, 2014
decent/descent/dissent: Common Errors in English Usage Entry for Wednesday, November 12, 2014
decent/descent/dissent
“Decent” (rhymes with “recent”) is used to label actions, things, or people that are respectable, appropriate, satisfactory, or kind.
The word to use when discussing ancestry is “descent” (rhymes with “we sent”). Somebody whose ancestors came from Brazil is of Brazilian descent.
Occasionally this latter word is confused with “dissent,” which means “disagreement.”
“Decent” (rhymes with “recent”) is used to label actions, things, or people that are respectable, appropriate, satisfactory, or kind.
The word to use when discussing ancestry is “descent” (rhymes with “we sent”). Somebody whose ancestors came from Brazil is of Brazilian descent.
Occasionally this latter word is confused with “dissent,” which means “disagreement.”
Tuesday, November 11, 2014
ax/ask: Common Errors in English Usage Entry for Tuesday, November 11, 2014
ax/ask
The dialectical pronunciation of “ask” as “ax” suggests to most people that the speaker has a substandard education. You should avoid it in formal speaking situations.
The dialectical pronunciation of “ask” as “ax” suggests to most people that the speaker has a substandard education. You should avoid it in formal speaking situations.
Monday, November 10, 2014
weather/wether/whether: Common Errors in English Usage Entry for Monday, November 10, 2014
weather/wether/whether
The climate is made up of “weather”; whether it is nice out depends on whether it is raining or not. A wether is just a castrated sheep.
The climate is made up of “weather”; whether it is nice out depends on whether it is raining or not. A wether is just a castrated sheep.
Friday, November 7, 2014
ya’ll/y’all: The Weekend Edition—Common Errors in English Usage Entry for Friday–Sunday, November 7–9, 2014
ya’ll/y’all
“How y’all doin’?” If you are rendering this common Southernism in print, be careful where you place the apostrophe, which stands for the second and third letters in “you.” Note that “y’all” stands for “you all” and is properly a plural form, though many southern speakers treat it as a singular form and resort to “all y’all” for the plural.
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Y'all can read Paul Brians' latest blog post here.
The Week's End Extra from the Archives: "Are you an old hat?" (April 23, 2012).
“How y’all doin’?” If you are rendering this common Southernism in print, be careful where you place the apostrophe, which stands for the second and third letters in “you.” Note that “y’all” stands for “you all” and is properly a plural form, though many southern speakers treat it as a singular form and resort to “all y’all” for the plural.
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Y'all can read Paul Brians' latest blog post here.
The Week's End Extra from the Archives: "Are you an old hat?" (April 23, 2012).
Thursday, November 6, 2014
UFO: Common Errors in English Usage Entry for Thursday, November 6, 2014
UFO
“UFO” stands for “unidentified flying object,” so if you’re sure that a silvery disk is an alien spacecraft, there’s no point in calling it a “UFO.” I love the sign in a Seattle bookstore labeling the alien-invasion section: “Incorrectly Identified Flying Objects.”
“UFO” stands for “unidentified flying object,” so if you’re sure that a silvery disk is an alien spacecraft, there’s no point in calling it a “UFO.” I love the sign in a Seattle bookstore labeling the alien-invasion section: “Incorrectly Identified Flying Objects.”
Wednesday, November 5, 2014
attain/obtain: Common Errors in English Usage Entry for Wednesday, November 5, 2014
attain/obtain
“Attain” means “reach” and “obtain” means “get.” You attain a mountaintop, but obtain a rare baseball card. “Attain” usually implies a required amount of labor or difficulty; nothing is necessarily implied about the difficulty of obtaining that card. Maybe you just found it in your brother’s dresser drawer.
Some things you obtain can also be attained. If you want to emphasize how hard you worked in college, you might say you attained your degree; but if you want to emphasize that you have a valid degree that qualifies you for a certain job, you might say you obtained it. If you just bought it from a diploma mill for fifty bucks, you definitely only obtained it.
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Paul Brians' latest blog post talks horse sense.
“Attain” means “reach” and “obtain” means “get.” You attain a mountaintop, but obtain a rare baseball card. “Attain” usually implies a required amount of labor or difficulty; nothing is necessarily implied about the difficulty of obtaining that card. Maybe you just found it in your brother’s dresser drawer.
Some things you obtain can also be attained. If you want to emphasize how hard you worked in college, you might say you attained your degree; but if you want to emphasize that you have a valid degree that qualifies you for a certain job, you might say you obtained it. If you just bought it from a diploma mill for fifty bucks, you definitely only obtained it.
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Paul Brians' latest blog post talks horse sense.
Tuesday, November 4, 2014
to home/at home: Common Errors in English Usage Entry for Tuesday, November 4, 2014
to home/at home
In some dialects people say, “I stayed to home to wait for the mail,” but in standard English the expression is “stayed at home.”
In some dialects people say, “I stayed to home to wait for the mail,” but in standard English the expression is “stayed at home.”
Monday, November 3, 2014
group (plural vs. singular): Common Errors in English Usage Entry for Monday, November 3, 2014
group (plural vs. singular)
When the group is being considered as a whole, it can be treated as a single entity: “The group was ready to go on stage.” But when the individuality of its members is being emphasized, “group” is plural: “The group were in disagreement about where to go for dinner.”
When the group is being considered as a whole, it can be treated as a single entity: “The group was ready to go on stage.” But when the individuality of its members is being emphasized, “group” is plural: “The group were in disagreement about where to go for dinner.”
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