sowcow/salchow
There’s a fancy turning jump in ice skating named after Swedish figure skater Ulrich Salchow, but every Winter Olympics millions of people think they hear the commentators saying “sowcow” and that’s how they proceed to misspell it.
Tuesday, February 11, 2014
sowcow/salchow: Common Errors in English Usage Entry for Tuesday, February 11, 2014
sowcow/salchow
There’s a fancy turning jump in ice skating named after Swedish figure skater Ulrich Salchow, but every Winter Olympics millions of people think they hear the commentators saying “sowcow” and that’s how they proceed to misspell it.
Monday, February 10, 2014
taken back/taken aback: Common Errors in English Usage Entry for Monday, February 10, 2014
taken back/taken aback
When you’re startled by something, you’re taken aback by it. When you’re reminded of something from your past, you’re taken back to that time.
When you’re startled by something, you’re taken aback by it. When you’re reminded of something from your past, you’re taken back to that time.
Friday, February 7, 2014
taunt/taut/tout: The Weekend Edition—Common Errors in English Usage Entry for Friday–Sunday, February 7–9, 2014
taunt/taut/tout
I am told that medical personnel often mistakenly refer to a patient’s abdomen as “taunt” rather than the correct “taut.” “Taunt” (“tease” or “mock”) can be a verb or noun, but never an adjective. “Taut” means “tight, distended,” and is always an adjective.
Don’t confuse “taunt” with “tout,” which means “promote,” as in “Senator Bilgewater has been touted as a Presidential candidate.” You tout somebody you admire and taunt someone that you don’t.
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The Week's End Extra from the Archives: "Flatline" (May 14, 2011).
Note for Sunday, if you are in the Seattle area: Paul Brians will be at Eagle Harbor Books at 3 p.m.
I am told that medical personnel often mistakenly refer to a patient’s abdomen as “taunt” rather than the correct “taut.” “Taunt” (“tease” or “mock”) can be a verb or noun, but never an adjective. “Taut” means “tight, distended,” and is always an adjective.
Don’t confuse “taunt” with “tout,” which means “promote,” as in “Senator Bilgewater has been touted as a Presidential candidate.” You tout somebody you admire and taunt someone that you don’t.
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The Week's End Extra from the Archives: "Flatline" (May 14, 2011).
Note for Sunday, if you are in the Seattle area: Paul Brians will be at Eagle Harbor Books at 3 p.m.
Thursday, February 6, 2014
under the guise that/under the guise of: Common Errors in English Usage Entry for Thursday, February 6, 2014
under the guise that/under the guise of
Phishing e-mails try to extract valuable information from you so they can rob you under the guise of protecting your online security. They are disguising their theft as protection. There are other related phrases, mostly ending in “that,” such as “under the pretext that” and “with the excuse that”; but “under the guise” requires “of,” usually followed by a gerund ending in “-ing.”
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Note for this coming Sunday, if you are in the Seattle area: Paul Brians will be at Eagle Harbor Books at 3 p.m.
Phishing e-mails try to extract valuable information from you so they can rob you under the guise of protecting your online security. They are disguising their theft as protection. There are other related phrases, mostly ending in “that,” such as “under the pretext that” and “with the excuse that”; but “under the guise” requires “of,” usually followed by a gerund ending in “-ing.”
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Note for this coming Sunday, if you are in the Seattle area: Paul Brians will be at Eagle Harbor Books at 3 p.m.
Wednesday, February 5, 2014
mfr./mfg.: Common Errors in English Usage Entry for Wednesday, February 5, 2014
mfr./mfg.
“Mfr.” is the abbreviation for “manufacturer” and “mfg.” is the abbreviation for “manufacturing.” Acme Mfg. Co. is a mfr. of roadrunner traps.
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Note for this coming Sunday, if you are in the Seattle area: Paul Brians will be at Eagle Harbor Books at 3 p.m.
“Mfr.” is the abbreviation for “manufacturer” and “mfg.” is the abbreviation for “manufacturing.” Acme Mfg. Co. is a mfr. of roadrunner traps.
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Note for this coming Sunday, if you are in the Seattle area: Paul Brians will be at Eagle Harbor Books at 3 p.m.
Tuesday, February 4, 2014
edge on/egg on: Common Errors in English Usage Entry for Tuesday, February 4, 2014
edge on/egg on
When you egg people on to do something you are inciting them to do something, often something risky. So why isn’t the expression “to edge”? After all, you’re pushing them toward the edge—trying to get them to do something edgy.
In fact the people who use “edge” in this way have both logic and history on their side. The oldest spelling of this verb meaning “incite” is “egge” pronounced “edge,” and the spellings “edge” and “egg” coexisted for a long time before “egg” edged out its rival. Now, however, saying someone is edged on to do something is likely to be regarded as a mistake.
When you egg people on to do something you are inciting them to do something, often something risky. So why isn’t the expression “to edge”? After all, you’re pushing them toward the edge—trying to get them to do something edgy.
In fact the people who use “edge” in this way have both logic and history on their side. The oldest spelling of this verb meaning “incite” is “egge” pronounced “edge,” and the spellings “edge” and “egg” coexisted for a long time before “egg” edged out its rival. Now, however, saying someone is edged on to do something is likely to be regarded as a mistake.
Monday, February 3, 2014
as: Common Errors in English Usage Entry for Monday, February 3, 2014
as
In some American dialects it is common to say things like “I see lots of folks as hasn’t got the sense to come in out of the rain.” In standard English, the expression would be “folks that” or “folks who.”
In some American dialects it is common to say things like “I see lots of folks as hasn’t got the sense to come in out of the rain.” In standard English, the expression would be “folks that” or “folks who.”
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