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| Conquering Confusing Words | ||
| The misuse of similar sounding words with totally different meanings has often been referred to as a "Bunkerism," from the old "All In The Family" sitcom character, Archie Bunker. You may remember Archie. He was a common man with delusions of grandeur, who tossed around ten-dollar words like he knew what they meant while everyone around him cringed at his mistakes. We all laughed at Archie, but sadly, there are many writers who unsuspectingly use the wrong word in their writing, just as Archie did in his speech. And just as Archie was unaware of his blunders, so are these poor writers. Fortunately, with some study and a good dictionary, these same writers don't have to share Archie's misfortune of appearing ignorant. Read and study the list of words below with their meanings. Although certainly not all inclusive, this list will provide a good beginning in your continuing education of proper word usage and meaning. accept - to receive adapt - to adjust affect - to have influence on all ready - prepared all right - satisfactory, very well all together - everyone in a group allude - to refer to allusion - indirect reference all ways - by all methods annual - yearly any one - any one person, followed by "of" any way - any method appraise - to estimate ascent - a movement up assistance - aid assure - to guarantee bare - unclothed beside - by the side of biannual - occurring twice a year biweekly - occurring once every two weeks board - a plane of wood born - brought into life brake - stop buy - purchase capital - the seat of government cite - to quote an authority compliment - an expression of praise, admiration, or congratulation; a formal act of civility, courtesy or respect continual - occurring regularly cooperation - working together correspondence - written communications credible - believable desert - to abandon device - an invention discreet - reserved; respectful elicit - to bring out every one - each person; always followed by "of" fair - average; lovely farther - actual or literal distance forth - forward forward - toward the front; ahead gorilla - a large primate hear - to perceive by ear heard - past tense of "hear" hole - an opening its - possessive of "it" later - after the usual or proper time lead - heavy metal lessen - to make less loan - (noun) a transaction involving the temporary transfer of something may be - verb form meat - flesh meet - encounter no - the opposite of "yes" overdo - to carry too far passed - past tense of "pass" patience - forbearance peace - the absence of war plain - clear presence - the state of being at hand principal - most important; the head of a school; the amount borrowed in a loan quiet - no noise rain - precipitation reign - to rule raise - to build up reality - that which exists residence - a house respectfully - in a courteous manner right - correct road - surface for driving sale - with "for," offering products for purchase; with "on," special pricing scene - where an action occurs sight - something seen someone - somebody some time - a period of time stationary - unmoving statue - a carved or molded figure straight - unbending tenant - one who rents property their - possessive of "they" to - toward waist - the middle of the body waiver - the giving up of a right or claim weak - not strong which - one of a group who's - contraction of "who" and "is" your - possessive form of "you" Good luck and good learning! If you have suggestions for additional words to be added to a possible later edition of "Conquering Confusing Words," please email me at dbishop@copelandlane.com or call 865-609-0843. All rules of grammar are taken from The Little, Brown Handbook, Fourth Edition, by H. Ramsey Fowler and Jane E. Aaron, © 1989, Harper Collins Publishers, Inc., USA. __________________________________ About The Author |
