The English Language
Least Favorite Common Confusions
(pardon my pedantry)

Grammar

The serial comma

The "serial comma" is the comma that separates items in a series of three or more items; especially the comma that separates the last two items, the ones that are usually separated by a conjunction. Common examples are: "Coffee, tea, or milk?" and "The vowels are a, e, i, o, u, and sometimes y." At some point it became fashionable in newspapers to omit the final serial comma under the logic that it would save millions in ink expense and that final comma was redundant anyway since the conjunction did the same job. While it's possible that some newspaper tycoon saved a few dollars on the ink not used by final serial commas, the belief that the conjunction does the same job is clearly in error. As in many other languages, the devil is in the details in English, and changing the punctuation changes the meaning. Examples abound, but my favorite short quote where the lack of a serial comma produces a comical unintended result is this one:

"This book is dedicated to my parents, Ayn Rand and God."

-- anonymous mortal (but only semi-literate) author

Apostrophes

Apostrophes are used to form contractions,
e.g. it's is a contraction of it is as in: It's a lovely day.

Apostrophes are also used to form possessives,
e.g. Joe's is the possessive of Joe as in: Joe's day will come.

But many possessives end in s and don't require an additional apostrophe,
e.g. his as in: His day will come. or its as in: Its day will come.

Words

Predominant

pre·dom'·i·nant
adj.
   1. Having greatest ascendancy, importance, influence, authority, or force.
      See Synonyms at dominant.
   2. Most common or conspicuous; main or prevalent: the predominant color
      in a design.
- The American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition Copyright © 2000 by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.

Some people may confuse the adjective predominant with the verb predominate and come up with syntactic nonsense like: "Instead of the predominate artifact being hum, the predominate artifact is thermal noise."

Colloquialisms

Champing at the bit

If someone is eager or anxious to do something, they are said to be champing at the bit, (not chomping at the bit. nor chomping on the bit).

CHAMPING: Repetitious, strong opening and closing action of the mouth which
produces sounds when the teeth hit together. Champing in swine may be a
threat signal, but also is performed by boars during courtship and
mating. Definition from Hurnik et al., 1995.
- The Encyclopedia of Farm Animal Behavior <http://www.liru.asft.ttu.edu/EFAB/letter.asp?Letter=C>
champ
   v. tr. - To bite or chew upon noisily.
   v. intr. - To work the jaws and teeth vigorously.
   Idiom: -  champ at the bit
     To show impatience at being held back or delayed.
- The American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition Copyright © 2000 by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.

Heart-rending

If something causes anguish or deep distress it is said to be heart-rending, (not heart-wrenching or heart-rendering).

Many people seem to confuse the term gut-wrenching (extremely distressing or unpleasant - twisting the stomach) with the term heart-rending (arousing deep sympathy - tearing the heart) to get heart-wrenching, and even possibly gut-rending. Heart-rendering, on the other hand, would logically be the process of melting the fat off the heart by heating -- not the same at all!

High dudgeon

If someone is extremely angry, they are said to be in high dudgeon, (not in high dungeon).

dudgeon

   NOUN: A sullen, angry, or indignant humor: "Slamming the door in Meg's
    face, Aunt March drove off in high dudgeon" (Louisa May Alcott).

   ETYMOLOGY: Origin unknown.

http://education.yahoo.com/reference/dictionary/entries/49/d0414900.html

Redress the balance

To restore a state of equity one is said to redress the balance, (not redress the imbalance).

This phrase derives from the phrase "dress the balance" which means to adjust the weights on the empty balance scale to show a weight of zero (i.e. tare weight). Thus the "balance" referred to in "redress the balance" is an object (the balance scale), not a state (being balanced).

Take a different (or another) tack

To try a different approach one is said to take a different tack, (not take a different tact).

This metaphor relates to sailing, where tacking involves moving indirectly in the direction you wish to go (e.g. into the wind) by taking a sequence of tacks, each one moving obliquely towards the goal. So it means to try a different approach but it also implies overcoming resistance in the process. This colloquialism has nothing to do with manners or tact.

tack(1) n.
   3. Nautical.
    a. The position of a vessel relative to the trim of its sails.
    b. The act of changing from one position or direction to another.
    c. The distance or leg sailed between changes of position or direction.
   4.  a. A course of action meant to minimize opposition to the attainment of a goal.
    b. An approach, especially one of a series of changing approaches.
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition Copyright © 2000 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.

Whet your appetite

If something makes you more hungry it is said to whet your appetite, (not wet your appetite).

whet   tr.v.
   1. To sharpen (a knife, for example); hone.
   2. To make more keen; stimulate:
     The frying bacon whetted my appetite.
- The American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition Copyright 2000 by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.

The recent visitor count stands at: 49961 .
This page was last modified Wednesday, 02-Jan-2008 19:17:55 PST; (local Time is Saturday, 19-Jul-2008 18:53:36 PDT).

The English Language Least Favorite Common Confusions (pardon my pedantry)