In the course of reading many manuscripts, I often come upon the phrase thinking to myself or he thought to himself. One may ask to whom else can one think, so this is really an example of what is called pleonasm (saying more than is necessary). The writer, when revising and self-editing, must watch for this kind of overstatement.

Why should not be used in company with reason and because, as in this example: The reason why he went was because he craved the excitement of adventure. There are numerous ways of making this statement, the simplest being: He went because he craved the excitement of adventure.

Another common fault is the omission of the second as when comparing one thing with another. As good if not better than should read as good as, if not better than. When quoting from well-known classics, care must be taken to write it right! One fell swoop has nothing to do with poultry! Fell means fatal or disastrous, so those who speak of one fowl (or foul) swoop or sweep are simply fouling up a famous line from Shakespeare’s Macbeth.

Despite a popular belief that the proof is in the pudding, such is not the case. The proof of the pudding is in the eating!

Only humans can be hopeful, for in order to hope, one must have the ability to think. Hopefully, the train will arrive on time, attributes to a train the human capacity of thinking and hoping. This usage has been adopted into daily parlance, and fanciful though it may be, is here to stay. There have been even more absurd constructions which cause a smile, or maybe a gasp. In a documentary about China, I heard that girl babies die twice as often as boys!

Decisions are no longer made, but must be taken (like nasty medicine, perhaps?). The trendy jargon and catchphrases of parliaments soon escape into the wider community and spread like viruses. I could add much in this vein, but it’s all been said before and you don’t want me to run it past you again, I’m sure!

CONFUSIBLES

These are words that seem to be synonymous, but are not. My list is a mile long, growing longer every day as words continue to be used incorrectly in the various media and much private writing. People should check their meanings in a dictionary to make sure they are appropriate.

• Alternate is a verb, meaning to jump from one to the other. When listening to music, I alternate between classical and popular. Misuse has the verb rapidly gaining ground as a spurious adjective (alternate life-style, etc.)
• Alternative can be a noun: The alternative to growing old is to die young. Or it can be an adjective meaning other: The alternative route is over the mountains.
• I am much averse (opposed) to hearing these adverse (unfavourable) rumours about the organisation. (Noun forms are ‘aversion’ and ‘adversity’ respectively.)
• We are under continual (recurring often) pressure to stop the continuous (incessant) flow of pornographic material.
• She decided to flout (ignore) the rules and flaunt (display openly) her banner before the crowd.
• I brought (carried) with me a coat I bought (purchased) in London.
• This is a generous package, comprising, or consisting of, a necklace, earrings and bracelet. (Note: It is wrong to say ‘comprising of’.)
• The holy women depended wholly (entirely) on the goodwill of the townsfolk.
• The rodeo riders were not fazed (disconcerted) by the announcement that calf-riding was to be phased out (eliminated one stage at a time).
• I can only infer (conclude) from what you have implied (hinted), that you don’t need my services. (Note: An inference is always taken, not given.)
• Old John failed to find the movie titillating (exciting). They were all busy tidivating or titivating (sprucing up) their appearance before the party.
• He thinks two children are too many to care for.

• It is her wont (habit) to offer help to those in want (need).
• The venal (evil) practices for which he was jailed all started in his youth with a few venial (harmless) pranks.
• I am loath (reluctant) to employ one whose cruelty to animals I loathe (deplore). (loath — adjective, and loathe — verb.)
• We spent seven torturous (painful) hours on the mountain, creeping along a road with the most tortuous (winding) bends and dangerous descents.

• Who’s the family whose house burnt down? (Who’s is a contraction of who is.)
• Finding their former comfortable lifestyle now severely straitened (limited), the family had to make adjustments to the budget. (Straits are difficulties or distressing circumstances.)
• He straightened the crooked pictures as he passed them in the hall.
• The stationary (at a standstill) vehicle was loaded with crates of office stationery (writing materials) to be delivered to the stationer’s shop.
• The principal (main person) of the school was a man of high principle (ethical standards).
• A horde (huge number) of ants moved in a line with their hoard (accumulation) of food.
• His naturally reticent (shy) nature made him reluctant (unwilling) to boast about his successes.
• People hung their heads in shame as the bushranger was hanged.
• Will you find someone to appraise (evaluate) the damage, and then apprise (advise) me of the findings?
• The new government will effect (implement) changes, but these will not affect (make a difference to) the farmers. These are verb forms of effect and affect.

The noun form of effect has adjectival and adverbial derivatives, for example: Moves to allay the effects of the recession have not been effective. The enemy was effectively put to flight by strong resistance.

Affect in its noun form implies feeling or emotion as distinguished from thought or action, and has the derivatives affection (noun) meaning emotional attachment, and affectionate (adjective) meaning warmly attached. One may affect (verb) a certain style in order to make an impression, and the noun affectation is derived from this verb. An affection can also mean a disease or morbid state of mind or body. Effect and affect have no senses in common and it is desirable to avoid confusing the words.

Nor do swath and swathe have the same meaning. A swath is a wide or sweeping cut like that made by a scythe. A swathe is a long binding, sash or bandage that may be wound about the head or body in the form of a turban or a drape on a dress. Swath is now rarely ever used, and is apparently destined to sink into oblivion, while swathes are being cut in all directions.

Enormity gets frequent airings to describe something big. According to The Macquarie Dictionary, the first definition is ‘enormousness’. So the pedants who insist that enormity means ‘monstrous wickedness’, and nothing else, must lay down their arms and accept defeat!

Boarder and border are often confused. A boarder pays board (lodging costs). Out there on the border (rim or boundary) of the city, there are few boarding houses.

May and might are interchangeable in certain circumstances, for example: You might be right or you may be wrong. (Present tense.) Most writers choose may for all constructions, and all tenses, just to be on the safe side, apparently! At times may is not strong enough for an imperious statement, for example: You might have the goodness to apologise! A very safe employment of may is in the sense of can: He may now live in peace and privacy.

These are but a few of the words your computer spell-checker cannot help you with, unless you have one of the more advanced and sophisticated models. Perhaps the next spate of technological advances will produce a computer that stops wrongful usages such as: Police were reticent to arrest the man, or they hung Ned Kelly!

Americanised spelling that uses z instead of s (for example realize) and one l in counselled has infiltrated deeply into Standard English and many people accept it. Some writers are using drug as past tense of drag, dove as past tense of dive and snuck as past tense of sneak. One day my jewellery, such as it is, may be turned into jewelry, and my car may get new tires. If that is the way of the future, it will mark only another stage in the ongoing evolution of the English language.

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