Which Word Wednesday: Flaunt vs. Flout

Have you ever repeated a word so many times that it becomes almost foreign sounding? I have. Just last week the word pleased threw me for a loop. I stared it down, trying to determine if it was spelled wrong or if I was actually using the wrong word. After obsessively repeating it within the title I was crafting, I finally had to walk away and trust it was an actual English word.

I have experienced a similar phenomenon with today’s word pair, flaunt and flout. Something about the sound of them make my brain get stuck on repeat until they turn to gibberish. Maybe’s featuring them in Which Word Wednesday will help?

Which Word Wednesday: Because vs. Since

It has been said that the pen is mightier than the sword. That’s because the pen writes words that convey thoughts and meaning. Words have power to build up and to tear down—and to send language lovers like me into fits of laughter (or anger).

That’s why it helps to know which word to use for the context. Today’s Which Word Wednesday duel is between because and since, which most of us use interchangeably. The assumption weakens our message, however,

Which Word Wednesday: Bad vs. Badly

source: http://www.grammarcomic.com/files/grammar-block-002-adverbsaries.jpg

The worst part about my interest in language is that I know just enough to make myself crazy when I talk. I know what I want to say, but I need to choose between two words that confuse me, and then I get stuck in the recesses of my brain, trying to remember which word is correct. It’s linguistic torture.

One of those mean word duos is bad / badly. For example, if I am experiencing regret, do I feel bad about it or do I feel badly about it? I can get myself all turned about inside on that one. Perhaps today’s Which Word Wednesday will help. Let’s look first to the New Oxford American Dictionary:

bad :: adjective
of poor quality; inferior or defective; not such as to be hoped for or desired; unpleasant or unwelcome; regretful, guilty, or ashamed about something

badly :: adverb
in an unsatisfactory, inadequate, or unsuccessful way; to a great or serious degree; severely

We have one adjective (modifying nouns) and one adverb (modifying verbs)—so these words are not interchangeable. Context is key. To use the correct word, you have to know what you are modifying. Not always so easy, especially when the words are gushing out and you have like five seconds to choose.

Grammar Girl explains:

“The reason it’s easy to be confused is that ‘feel’ can be a linking verb or an action verb. Action verbs are easy to understand. They describe actions. If I reach out and touch your cashmere sweater to see how soft it is, I’ve taken an action. I am feeling your sweater.

“Linking verbs are more subtle. They describe emotions or states of being. If I am regretful about something and I want to describe my feelings, I’m describing my state of mind, not an action.”

This is why we get confused, but we also need help to not be confused. Grammar Girl gives this tip:

“Can you replace ‘feel’ with ‘am’? If so, choose the adjective and write ‘I feel bad.’”

And I add this memory hook to the mix:

If your hand is numb, you can’t feel what you are touching, so you feel badly.

If your heart is sad, you feel the weight of emotion, so you feel bad.

What’s my WWW verdict? Numb hands make for a heavy heart.

What’s your verdict? Do you stumble over bad and badly? Do you have a tip for keeping them straight? Do share in the comments.

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Check out previous Which Word Wednesday verdicts here.

Which Word Wednesday: Naked vs. Nude

Over the weekend, we had the joy of visiting with dear friends—friends who indulge my love for language by contributing entries for Which Word Wednesday. After coming across some discussion about the difference between naked and nude, they knew it was just the sort of WWW match-up I like. Let’s look first to the New Oxford American Dictionary:

naked :: adjective
(of a person or part of the body) without clothes; (of an object) without the usual covering or protection; (of a tree, plant, or animal) without leaves, hairs, scales, shell, etc.; (of something such as feelings or behavior).

nude
adjective :: wearing no clothes; naked. (esp. of hosiery) flesh-colored.

noun :: a naked human figure, typically as the subject of a painting, sculpture, or photograph

Although both naked and nude refer to being bare, these words are not direct substitutes.

Naked is being without something—whether it be clothes, covering, leaves, hair, or scales. It refers to a lack, something that is typically covered but is not now, something that is vulnerable and unprotected.

Nude describes a human who is naked—but it does not apply to a tree that has lost its leaves. Rod Evans describes it like this in The Artful Nuance: A Refined Guide to Imperfectly Understood Words in the English Language:

“A newborn baby is naked at its birth, but a woman who disrobes and is a model for an artist is nude.”¹

Mark Davidson explains that “when a nude artist’s model takes a shower, that person is naked. Nude has a more refined, esthetic connotation than naked.”²

What’s my WWW verdict? Naked and nude are grammatically different, but most people are not too concerned with the variance in terms of language. Maybe don’t ever type “naked versus nude” into Google to find other examples or a grammar-related pic. That’s not what you’ll find. And your naked eyes will see things that cannot be unseen.

What’s your verdict? Did you know the difference between naked and nude? Have you ever experienced Google search regret? Do share in the comments.

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Check out previous Which Word Wednesday verdicts here.

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<sup>Sources
1. Rod L. Evans, The Artful Nuance: A Refined Guide to Imperfectly Understood Words in the English Language (New York, NY: Penguin Group, 2009), 148.
2. Mark Davidson, Right, Wrong, and Risky: A Dictionary of Today’s American English Usage (New York, NY: W. W. Norton & Company, 2006), 373.</sup>

Which Word Wednesday: Laggard vs. Sluggard

As I looked over my workload for today, my first reaction was a sigh. Not because I don’t like my work, but because I was seeing it as a task list—things I had to do, things that were keeping me from other things I wanted to do (read, play, nap, daydream, whatever). My simple prayer was that God would help me not to be a sloth when I have great work ahead me today. That’s why the entry laggard / sluggard caught my eye as I flipped through Rod Evans’s The Artful Nuance: A Refined Guide to Imperfectly Understood Words in the English Language.

So today’s Which Word Wednesday is in honor of my inner-sloth. Let’s look first to the New Oxford American Dictionary:

laggard :: noun
a person who makes slow progress and falls behind others.

sluggard :: noun
a lazy, sluggish person.

Both words refer to a person who is slower than most. Laggard seems to be a neutral term, a description of progress, while sluggard seems to be a judgment of motivation (lazy). Evans explains it like this:

A laggard is a dawdler . . . A sluggard is a habitually lazy, slow-moving person.¹

Ouch. There’s that lazy tag again—habitually, at that, so it’s a regular happening. Calling someone a sluggard has a definite negative connotation.

The term laggard also used in marketing to describe the consumers who are the last to adopt new products. Again, this is more of a category and label rather than a character flaw.

What’s my WWW verdict? It’s better to be a laggard than a sluggard (but I’d rather be neither).

What’s your verdict? Are you more of a laggard or sluggard? Do you sometimes fight sloth mentality in your work? Do share in the comments.

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Check out previous Which Word Wednesday verdicts here.
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<sup>Sources
1. Rod L. Evans, The Artful Nuance: A Refined Guide to Imperfectly Understood Words in the English Language (New York, NY: Penguin Group, 2009), 136.</sup>

Which Word Wednesday: Trooper vs. Trouper

These are troopers (double Os).

Over the past few years, my sweet maternal grandmother has endured several strokes and other health ailments. Each time, she has bounced back. She had another episode earlier this month, and once again, she rallied. I wanted to say she was a fighter, a tough cookie, a spunky gal. The word trooper came to mind . . . or was it trouper?

A perfect fit for Which Word Wednesday. Let’s look first to the New Oxford American Dictionary:

trooper :: noun
a state police officer; a private soldier in a cavalry, armored or airborne unit.

trouper :: noun
an actor or other entertainer; a reliable and uncomplaining person.

These are troupers.

It’s fairly obvious, really—I wanted trouper with a U, because I certainly wasn’t describing my grandma as a policewoman!

Here’s the best memory hook I can see:

When soldiers gather they form troops; when performers gather, they form troupes.

And someone who is a “real trouper” is someone who presses on when weary for the sake of the show—I guess in real life, a “real trouper” is someone who presses on when weary for the sake of living? hmm. Makes sense, I guess!

What’s my WWW verdict? Only people in uniform are troopers; troupers can be performers who go on with the show or with daily life. However, troopers can be troupers (if they are weary but keep on with the show), and troupers can be troopers (if they are wearing uniforms). Confused yet?

What’s your verdict? Do you ever describe another person as a “real trouper”? Do you know a trooper who is a real trouper? Do share in the comments.

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Check out previous Which Word Wednesday verdicts here.

Which Word Wednesday: Barbecue vs. Barbeque

Tomorrow is our chance to celebrate our nation’s birth with parades, fireworks, and feasting. My guess is that many celebrations will include charring some meat products on a hot grill—something we call a barbecue . . . or is it barbeque?

That’s the inspiration for today’s Which Word Wednesday. A quick look

Which Word Wednesday: Orphan vs. Widow

You may be wondering how in the world someone might mix up these two terms. In common, everyday usage, an orphan is a parentless child; a widow is a woman whose husband has died.

But these terms are also used in the editing world to describe less-than pleasant text layout. That’s where I get them muddled together. I have to look them up ever-y-time. The terms will not stick. So I’m bringing them to Which Word Wednesday in the hope of solving

Which Word Wednesday: Sherbet vs. Sherbert

Summer is almost here! And you know what that means: ice cream, frozen yogurt, frozen custard, that oh-so-mysterious soft serve stuff, gelato, sorbet, Italian ice, sherbet. The treats are plentiful, which is one of the best parts of summer.

But that last item on the list is a tricky fellow; some call it sherbet (one r), others call it sherbert (two rs). hmm. Is this a ta-may-to/to-ma-to thing? Is it a misspelling? Is it the same frozen treat with two names?

Which Word Wednesday: Cite, Sight, and Site

Yes, caution. Construction has the ability to see.

The trio for this week’s Which Word Wednesday is something I’ve seen a few times recently, although I’ve failed to keep track of the examples. And examples make this so much more interesting! Oh well—onward. It’s another round of homophones with cite, site, and sight. Let’s look