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: Christmaswhichwowedday

If anything, 2013 has brought us some fabulous holiday match-ups. Earlier this year, we had Thanksgivukkah—when the first day of Hanukkah fell on Thanksgiving Day. And today, we have Christmaswhichwowedday (Christmas-which-wow-edday), when Christmas and Which Word Wednesday align.

You’ve not heard of Christmaswhichwowedday? hmm. Well, I’m sure it’s very popular somewhere, even if it’s only in my own heart.

My love for words started before I knew the Word, back when I was a kid, before Jesus captured my heart and made sense of my story. But then my love for language met the One whose words spoke everything into being:

“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made. In him was life, and the life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it” (John 1:1–5, ESV).

Jesus is the Word from which all words flow. He speaks light and life—literally—upholding all of creation by the word of His power (Col. 1:17). Astounding, isn’t it? Although, humans have been given similar faculties, as we are made in His image; I have seen my own words nurture light and life (as well as darkness and death). Words are powerful, indeed.

Words are powerful because they echo something of their origin, of Jesus who is the Word who was from before the beginning. Jesus is the Word that speaks, to us, telling us who God truly is, showing us the love of the Father:

“And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth” (John 1:14, ESV).

And this is the meaning of Christmas, what gives meaning to our days (and especially our Which Word Wednesdays). Merry Christmas and may your Christmaswhichwowedday celebrations be joyful and triumphant!

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: Anytime vs. Any Time

source: http://stylecarrot.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/06/whatever-illustration.jpg

You’ve heard it said that two are better than one. It is often true in regard to brainpower (two heads together think better than one alone) or laboring (some wisdom from King Solomon) and is always true in regard to cookies (at least, for me).

But this rule is not always true for words. Two words are not always better than one, especially if it changes the intended meaning. Today’s Which Word Wednesday tackles the usage of anytime (one word) versus any time (two words) to prove when the opening axiom is correct.

Let’s look first to the New Oxford American Dictionary:

anytime :: adverb
at whatever time; without exception or doubt

any [time] :: determiner / pronoun
used to refer to one or some of a thing or number of things, no matter how much or many

As one word, anytime takes on an aloof air a la Alicia Silverstone in Clueless—use it when there’s no need to get specific with plans, as the event in question can happen whenever.

As two words, the phrase any time refers to one of something in particular. Use it when you are making plans, giving several options to choose from—the plans can happen at any one of those times.

Mark Davidson explains it like this:

You can write: “My veterinarian is available for emergency house calls at any time.” Or you can write, “My veterinarian is available for emergency house calls anytime.” But if you write that your vet is available at anytime, you’re redundantly stating that the vet is available “at at any time.”¹

So there you have it. Everything hinges on the presence of a third word, at. Your options are:

Be here anytime. = Be here whenever.

Be here at any time. = Be here at a specific time.

What’s my WWW verdict? In this case, it looks like three words are even better than two but sometimes one word is all you need.

What’s your verdict? Have you ever wondered about anytime vs. any time? Do you remember Clueless? Do share in the comments.

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Check out previous Which Word Wednesday verdicts here.
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<sup>Sources
1. Mark Davidson, Right, Wrong, and Risky: A Dictionary of Today’s American English Usage (New York, NY: W. W. Norton & Company, 2006), 78.</sup>

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: Delusion vs. Illusion

You’ve likely been inundated with news about our government’s little sabbatical (ahem), the reasons for which are many and complex. I do not claim special insight or analysis. Instead, I’m dedicating today’s Which Word Wednesday to the whole debacle by looking at delusion and illusion. I want to make sure your government commentary is properly worded. Let’s look first to the New Oxford American Dictionary:

delusion :: noun
an idiosyncratic belief or impression that is firmly maintained despite being contradicted by what is generally accepted as reality or rational argument, typically a symptom of mental disorder.

illusion :: noun
a thing that is or is likely to be wrongly perceived or interpreted by the senses.

Both words refer to the perceptions and beliefs someone holds as truth. But these words aren’t synonyms. A delusion is a wrong belief that’s held despite opposing evidence. And according to the definition, it’s possible the refusal to acknowledge reality is caused by a mental disorder—that’s pretty serious! An illusion, however, is a misperception caused by misleading information or sneaky presentation.

According to Rod Evans’s The Artful Nuance: A Refined Guide to Imperfectly Understood Words in the English Language, a delusion is often held due to self-perception,¹ suggesting a desire to keep on with wrong beliefs, which begs the question, why? Why would someone want to continue on in wrong beliefs? Generally speaking, someone who has delusions prefers their version of reality, even if it isn’t real.

Apropos of our nation’s current situation, perhaps?

What’s my WWW verdict? Delusion, illusions—either way, reality is skewed.

What’s your verdict? Did you know the difference between delusion and illusion? How are you surviving the government shutdown? 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), 68.</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: Coarse vs. Course

2012 National Club Cross Country Championships, Lexington, Kentucky. Mike Straza is in there somewhere.

Although fall doesn’t officially kick off for another 11 days, I tend to think of Labor Day as the beginning of the season. School has started, football is on, the leaves are changing, and—my favorite:

There are cross country meets to watch.

It’s part nostalgia, part love for running that makes me happy to watch a sea of junior high or high school runners loop two to three miles on a Saturday morning. During last weekend’s races, a Which Word Wednesday match-up came to mind. It’s the difference between coarse and course—one of these being the word to describe the route the runners take in the race. Let’s look first to the New Oxford American Dictionary:

coarse :: adjective
rough or loose in texture or grain; (of a person or their speech) rude, crude, or vulgar.

course :: noun
the route or direction followed by a ship, aircraft, road, or river.

This may be the most straightforward WWW ever. Cross country runners race along a course, with a U. In no context would a cross country race be referred to as coarse, with an A . . . unless the route was rough or vulgar—which is possible, I guess! I ran a few routes in my CC days that I would call rude.

The good news is that because coarse and course are homophones, usage isn’t an issue unless you are writing about cross country—then you need to know your A coarse from your U course. Here’s a memory hook based on the A and U:

• coArse with an A describes rough hAir or sAnd
• coUrse with a U is a roUte for cross country rUnning

What’s my WWW verdict? Cross country routes are courses—although, sometimes cross country routes can be coarse, depending on the terrain or the runners.

What’s your verdict? Do you know your A coarse from your U course? Are you a cross country fan? What do you love about fall? Do share in the comments.

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Check out previous Which Word Wednesday verdicts here.

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.