CORRECTIONS & EXPLANATIONS - October 14, 2007

Below are the corrections and explanations for the entries of last week.

Monday

WHAT IS INCORRECT BELOW?

EXAMPLE 1

"A frantic son has been searching for his troubled mother, who went missing earlier this week amid mounting personal problems."

The error is “went missing”. People DO NOT “GO MISSING”; they disappear; they wander away; but they DO NOT “GO MISSING”!

Correction:

"A frantic son has been searching for his troubled mother, who disappeared earlier this week amid mounting personal problems."

EXAMPLE 2

"Stannard said he knows the situation will likely tarnish the police service's image, but hoped people would understand this is one officer out of hundreds facing charges in this situation."

One officer is facing charges. But the context reads as if “hundreds” are facing charges because “facing” is immediately following “hundreds”. The sentence is poorly constructed and creates ambiguity.

Correction:

"Stannard said he knows the situation will likely tarnish the police service's image, but hoped people would understand that, out of hundreds, this is one officer facing charges in this situation."


Tuesday

CONTINUOUS/CONTINUAL

What is the difference between "continuous" and "continual"?

“Continuous” (adj.) means uninterrupted or going on in time without breaks.

“Continual” (adj.) means repeated or occurring frequently.


Wednesday

COMPLIMENT/COMPLEMENT

“Compliment” (v.) means to congratulate or say nice things about someone.
The adjective form is “complimentary”. The adverb form is “complimentarily”>

“Complement” (v.) means to complete, supplement or add to something.
“The adjective form is "complementary".


Thursday

CONTEXT DICTATES MEANING

IN/INTO

He came in the room.
To propose a meaning for this sentence might become obscene. Use your imagination.

He came into the room.
This sentence means that the person entered the room.


Friday

UPTO/UP TO

“Upto” does not exist.

ALOT/A LOT

“Alot” does not exist.

So, you should say, The boy was up to a lot of no good.”



THIS WEEK’S WORDS

“Disparate" (adj.) means fundamentally different or distinct.

“Bumptious" (adj.) means self-assertive and offensive, nervy or brash.

“Jejune" (adj.) means displaying a lack of maturity, an adolescent insecurity, vapid or insipid.

“Untoward" (adj.) means against accepted standards, improper or impolite.

(I am sorry that I repeated a word this week. I will do better next week.)