Editing bit: dis
To dis someone is to insult or slight.
The correct spelling forms are dis, dissing, dissed.
Ex: Sorry to dis that place, but the food and service are awful.
As an editor, I am often dissed for choosing to print something, or refusing to cover something.
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Know the difference: wet vs. whet
Speaking of verbs, because that's where the confusion is, to wet is to add liquid.
To whet means to stimulate.
Both are used in common expressions: Wet your whistle (have a drink) and whet your appetite (get that hunger cranking).
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Editing bit: RSVP
This acronym is for the French phrase that translates to “Respond, please.”
So these don't work; 'Did you RSVP?' 'This is my RSVP,' or 'RSVP please.'
Say 'RSVP by email before Aug. 23,' and 'Please expect two of us at the event.'
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Know the difference: proceed vs. proceeds
To proceed is to carry on with what you were doing.
Proceeds are the money raised by an event.
Example: The proceeds from the book sale were totaled, so we will proceed to the store where we can spend them.
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Vocabulary word: The dot above the lower-case letters “I” and “J” is called a tittle.
Examples: I’ve got letter stickers for that word, but I dropped the tittle in the carpet and I can’t find it.
Isn’t that cute how she made the tittle a paw print?
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Know the difference: shimmy vs. shinny
To shimmy is to wiggle your chest.
To shinny is to work your way up or down any kind of post by embracing it with all your limbs.
Ex: She was grounded but she went out the window and shinnied down the tree.
When she shimmied her pasties flew off.
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Editing bit: speaking literally
"Literally" means "I'm not exaggerating or being metaphorical. I'm using a word exactly as it's defined without connotation."
Many use the word for emphasis and speak figuratively: "My phone was literally ringing off the wall" (a physical impossibility).
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Know the difference: whoa vs. woah
It's "whoa."
The end.
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Editing bit: all right
It’s two words.
Example: It’s all right to have written this wrong. Now that you know, you’ll do better.
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Just a gentle reminder: you don’t have to read fast, finish the longest book or have the prettiest shelf, if reading bring you peace, you’re doing it right.
I’ve given Bert the day off! I’m here until 4pm - Sally
Know the difference: diligent vs. vigilant
Diligent describes focused and dedicated work.
Vigilant means keeping extra careful watch, like with your eyes.
Ex: That writer is diligent and will get the story no matter what obstacles pop up.
Be vigilant. Here be there burglars.
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Editing bit: destruction
Something cannot be partially demolished or partially destroyed.
It's all or nothing.
And don’t go saying something was totally demolished or totally destroyed.
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Know the difference: Lying in state vs. lying in repose
Lying in repose is what a corpse is doing when people may view or visit it before it's interred.
Lying in state is lying in repose in the Rotunda of the Capitol Building in Washington.
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Editing bit: gruntled
Yes, Virginia, the opposite of "disgruntled" is "gruntled." When you are gruntled, all is right with your world.
Correct: I'm looking at the trees and the rain, I have nachos and a good man. I am fully gruntled at this time.
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Vocabulary word: spurious
If something is spurious it comes across as something true or legitimate, but it's bogus.
Example: The spurious video evidence appears to be footage of a secret meeting; but the senator is a twin, and his brother staged the shoot.
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Know the difference: cavalry vs. Calvary
A cavalry is a team of fighters that could show up and help you in a fix.
Calvary is the name of the hill where Jesus of Nazareth was crucified. Some people also use it to describe artwork of the crucifixion. It is always capitalized.
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Editing bit: often
This word has a silent tee, so it’s pronounced “offen.”
Also, leave off “times” at the end, especially in writing.
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Know the difference: counsel vs. council.
To give advice is to counsel.
A panel of authorities is a council.
Ex: After seeing this nasty video, I need some psychological counseling.
The group's council appointed a new leader after the first one was found to have been in a nasty video.
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Editing bit: When referring to the birth name of a male who has changed his name, use né not née.
Examples: John Cougar, né John Mellencamp, was given his stage name by his manager.
Cher, née Cherilyn Sarkisian, is the mother of Chaz Bono, né Chastity Bono.
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carat vs. karat vs. caret vs. carrot
Carat: a unit of weight for a diamond, 200 mg.
Karats: used to measure the purity of gold on a scale up to 24.
Caret: a diacritical mark, shift-6, indicating something is missing.
Carrots: an edible orange root.
All versions are pronounced the same.
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Know the difference: in spite of vs. despite
These are synonymous. They mean "even though." Use the sentence construction of a prepositional phrase.
Ex: I love the place, despite the uncomfortable chairs.
They keep the chairs in spite of how they bruise butts, because The Beatles once used them.
Know the difference: allude to vs. refer to
To allude to something is to speak of it without specifically mentioning it.
To refer to something is to mention it directly.
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Know the difference: torturous vs. tortuous
Torturous is what you think it is -- causing torture or feeling like torture.
Tortuous, from the Latin word for “twist,” means winding, circuitous, or ridiculously complicated.
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Know the difference: lend vs. loan
Lend is a verb.
Loan is a noun.
People are using "loan" like a verb enough for the use to be mentioned in online dictionaries.
Ex: Lend me a pencil.
I can't keep this pencil; it was a loan.
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Editing bit: unique
This word means “the only one in existence.”
That makes modifying it nonsensical.
It’s not grammatical to say something is very unique or the most unique. If you find yourself trying to describe the uniqueness, you might actually mean unusual or uncommon.
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Know the difference: hurdle vs. hurtle
"Hurdle" as a noun is a barrier on a path that usually can be jumped over, either physically or metaphorically. As a verb it means to jump over a barrier on a path.
"Hurtle" is a verb that means to move rapidly and forcefully.
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Editing bit: academic degrees
Each word in master's degree is down, but Master of Science is up. Ph.D. has two periods and goes up down up.
Subjects are down, unless they are proper nouns, like the names of languages.
Ex: I have a Bachelor of Arts in linguistics, not a bachelor's degree in English.
Know the difference: each vs. every
"Each" is for finite specified amounts: each day of the week.
"Every" is for however many: every time I go into the kitchen.
And for pity’s sake, never say "each and every."
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Editing bit: Livid
People use 'livid' to mean angry. It actually means 'purplish blue.'
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