Our latest roundup of homophone problems includes a number of very familiar entries. Sharp-eyed readers catch them; we should, too. Put these at the top of your better-check-twice list.
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If he never succeeds in diminishing her appeal, it’s both because Ms. Blanchett maintains a vice grip on the character’s humanity and because it becomes inexorably clear that, while losing her money helped push Jasmine over the edge, it was also the dirty, easy money, what it promised and delivered, that drove her nuts to begin with.
In American English, we use “vise†as the spelling for the tool; a “vice†is a bad habit. (This was fixed in time for print.)
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The company is discrete about the identities of its clients, but it does say they include American venture capitalists, Arab oil sheiks, Ukrainian oligarchs and Chinese scions â€" along with celebrities that include a former Italian movie star and an American reality TV actress.
“Discrete†means separate or distinct. To mean “careful about what one says,†we wanted “discreet.â€
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“I think it would be useful for us to examine some state and local laws to see if it â€" if they are designed in such a way that they may encourage the kinds of altercations and confrontations and tragedies that we saw in the Florida case, rather than diffuse potential altercations,†the president said.
This is a surprisingly common error, considering that the words are not used very often. Make it “defuse†â€" what you would do to a bomb â€" not “diffuse,†which means “dispersed, spread out.â€
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“I believe Woody, at heart, would have been happiest to have been born as the classic opera diva,†she said. “He lives for dramatic flare, gossip, intrigue, crippling heartache and turmoil â€" just as long as it’s happening to someone else.â€
Another common lapse. Make it “flair,†not “flare.â€
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At Oxford, she drank beer, rode crew and went through a black leather phase â€" “She scared me, she was so cool,†Ms. Elkin said â€" which turned almost comical on a trip to Israel.
“Rowed crew,†of course.
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Spared the indignation of being pulled back to the dugout, Lillibridge went to the plate with Nunez on third base and laced a single to left.
Not a homophone, but a different mix-up of similar words. He was spared the “indignity†(“indignation†is what he might have felt if he had been subject to such an “indignityâ€).
Â
In a Word
This week’s grab bag of grammar, style and other missteps, compiled with help from colleagues and readers.
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They have no outside criteria that tells them what their talents are for or when they are sufficient.
“Criteria†is plural. Make it “criteria that tell them…â€
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A new generation of campers who are tired of finding their sleeping bags laying on sharp rocks has taken to tents that, instead of being staked to the forest floor, hover over it, suspended from trees.
Aarrghh. Lying, not laying.
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This subway map shows the Second Avenue subway line and the extension of the No. 7 line, neither of which are open yet.
As a pronoun, “neither†is singular. So make it “neither of which is open yet,†or simply “which are not open yet.â€
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But when it was suggested that neither are well liked, he was quick to take exception.
Same problem. Make it “neither is well liked…†(or, better, “neither was well liked,†for sequence of tenses).
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At N.F.L. training camps across the nation this week, it’s as if a bunch of touch football games have broken out.
Make it “had broken out†for this contrary-to-fact construction.
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These concerns were voiced by Justice Milton A. Tingling of State Supreme Court in March, when he struck down the soda ban a day before it was scheduled to go into effect, calling the restrictions “arbitrary and capricious†and an overreach of the Board of Health’s power.
Let’s resist this faddish use of “overreach†as a noun.
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The sentencing phase will begin on Wednesday, with more than 20 witnesses scheduled to appear for both the prosecution and the defense.
Awkward phrasing; the witnesses will not be appearing for both sides.
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The opposition is irate. They are now calling on Mr. Cuomo to veto the bill.
For consistency, make it either “The opposition is irate†and “is calling,†or “The opponents are irate†and “are calling.â€
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But across the Atlantic â€" nein, non, no.
It isn’t our style to italicize foreign words.
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Instead of vainly trying to fortify our land borders, we should be working with Canada and Mexico to keep the things we should really worry about â€" terrorists, weapons of mass destruction, cocaine â€" out of North America all together.
The word meaning “completely†is “altogether,†not “all together.â€
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The last time Erica Greenberg Ring, a mother of three in Davie, Fla., went shopping with her daughter, Madison, she knew exactly where the 11-year-old would end up: in the shoe department, cradling a pair high heels.
Proofreading should catch mistakes like this missing “of,†which was fixed the next morning online.
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The caravan halted at a Dunkin’ Donuts in Sunset Park, Brooklyn, at 2:30 a.m. Out of donuts.
Homer Simpson might spell it that way, but in generic uses our dictionary prefers “doughnuts.â€
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“Would you rather fight an octopus with a tiger’s head or a tiger with octopus arms?†Mr. Blue asked one nonplused contestant. Silence. Not an easy question to answer.
Bravo to all for not only spelling this troublesome word correctly but using it the proper way (as the stylebook notes, it does not mean “fazed, or unfazed;†it means “bewildered to the point of speechlessnessâ€).
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[Caption] Pope Francis spoke freely with reporters, answering questions on scandals and women in the church, on the flight back from Brazil.
The natural place for the prepositional phrase “on the flight back …†would be after “spoke freely with reporters.â€
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She grew, over time, to be an avid reader, but the power of her father’s books were lost on her, as terror, she believes, is a hard emotion for her to access.
“Was,†not “were.â€
