Today’s post was requested by reader Elaine, who writes, “Please add ‘Then vs Than.’ Then refers to a time element; than is used in a comparative sense.”
As you can see Elaine has a lockdown on this tricky pair, but she’s picked a perfect lexical vexation. These words refer to pretty abstract ideas and are easily confused even by seasoned writers, especially when they’re pressed for time.
Word in the Wild: “I’ll show them,” Jamie said. “After I graduate from spelling-bee boot camp, I’ll be able to spell every word in the dictionary backwards and forwards. Then I’ll win the citywide spelling trophy and show that know-it-all Kerry I’m better than him.
Taming this tricky pair: With practice you can train your brain to send up a red flag whenever you see the word than or then in a document you’re editing. Whenever you spot one, ask yourself whether the phrase in question is really about time or if it’s a comparison.
Most people don’t have too much trouble remembering that the word then refers to time; once you’ve done that, you can deduce that than must be for comparisons. I’ve been trying to think of an easy mnemonic for this lexical vexation for a long time, but haven’t come up with anything yet. If you know of a trick for keeping these two words straight, I hope you’ll let us know about it in the comments!
Still vexed? You can find a complete list of the Word Blog’s lexical vexations here.
Word in the Wild: If you’re researching your next move and the city’s website keeps mentioning various municipal ordnances, you may want to consider moving somewhere a little safer. Perhaps a municipality with an ordinance against the use of heavy artillery?
Still vexed? You can find a complete list of the Word Blog’s lexical vexations here.
ekev. to extract with great toil; often used in the phrase eke out.
Words in the Wild: Sharon opened her latest credit card statement with trepidation, and when she saw the balance due let out a shrill “Eek!” Here she’d been trying so hard to eke out a living with what her acting and her temp work brought in, and still she kept sliding further into the hole.
Still vexed? You can find a complete list of the Word Blog’s lexical vexations here.
If you’re riding shotgun these days, you’re probably in the front passenger seat of your buddy’s car.
Origins: But most of the lore agrees that this term dates back to the Wild West and refers to the person who would sit next to the driver of a stage coach, protecting whatever cargo they were carrying with a shotgun. According to the Oxford English Dictionary, though, the first recorded instance of this turn of phrase dates to 1913 when Alfred Henry Lewis wrote “If thar’s money aboard, an’ the express outfit wants it defended, they slams on some sport to ride shotgun that trip.”
Lewis, who was a lawyer and journalist, traveled through the American West, writing and publishing stories about the people and places he saw there in the early 20th century. And although 1913 is the earliest recorded use of this phrase, it wasn’t at all uncommon in the days before mass communications for vernacular like this to rattle around for quite a while before it could creep into the scriptures of journalism and fiction. So, who knows, the lore about this phrase cropping up in the heyday of the Wild West might just be true.
Well, it’s pretty busy in Word Blog land, which is why I haven’t been quite so diligent about posting new entries. I’m taking courses in digital publishing and scholarly publishing these days, and showing up for work, too, so there hasn’t been as much time to hang out here. When I finish these courses in early August, I’ll be the fancy holder of a certificate in publishing from Ryerson University and also have a little more free time to throw around.
In the meantime, since I’m reading Pinker’s The Stuff of Thought at the moment, I thought I’d share this intriguing TED talk with you. Enjoy!
lighteningv. inflected form of the verb to lighten, as of weight, illumination, or colour.
lightningn. the discharge of electricity in the atmosphere.
Words in the Wild: The horizon had been lightening by degrees for the past half hour when the storm blew through and lightning flashed, illuminating the city.
The contributor of this photo of lightning striking the CN Tower isSam Javanrouh. The photo is copyrighted but also licenced for further reuse.
Still vexed? You can find a complete list of the Word Blog’s lexical vexations here.
Words in the Wild: Despite intensive training the Mighty Slugs suffered a crushing rout at their first cricket match of the season. And to add insult to injury the players had to put up with the mockery of the winners as they all inched forward on the only route back into town.
Still vexed? You can find a complete list of the Word Blog’s lexical vexations here.
Want to turn the tables and show the English language who’s who? You have until May 31, 2010, to take up the gauntlet of the Vest-Pocket Challenge and earn your chance to be entered in a draw for a fabulously bookish prize package.
I found this lexical vexation in the book I’m working on at the moment. Could be it was just a typo, but since it has cropped up twice so far, I thought I’d add it to our growing list of vexations.
taughtv. past tense form of to teach.
tautadj. tightly drawn, without slack.
Words in the Wild: Henry thought he’d taught Scribbles to walk properly on her lead, but she was charging ahead at such a pace that the leash was taut and he was pretty sure his arm was separating from his shoulder.
Still vexed? You can find a complete list of the Word Blog’s lexical vexations here.
Want to turn the tables and show the English language who’s who? You have until May 31, 2010, to take up the gauntlet of the Vest-Pocket Challenge and earn your chance to be entered in a draw for a fabulously bookish prize package.
complementaryadj. completing something or satisfying a lack in something.
complimentaryadj. 1. flattering; expressing praise. 2. given freely and without cost.
Words in the Wild: After she left her complimentary remarks about the concierge with the hotel manager, Sonja found complimentary scones outside her door each morning with complementary clotted cream and jam.
This lexical vexation often finds its way into writing, but it’s pretty easy to check for once you know to be on the lookout. Complementary has the e from complete, and complimentary has the i from compliment.
Still vexed? You can find a complete list of the Word Blog’s lexical vexations here.
