A bit of a long one this week,

Blood Donation

So many want to donate blood but we can't: As anyone who spent more than three months in the UK between 1980 and 1996 is still prohibited from donating. This rule is in place in most countries to minimise the risk of spreading variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (vCJD) more commonly known as “Mad Cow Disease."

English: Not as we know it!

These two words have crept into our English vocabulary by accident, used by non-English speakers: Touristic and Artisanal. The correct terms are “Touristy” and “Handicraft or Craft.”

There were many tourists. It is a very touristy place. There were many handicraft stalls in the main square. All crafts were made/produced/crafted locally. The noun handicraft can be countable or uncountable. In more commonly used contexts, the plural form will also be handicraft. However, in more specific contexts, the plural form can also be handicrafts e.g. in reference to various types of handicrafts or a collection of handicrafts.

Some commonly misused words

Accept and Except: While they sound similar, except is a preposition that means "apart from", while accept is a verb that means "agree with", "take in", or "receive". Except is also occasionally used as a verb, meaning to take out or to leave out.

Note: The word except means 'not including' it can be used as a preposition or a conjunction. When used as a preposition, except is followed by a noun. I haven't invited anybody except Peter. Adverse and Averse: Adverse means unfavourable, contrary or hostile. Averse means having a strong feeling of opposition, antipathy or repugnance.

Affect and Effect: The verb affect means "to influence something", and the noun effect means "the result of". Effect can also be a verb that means "to cause [something] to be", while affect as a noun has technical meanings. Ascent and Assent: To ascend means to go up or advance from an original position. To assent is to agree. Awaken and Awoken: Awaken is typically used to express waking in the present tense. Awoken is typically used to express waking in the past tense. Born and Borne: Born is when a living creature enters the world through the birthing process. Borne means to carry, realise or bear something. Breath and Breathe: A breath (noun) is the air that is inhaled or exhaled from the lungs. To breathe (verb) is the act of inhaling or exhaling. Canvas and Canvass: Canvas is a type of fabric known for being tough and strong. Canvass is a way to try to get people’s support during a campaign.

Complementary and Complimentary: Things or people that go together well are complementary (they complete each other); complimentary describes an item given without charge (considered a 'gift'), but not as in a political bribe!!

Contingent and Contingency: As a noun, a contingent is a representative group; a contingency is a possible event. Copy write and Copyright: Copy write means to make written copies for manuals, press releases, or advertisements. A copyright consists of select privileges that legally protect a work and prohibit its duplication without a reference. Disassemble and Dissemble: To disassemble means "to dismantle/ take apart. To dissemble means "to tell lies or conceal". Either and Neither: Neither is used to agree with a negative statement. Either indicates a similarity between two things, such that they are effectively the same. Emigration and Immigration: Emigration is the process of leaving a country; immigration is the process of arriving in a country. Exacerbate and Exasperate: Exacerbate means "to make worse". Exasperate means "to annoy". Flounder and Founder: To flounder is to be clumsy, confused, indecisive, to founder is to fill with water and sink (or, figuratively, to fail).Founder also refers to someone who establishes an organization or a person who manufactures articles of cast metal. Flout and Flaunt: One flouts a rule or law by flagrantly ignoring it. One flaunts something by showing it off. Forego and Forgo: Forego means to go before. Forgo means to give up or do without.

Hoard and Horde: A hoard is a store or accumulation of things. A horde is a large group of people. Imply and Infer: Something is implied if it is a suggestion intended by the person speaking, whereas a conclusion is inferred if it is reached by the person listening. Isle and Aisle: An isle is an island. An aisle is a corridor through which one may pass from one place to another. The space between the rows of seats (middle) on a plane is called an aisle. Jive and Jibe: Jive is deception or a form of dance. Jibe is to be in accord with. Levee and Levy: A levee is a structure built along a river to raise the height of its banks. To levy is to impose a tax, fine or other assessment, or a military draft; as a noun, a levy is an assessment or army thus gathered. Loathe and Loath or Loth: Loathe is a verb meaning "to strongly dislike", and loath (or loth) is an adjective meaning "unwilling" or "reluctant".

Lose and Loose: Lose can mean "fail to win", "misplace", or "cease to be in possession”. Loose is the opposite of tight. Methodology: is the study or discussion of method. It is commonly and incorrectly used as a pretentious synonym for method. Mitigate and Militate: To mitigate is to make something milder, typically something undesirable, and takes no preposition. To militate is to fight or exert pressure for something to happen or not to happen; it is typically followed by a preposition. Oral and Verbal: Oral means "by mouth", or "spoken aloud". Verbal means in words-relating to words. Parcel and Partial: A parcel is an item wrapped for shipment, or a division of land, while partial is a part or a portion of something. Past and Passed: Past refers to events that have previously occurred, while passed is the past tense of "to pass", whether in a congressional action or a physical occurrence. Passed is also used to express death: He passed away in his sleep.

Perspective and prospective: Perspective is a view with correct visual angles. Prospective is a future possibility or expectation. Prescribe and Proscribe: To prescribe something is to command or recommend it. To proscribe somebody or something is to outlaw him, her or it by law.

Rain, Reign and Rein: A reign refers to the rule of a monarch. Reins are the straps used to control the movements of an animal (typically a horse) Rain the condensed moisture of the atmosphere falling visibly in separate drops. Set and Sit: When used as a transitive verb, to set means "to place" or "to adjust to a value", whereas to sit means "to be seated". Shirk and Shrink: To shirk means "to consistently avoid", "to neglect" To shrink means "to contract", "to become physically smaller in size".

Cite, Sight and Site: A sight is something seen; a site is a place. To cite is to quote or list as a source.

Taut and Tout: Taut is when something is tight or stretched. Tout means to hype up, advertise, or promote. Temblor and Trembler: A temblor is an earthquake. A trembler is something that (constantly shakes) trembles. Throe and Throw: Throe is a spasm intense or violent pain and struggle. Throw means to propel an object through the air. Where and Wherefore: Wherefore means 'why'. In the well-known passage from Romeo and Juliet, she is not asking where he is but rather why he is Romeo, whose name only stands in the way of their love. On that note, I need a coffee.

Until next Tuesday-Be good.

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