One of these things is not like the other

[kelliem]

I have a new entry for the homophone portion of my Semi-Annual Grammar and Spelling Rant!

Throws /= Throes

throws = the physical act of throwing something.

throes = 1) A severe pang or spasm of pain, as in childbirth; or 2) A condition of agonizing struggle or trouble: a country in the throes of economic collapse.

You cannot be in the throws of passion. (Okay, unless you and your partner are into recreational nude karate or something), you are in the throes of passion.

Comments

[ngaio]

i keep having 'imminent/=emminent' (which i now can't spell!) issues, but have failed to rant in case it's a UK vs US issue. to me imminent = happening soon, and emminent (does it have one m or two?!) = prestigious or important

any idea if i'm right or wrong?!

[kelliem.livejournal.com]

You're correct, and to the best of my knowledge it is not a UK/US thing at all. Actually, just to ocnfuse the issue, there are four different homophones here.

Imminent: 1. likely to occur at any moment; impending: Her death is imminent.
2. projecting or leaning forward; overhanging.

Eminent: 1. high in station, rank, or repute; prominent; distinguished: eminent statesmen.
2. conspicuous, signal, or noteworthy: eminent fairness.
3. lofty; high: eminent peaks.
4. prominent; projecting; protruding: an eminent nose.

Immanent: 1. remaining within; indwelling; inherent.
2. Philosophy. (of a mental act) taking place within the mind of the subject and having no effect outside of it. Compare transeunt.
3. Theology. (of the Deity) indwelling the universe, time, etc.

Emanant: emanating or issuing from or as if from a source.

[tatkreiswok.livejournal.com]

I feel your pain. My biggest pet peeve concerns "it's" and "its," followed a close second by: "there," "they're," and "their."

[kelliem.livejournal.com]

And those are so, so common. I even see teachers get that wrong, which makes me despair.

[tatkreiswok.livejournal.com]

The biggest problem I encountered with the above was in the workforce. There were so many kids my company employed straight out of college, who thought they knew everything, and would write professional e-mails as if they were text-messaging their friends. I used to sit them down, give them a copy of Strunk and White's "Elements of Style," and explain to them that e-mail -- at least in the office -- had to be treated exactly the same way one would compose a letter to get hired for a job. That people higher on the food chaim in the office would judge them and their competence to do the job -- and be professional -- partially based on what they saw communicated in e-mail. Not being able to distinquish one homophone from another -- especially in writing -- would also make them seem dense.

Some took the 'professional advice' talk about language and writing to heart, and saw it for what it was intended to be: friendly, senior advice that could only help them. Some, of course, didn't.

[kelliem.livejournal.com]

Not being able to distinquish one homophone from another -- especially in writing -- would also make them seem dense.

I used to make that argument to my kidunit only to get the "yeahright" eyeroll in response. Recently, though, I have heard the exact same thing come out of her mouth in response to something someone else wrote. I had to bite my tongue. ;D

[shiningmoon.livejournal.com]

I saw the wrong "its" on a McDonald's ad on the side of a bus. ::cries::

[kelliem.livejournal.com]

OMG! I've come to expect that on restaurant menus but on a BUS???

[moonpupy.livejournal.com]

u ppl r so mean! whts wrng w/mssging? its 1337 n evryone who needs 2 gets wht u mean. i totally pwn u.

rofl

[kelliem.livejournal.com]

*snerk*

[the-haunt.livejournal.com]

You are a woman after my own heart. *g* These kinds of errors drive me crazy. The peek/peak/pique one is my biggest pet peeve ever. :(

[clarentine]

You cannot be in the throws of passion. (Okay, unless you and your partner are into recreational nude karate or something).

Okay, that sounds like a story in waiting. *g*

[rike-tikki-tavi.livejournal.com]

It's also the best mental image in a long time. Thanks.

[kelliem.livejournal.com]

Hee! It would be amusing.

[aukestrel.livejournal.com]

My killer one lately is "reign/rein." I swear to you I saw this misused in an EDITOR'S blog, not to mention the Wall Street Journal lately! Jeez oh PETE, people, you cannot "reign" in a horse unless you're, like, the Queen of the Universe or something. You can only "rein" in a horse! (Or anything else that needs to be controlled or stopped, like runaway spending or the war in Iraq or tax cuts for the top 1% of the population.)

[kelliem.livejournal.com]

Yes!!! Arghh! I also see people use 'break' when they mean 'brake' all the time.