Archive for October, 2008
October 31st, 2008
I wasn’t able to post anything yesterday because all my other work got in the way. I hate it when that happens, but now I’m back at it.
Today I’ll try to explain the difference between “attain” and “obtain.” Both are about reaching goals, but the latter involves gaining possession of tangible things.
To “attain” is “to gain through effort; accomplish; achieve,” and to “obtain” is “to get possession of, especially by some effort; procure.”
If your dream is to become a millionaire, you “attain” that goal by “obtaining ” the money. You “attain” a certain level of formal education; you “obtain” a diploma to prove it.
The root of “obtain” is the Latin verb “tenere,” for “to hold.” This is the source for most of the “-tain” words: “abstain,” “contain,” “detain,” “maintain,” “pertain,” “retain,” “sustain,” even “entertain.” In fact, every one I could think of — except “attain.”
The Latin source for that one is the verb “tangere,” “to touch.”
“Attain” also can mean “to reach or come to; arrive at,” as in “This year I attained the age of 60.”
“Obtain” also can mean “to be in force or in effect; prevail,” as in “Those rules no longer obtain.”
I hope we’ve attained enlightenment on this one.
October 29th, 2008
There’s bound to be some confusion when it comes to “bound,” “bind” and “bond” — not James Bond.
To “bind” is to tie up or patch up, as in “bind a book” or “bind wounds.” However, “bound” is the past tense and past participle of “bind,” as in “he was bound by tradition” or “the prisoners were bound and gagged.” It also can convey a sense of inevitability, as used at the start of this entry.
And the ties that bind can be “bindings” or “bonds,” as in “break the bonds of oppression.” Think of the related word “bondage.”
As if that weren’t enough, there are three other types of bounds:
A verb that means to leap, bounce or spring back — think “rebound” and “leaps and bounds.”
An adjective that means “ready to go or going” or “headed,” as in “homeward bound,” or a combining form, as in “westbound traffic.”
And a noun or verb pertaining to boundaries, as in “out of bounds.” A common error occurs with this verb: “Bounded,” not “bound,” is the past tense and past participle. So an area is “bounded” by certain streets, not “bound” by them.
To be bounded is to have boundaries; to be bound is to be tied up. Both are limiting, but the latter can get downright uncomfortable.
October 28th, 2008
A “trustee,” emphasis on the second syllable, is someone or something entrusted to manage some type of property or perhaps help run a municipality, business or organization. Related terms include “trust account,” “trust company,” “trust fund” and “trust territory.”
A “trusty,” emphasis on the first syllable, is specifically “a convict granted special privileges as a trustworthy person.”
“Trust,” of course, is “faith,” “reliance,” a “firm belief or confidence in the honesty, integrity, reliability, justice, etc. of another person or thing.” It comes from an Old Norse word meaning, literally, “firmness.” Its Indo-European base is also at the root of “tree,” “true” and “stand.”
However, “antitrust” is not strictly its opposite. “Antitrust” is a business term, meaning “opposed to or regulating trusts.” It specifically pertains to laws, suits and so forth “designed to prevent restraints on trade, as by business monopolies, cartels, etc.” The word “trustbuster” applies to a person, particularly a federal official, who vigorously enforces such laws.
The American president most associated with “trustbuster” is Theodore Roosevelt, although his predecessor, William McKinley, got the ball rolling and his successor, William Howard Taft, continued the work. Food for thought: All three were Republicans.
October 25th, 2008
A “principle” can be “the ultimate source, origin or cause of something,” “a natural or original tendency, faculty or endowment,” or, most commonly, “a rule of conduct” or “a fundamental truth, law, doctrine or motivating force.” It’s the correct word for the phrases “on principle” and “in principle,” the latter meaning “theoretically or in essence.”
It can only be a noun. The adjective in “principled.”
The homonym “principal” can be an adjective, meaning “first in rank, authority, importance, degree, etc.” This sense is conveyed as a noun for various major players, including the top administrator at a school, who has to deal with unprincipled students; the main members of a law firm; or the key actors in a play or business deal. It’s also the right “principal” for things financial — the amount of a loan or investment that isn’t interest, fees and other such things.
Both words come from the same Latin root that gives us “prince.” A principal might be a princely fellow, but Machiavelli’s “Prince” is a person of questionable principles.
October 24th, 2008
There was considerable — and understandable — confusion over this Thursday here at the News Tower, so here’s the rub:
The correct phrase for “to vent your views or opinions” is “speak your piece.” That’s “piece,” NOT “peace.” Think of it in terms of “giving someone a piece of your mind.”
To be calm and tranquil is to have “peace of mind” — “peace” is correct for this one. It’s also the one used in a traditional wedding when people are given an opportunity to object or “forever hold their peace.” In other words, speak up or shut up.
So, saying something, “speaking your piece”; being quiet, “holding your peace.”
With so many people speaking their piece, it’s hard to find peace.
October 23rd, 2008
I know this is another one of those things that’s bound to change, but I don’t have to like it: the use “gift” as a verb, as in “The company announced it had gifted the land to the community.”
Actually, this usage is a comeback of sorts rather than something new. Bryan A. Garner writes that “gift” has been a verb since the 16th century. But I still don’t like it.
There are two perfectly good alternatives for the above example: “given” and “donated.”
Furthermore, “gifted” is already useful as an adjective, meaning “talented” or “notably superior in intelligence.”
But as long as some people think “gifted” works well as a verb, they’ll keep using it. That’s a given.
October 22nd, 2008
Seeing is a good thing. Sometimes, seeing is believing.
But the phrases “seeing as” and “seeing as how” are not good English.
Consider this example: “Seeing as he is a vegetarian, taking him out to Burger World was a tasteless gesture.” Such usage is generally considered substandard — or worse.
The conjunctions “because” and “since” offer much better options, although you must be careful with “since” because of its additional sense of time. Some experts frown on its use as a synonym for “because,” but Bryan A. Garner points out that “the causal meaning has existed continuously in the English language for more than a thousand years.”
That means people probably have been arguing about “since” for that long, too, so no matter which side of this debate you’re on, you’ll be in good company. Not so, however, with “seeing as.”
October 21st, 2008
One of the best things about autumn in this area is the colorful foliage, pronounced “FO-lee-ij.” The next time you hear someone say “foil” for the first syllable, think more kindly of that person. In Middle English, the word was actually spelled “foilage.”
Its Latin ancestor is “folium,” “a leaf.” The word “foil” has the same lineage. Not “foil” the sword or “foil” the verb for “to thwart” or “frustrate,” but “foil” as in a thin layer of material, such as aluminum foil, often incorrectly called tin foil.
Other members of this family are “folio” (leaves as in books), “foliate” and, logically, “exfoliate,” a fancy word in skin care for “to cast or come off in flakes, scales or layers.” It sounds better to say “I’m exfoliating” than “I’m removing my skin in layers.”
October 20th, 2008
Let’s talk tradition. Recently I’ve seen the phrases “an old Rockford tradition” and “starting a new tradition.”
By definition, a tradition has been around awhile, so “old tradition” is redundant. In a similar vein, a tradition really can’t be new. It’s kind of like “first annual”: Only time will tell.
You could say someone hopes something new will become a tradition, but it will take time. How much time? I don’t know, but certainly more than one year — just as it takes more than one year to be annual.
One more thing about tradition: The word comes from the same Latin root as “treason.” At one time, “tradition” meant “a surrender or betrayal.” Some things get better with age.
October 18th, 2008
Avoid “center around” when trying to convey “to have as a central point, focus of attention, etc.” The center of something is a point. A point can be surrounded, but a point cannot do the surrounding.
The point is, the phrase “center around” is nonsensical. Something can be “centered on” or “revolving around,” but “centered around” misses the point. Webster’s lists it as an “informal” usage, but I’m for logic here, especially since there are simple alternatives.
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