When Spell-Check Lets You Down: Commonly Confused Words & Other Insidious Imposters Kathryn Mincey Associate Professor of English Morehead State University

“Owed to the Spell Checker” Eye halve a spelling checker It came with my pea sea It plainly marks four my revue Miss steaks eye kin knot sea. Eye strike a key and type a word And weight four it two say Weather eye am wrong oar write It shows me strait a weigh. As soon as a mist ache is maid It nose bee fore two long And eye can put the error rite Its rare lea ever wrong. Eye have run this poem threw it Eye am shore your pleased two no Its letter perfect awl the weigh My checker tolled me sew.

Commonly Confused Words These pesky pairs or groups of words are frequently mistaken for each other and are insidious because the spell checker will not catch them.

Commonly Confused Words They are spelled correctly when used in the appropriate context, but writers often overlook the fact that they are spelling a related word that is inappropriate for their intended meaning.

The Embarrassment Factor Because many of these words are familiar utility words, they create tension:  They are used often, but,  their misuse can erode a reader’s confidence in the writer’s credibility.

Commonly Confused Words… …come in at least four varieties that overlap:

Varieties of Commonly Confused Words 1. Homophones 2. Etymological / functional variations 3. Transcriptions of colloquialisms 4. Antonyms

Homophones – words that sound alike but have different meanings To, too, two Their, there, they’re Cite, site, sight Principal, principle Right, write, rite, wright

Etymological/functional variations – words that come from the same root but have evolved toward differing parts of speech or meaning Affect, effect Quote, quotation Advice, advise Conscience, conscious Proceed, precede Accept, except Credible, credulous ROOT NOUNADJECTIVEVERB

Transcriptions of colloquialisms– words that are spelled as they sound in oral dialect or imprecisely pronounced alike, but are actually spellings of different words Ideal for idea Suppose to for supposed to Use to for used to Granite for granted Ever for every Cause for ‘cause (because) Should of for should’ve Ozlock Witchaditcha Aorta Mayonnaise Parade

Antonyms – words that are not spelled or pronounced similarly at all but are opposite in meaning. Oddly enough, many speakers and writers confuse such words because they are related in their minds but may have opposite definitions. Infer for imply Literally for figuratively Can’t hardly for can hardly

There = where? here? Their = they own it They’re = they are Confusing Words of the Week Affect – act on Effect – the outcome A Quotation (noun) To Quote (verb) Then ← when ? Than = compare Cite = Call attention to Site = Scene, location Sight = vision Ever → forever Every = each Stationary – in place Stationery = letter Precede = before Proceed = through Whose → those Who’s = who is