I plan to exhume the body but will wait for inclement weather before doing so.
Reading that straightforward sentence, I would guess many people would easily understand what was being said. Would you agree?
I plan to inhume the body but will wait for clement weather before doing so.
How about that one? My guess here is that many people would have more trouble with that one. What do you think?
Though I've been reading since the first Eisenhower administration, my fascination with the ins and outs of the English language - or should I say the ins and exs? - is endless. Each time I stumble across a "new" word that turns out to simply be the opposite of a word I've used countless times, I'm enthralled. And then I wonder - Why did exhume take hold while inhume remains obscure? Can't be the number of syllables; inhume and bury - and inter, for that matter - have just two. Ease of pronunciation also doesn't seem to be in play.
And how to explain the prevalence of inclement vs. the absence of clement? Have these wonderings ever stopped you cold? I suspect few people will come clean on this but I'm also reasonably certain I'm not the sole habitant of Wordgeekland. So, to my brethren only, I ask: What have been your most recent discoveries?
Gotta be honest, I have never thought about this, but I'm glad you did!
ReplyDeleteDid not know that those two opposite words exist. Interesting.....
ReplyDeleteInes; The fact that you - a serious reader - did not know those two words existed (as I did not myself until recently) tells me I hit the mark on this post. This is not the first time something like this has happened to me either. Thanks, as always, for reading and commenting.
Deletewhile I do agree with what you've listed in your blog today, I'm not sure I can add anything further, at least anything that would provide a better example. However, and if you would indulge me for a moment, I'd like to add that there are at least two other things that, shall we say, bother me when I see them. The first is the misuse of words or better yet, when a word that really isn't a word becomes a word due to its constant use. And, as what typically happens when I try to recall an example, I can only think of one word that fits this. At least for me. When did 'irregardless' find its way into the English language?
ReplyDeleteThe second is how punctuation is used. Or, sometimes, when it is not used. I see this a great deal when reading a newspaper. A misplaced comma, for example, can change the meaning of a sentence entirely. And, I have to admit, I have read and re-read this response a few times to be sure I haven't made any of these errors. I'm not always successful and that just results in my becoming the cause of what bothers me. A vicious cycle indeed, but one that I am able to laugh at myself about.
Anonymous; Thanks for the comment. I share your frustration with both - 1.) misused/made-up words that enter the lexicon by the back door (and "irregardless" happens to be one my pet peeves as well); and... 2.) the misuse or lack of use of of punctuation. I know I'm preaching to your choir of one here but, I also share your view on misplaced commas. In my experience, people use far too many commas as well. Oh well, kvetching over for the time being. What do your say to inhuming our pet peeves while enjoying this clement September NJ weather?
ReplyDelete