Words that don't mean what they seem like they might

28 Replies, 8464 Views

I teach A Level English Language and contstantly have rants with teachers about students' misuse if certain words (mostly related to course terminology).

Affect/effect being a prime example
Another is practise/practice and stationery/stationary.
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Neptune Wrote:I teach A Level English Language and contstantly have rants with teachers about students' misuse if certain words (mostly related to course terminology).

Affect/effect being a prime example
Another is practise/practice and stationery/stationary.

What about teachers' typos?
I've never understood words really, it should all be phonetic, it makes no sense. why spend ages learning how to remember how to spell a word in a way that makes no sense ( maybe a historical one ).

it's a waste of time. plus i hate people who make u fell stupid just because they've mastered spelling. 9 times out of 10 that's about all they've mastered that and repeating stuff they've read.

language is a living thing and that means it should evolve and spelling differences are a part of that. people should be encouraged to make up there own words and spellings whilst sticking to a entirely phonetic frame work. and con-sine the English languages ridiculous spellings to the dustbin of history.
tyranny Wrote:
EVP Wrote:Micro-soft

sort of means small and unassuming not hard... strange name for a company that's world dominating and has linkes to the military.

having said that bill does give a lot of money away and he has just sold the flight simulator section of the bussiness which i think has always had strong links to military simulation software. but who knows

it should really be called Bighard or somthing


Well i'd imagine they're called microsoft because they make software for microcomputers

yes i know but that doesn't stop the association, which is very strong , the words micro soft are synonymous with the company but still have there inherent meanings. they are floating about in our unconscious mind.

it's ether a psychological trick or coincidence

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