Search results
Results from the WOW.Com Content Network
The meaning of the word is imprecise or open to more than one interpretation. For example, in "the Sun is bright", 'bright' is a relative term that does nothing to inform the reader of how bright the Sun actually is, nor how bright it is compared to other celestial bodies. Editors should always avoid using terms such as these, except in quotations.
Do not use similar or related words in a way that blurs meaning or is incorrect or distorting. For example, the adjective Arab refers to people and things of ethnic Arab origin. The term Arabic generally refers to the Arabic language or writing system, and related concepts. Arabian relates to the Arabian Peninsula or historical Arabia.
Some other problematic words people use are “successful,” “failed” or completed, experts said. The first two are particularly harmful. “Successful” has connotations of a positive ...
Used is the past participle of use. Among its meanings is "accustomed". The expression used to is in some spoken accents similar sounding to use to, leading to confusion. Standard: I always carry an umbrella because I am used to the weather being unpredictable in Melbourne. Standard: An umbrella is what I use to avoid getting wet.
The word "malapropism" (and its earlier form, "malaprop") comes from a character named "Mrs. Malaprop" in Richard Brinsley Sheridan's 1775 play The Rivals. [2] Mrs. Malaprop frequently misspeaks (to comic effect) by using words which do not have the meaning that she intends but which sound similar to words that do.
Politicians employ euphemisms, [12] and study how to use them effectively: which words to use or avoid using to gain political advantage or disparage an opponent. . Speechwriter and journalist Richard Heller gives the example that it is common for a politician to advocate "investment in public services," because it has a more favorable connotation than "publ
Idioms are collection of words in a fixed order that have a sense that cannot be guessed by knowing the meaning of the individual vocabularies. For example: pass the buck is an idiom meaning "to pass responsibility for a problem to another person to avoid dealing with it". [4]
Avoid "You always ..." generalizations – Accusatory statements usually trigger defensive behavior and do not promote free expression. Try to use specific examples – "always" and "never" statements are weak, needing only one exception to be disproved. Stay on topic – Do not allow other issues to enter into the discussion. Though important ...