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adjure/abjure

abnegate/abdicate/abrogate/arrogate

fatuous/patulous/petulant/feculent/feckless

These, gentlemen, are my bugaboos. Nay! My incubi. What words have you had a modicum of difficulty learning due to their fraternal resemblance to neighboring words? Also, what was the best way you found to overcome such encounters?
 
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I am adverse to answering your questions and the best way to overcome such encounters is to avoid them. Writers who seriously want to communicate will be averse to being entrapped by the averse / adverse controversy...

Conversely, it was good of you to bring it up, albeit indirectly.
 
Posts: 6708 | Location: Kehena Beach, Hawaii, U.S.A.Reply With QuoteReport This Post
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quote:
Also, what was the best way you found to overcome such encounters?

Abjure Latinate sesquipedalianisms.
 
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quote:
Originally posted by neveu: Abjure Latinate sesquipedalianisms.
Eschew obfuscation.

(neveu, see PM)
 
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quote:
Originally posted by Timbo:
Also, what was the best way you found to overcome such encounters?


Avoid euphuisms
 
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One that I, personally, don't have much of a problem with but have noticed frequently in newspaper copy I edit is affect/effect.
I once told the chief editor at one paper I was at that he could change affect to effect and vice versa in the copy turned in and he'd be making the right move 90 per cent of the time.
 
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Carpe amphibolias.


Ceci n'est pas un seing.
 
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    quote: "I once told the chief editor ..."
    To which z responds Latinately, "Carpe amphibolias."
caveat editor
 
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If any of this inspires you to seek Dan Quayle quotes, here
is a link.
 
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quote:
carpe amphibolias


Seize the frog?
the salamander?

flaunt/flout, flounder/founder are two other pairs that fool people.

Wordmatic
 
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Seize the ambiguity.


Build a man a fire and he's warm for a day. Set a man on fire and he's warm for the rest of his life.
 
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Stationary/stationery
Access/excess
Allusion/illusion

Lots more ...


Build a man a fire and he's warm for a day. Set a man on fire and he's warm for the rest of his life.
 
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Another pair often confused is discreet/discrete.


Build a man a fire and he's warm for a day. Set a man on fire and he's warm for the rest of his life.
 
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discreet/discrete

Not helped by the fact that they're both of the same origin.


Ceci n'est pas un seing.
 
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