Easily confused words

Elsewhere Kalleh, quoting tsuwm, says I am running to the dictionary for "fricative."

It is important not to confuse fricative with fricatrice or the Shakespearean word focative, related to "rooting" with one's "carrot".

I rather like fricatrice. Don't forget about "fricassée."

Shakespeare also has a cute scene in Henry V III.iv with Catherine learning English and being astounded the evil-sounding words that English abounds in.

Yes, French is such a beautiful lanaguage, compared to English. I imagine even the gutter words sound like cooing.

We used to have a Frenchman who posted here (remember Safi, oldtimers?), and his knowledge of language was intriguing. He especially thought that I used the word "elucidate" wrong, and we probably talked as much about "elucidate" as we have been recently about "epicaricacy."

What is it about those "e" words?!

quote:

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Originally posted by Kalleh:
Yes, French is such a beautiful lanaguage, compared to English. I imagine even the gutter words sound like cooing.

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Can't let this pass without inserting my two cents.

First off, just my opinion but any language spoken 85% through the nose cannot be described as beautiful.

My nomination for the world's most beautiful language: Hawaiian. Jerry, of course, could tell us more about it but there are far fewer consonants than English has and, as a result, pretty much everything comes out sounding like a spoken lullaby. It is truly a beautiful and soothing language so much so that I imagine that being told to go to hell in Hawaiian would make one look forward to the trip.

CJ: It is truly a beautiful and soothing language so much so that I imagine that being told to go to hell in Hawaiian would make one look forward to the trip.

It's truly a pleasure to look back at older threads with a fresh eye. CJ, I thought that looked familiar, and you have an impressive way of remembering excellent witticisms.

Well, first off, it wasn't my intention to claim that particular phrase as being original with me. Secondly, I thought it was one of those little bits of verbage attributed to one famous person when actually it was said by some one else or, more likely, many some one elses and thereby considered to be in the public domain. My guesses, in order of perceived liklihood, would have been Ambrose Bierce, Dorothy Parker, or Lincoln.


If you continue to nitpick this way, I shall fight you on the beaches, I shall fight you on the landing grounds, I shall fight you in the fields and the streets, I shall never surrender!

(OK, now that is original with me!)

CJ,


I think that quote (misquote?) is attributed to Arnie..

I'm told that having Arnie quote you can be a blessing in disguise. If that's so in this case, it's very well disguised...

(another original!)

That's not a nitpick, CJ; that's a compliment. And deserved, albeit belated.

This is completelyoff-subject (though word related ), but I do like that word "albeit." Always have. I suppose "though" would work just as well, but somehow "albeit" just sounds more erudite.