Homophones – For want of a better word
If you are trying to be as good as your word, it pays to choose the right word in the first place. That can be tricky with English vocabulary. The language is loaded with words that sound alike but are spelled differently (homophones).
English also boasts many words which share similar but not identical meanings.
It’s incredibly easy to make mistakes, even for well-educated native speakers. Spell-checkers certainly won’t pick up most of the potential errors and enormous care must be taken when translating texts into English.
Below are some of the most commonly confused and misused words in the English language.
Affect and Effect
Confusion reigns (not rains!) with these two words. Affect is usually a verb whereas effect is a noun. They are both used when talking or writing about the consequences of a particular action.
I am concerned that your lack of sleep will affect your ability to study.
Before you decide to stay up late, consider the effect of this on your studies.
Compliment and Complement
You’d be very rich if you were given a pound or Euro every time one of these words was misused. Compliment is a verb or a noun and means to say something nice about someone or something.
He complimented his girlfriend on her artistic skills.
Complement is also a verb or a noun and suggests that two or more things go well together
The sofa complements the colour of the wall.
Bear and Bare
These two little words seem to confuse everyone. Bear is a verb and a noun with multiple meanings.
As a noun, bear refers to large furry animals of the grizzly and polar variety.
I saw a large grizzly bear by the river.
As a verb, bear means to endure or to support a heavy weight.
I can’t bear the pain of this injury.
The beams will bear the weight of the roof.
On the other hand, Bare is an adjective or a verb which means to be naked or uncovered.
I like to have bare arms to show off my tattoos.
Stationary and Stationery
It’s always a nightmare when two words sound identical but have completely different meanings. Stationary is an adjective which means motionless.
The traffic on the main road was stationary.
Stationery is a noun which refers to writing materials including paper and envelopes.
I need to buy stationery as I have several letters to write.
Assure, Ensure and Insure
This trio of words never ceases to cause confusion. It’s incredible how often the three words are misused.
Assure is a verb which means to tell someone that something is definitely going to happen or is definitely true.
I can assure you that I will arrive on time.
Ensure is also a verb and means to make sure of something.
I tried to ensure that I arrived on time.
Insure is a verb which means to take out an insurance policy.
I need to insure my new car.
A word to the wise
We could have cited (not sited!) many other examples of English words which cause confusion. Sometimes the differences between these words is nuanced and so errors may not be noticed. However, mistakes can be obvious and completely change the meaning of a sentence. A poor choice of words matters little in casual conversation. But errors could prove to be hugely problematic if they feature in legal documents and instruction manuals.
It pays to find the right words and software won’t always find them!
Homophones <unk> Kwa kukosa neno bora Ikiwa unajaribu kuwa mzuri kama neno lako, inastahili kuchagua neno sahihi kwanza. Hiyo inaweza kuwa ngumu na msamiati wa Kiingereza. Lugha hiyo imejaa maneno yanayofanana lakini yanaandikwa kwa njia tofauti (homophones). Kiingereza pia kina maneno mengi ambayo yana maana sawa lakini si sawa. Ni rahisi sana kufanya makosa, hata kwa wasemaji wenyeji wenye elimu ya juu. Wanasemaji wa herufi hakika hawatagundua makosa mengi yanayowezekana na uangalifu mkubwa lazima uchukuliwe wakati wa kutafsiri maandishi kwa Kiingereza. Chini ni baadhi ya maneno ya kawaida kuchanganyikiwa na kutumiwa vibaya katika lugha ya Kiingereza. Athari na Athari Mvurugo unatawala (si mvua!) kwa maneno haya mawili. Kwa kawaida neno "athari" ni kitenzi, ilhali neno "athari" ni jina. Wote wawili hutumiwa wakati wa kuzungumza au kuandika juu ya matokeo ya tendo fulani. Nina wasiwasi kwamba ukosefu wako wa usingizi utaathiri uwezo wako wa kujifunza. Kabla ya kuamua kukaa usiku, fikiria jinsi jambo hilo litakavyoathiri masomo yako. Kusifiwa na Kuongezea Ungekuwa tajiri sana ikiwa ungepewa pauni au Euro kila wakati moja ya maneno haya ilitumiwa vibaya. Kusifiwa ni kitenzi au jina na humaanisha kusema jambo zuri juu ya mtu au kitu. Alimsifu mpenzi wake kwa ustadi wake wa kisanii. "Kupitia neno ""kijumuishi"" au ""kijumuishi,"" unaweza kugundua kwamba kuna mambo mawili au zaidi yanayoambatana vizuri, na rangi ya ukuta huambatana na rangi ya sofa." Bear na Bare Maneno haya mawili madogo yanaonekana kuwachanganya kila mtu. Bear ni kitenzi na jina lenye maana nyingi. Kama jina, dubu hurejezea wanyama wakubwa wenye manyoya ya aina ya grizzly na polar. Niliona dubu mkubwa wa rangi ya kijivu kando ya mto. Kama kitenzi, kubeba humaanisha kuvumilia au kutegemeza uzito mzito. Siwezi kuvumilia maumivu ya jeraha hili. Vipande hivyo vitaweza kubeba uzito wa paa. Kwa upande mwingine, Bare ni sifa au kitenzi ambacho humaanisha kuwa uchi au wazi. Ninapenda kuwa na mikono mitupu ili kuonyesha michoro yangu. Stationery na Stationery Ni daima ndoto mbaya wakati maneno mawili sauti sawa lakini kuwa na maana tofauti kabisa. Stationary ni sifa ambayo ina maana ya kutotembea. Magari hayakuenda kwenye barabara kuu. Stationery ni jina ambalo linarejelea vifaa vya kuandika ikiwa ni pamoja na karatasi na bahasha. Ninahitaji kununua vifaa vya kuandika kwa kuwa nina barua kadhaa za kuandika. Kuhakikisha, Kuhakikisha na Kuhakikisha Maneno haya matatu hayaachi kamwe kusababisha mvurugo. Ni ajabu jinsi maneno hayo matatu yanavyotumiwa vibaya mara nyingi. Kuhakikisha ni kitenzi ambacho inamaanisha kumwambia mtu kwamba kitu fulani hakika kitatokea au ni kweli kabisa. Naweza kukuhakikishia kwamba nitafika kwa wakati. Kuhakikisha pia ni kitenzi na humaanisha kuhakikisha kitu fulani. Nilijaribu kuhakikisha kwamba nilifika kwa wakati. Kuhifadhi ni kitenzi ambacho kinamaanisha kuchukua sera ya bima. Ninahitaji kuhifadhi gari langu jipya. Neno kwa wenye hekima Tungeweza kunukuu (si sited!) Kuna baadhi ya maneno ya Kiingereza ambayo yanaweza kusababisha kuchanganyikiwa. Nyakati nyingine tofauti kati ya maneno hayo ni ndogo na hivyo makosa yanaweza kutambuliwa. Hata hivyo, makosa yaweza kuwa dhahiri na kubadili kabisa maana ya sentensi. Uchaguzi mbaya wa maneno hauna maana kubwa katika mazungumzo ya kawaida. Lakini makosa yanaweza kuwa tatizo kubwa ikiwa yanapatikana katika hati za kisheria na vitabu vya maagizo. Ni kulipa kupata maneno sahihi na programu si daima kupata yao!