Don’t Confuse Your Audience. Get Your Message Across

If you are a writer, public speaker, or both, you have come to realize how vitally important it is to be as precise as you can in delivering your message. While there are literally hundreds of words that are often confused and used inappropriately, here I’m only initially identifying twelve words that in my experience are often confused and which I confess to sometimes confusing them myself. Here they are:
 
1. Principal, principle. These often confused words have clearly defined and distinguishable meaning. As an noun, principle means a sum of money, a chief person, the head man. The principal invested in that scheme amounted to $5000. The principal of this school is a woman of remarkable vigor. As an adjective, principal means main or foremost. His principal aim is to get well.  Again, principle, as a noun only, means a governing rule or truth, a doctrine, a determined course of action. The manager is a man of sound ethical principle.

2.Rational, rationale. Rational, an adjective, means of sound mind, sane, logical, reasonable, sensible. Your explanation is entirely rational. This is a rational plan for lowering the sales tax in this state. Rationale, a noun, means, a logical basis, fundamental reasons,  and exposition of principles. I cannot understand the rationale for your actions. Does deliberate cruelty ever have a defensible rationale?

3. Orient, orientate. Each of these verbs means to familiarize with conditions, to adjust to surroundings. This training program will  orient (or orientate) you in your new position. The lectures are designed to  orient all recruits. Orient is preferable to orientate and is much more commonly used.

3. Belittle, disparage. These words are related in meaning: to speak of as unimportant, to regard something as less  important or impressive than it apparently is. Disparage is a stronger word than belittle in that intends to bring reproach or discredit upon the topic being considered, whereas belittle means simply to make less, to minimize. Don’t belittle my efforts, I’m trying hard.

4. Lonely. Lonesome. These words mean about the same thing and are frequently  used interchangeably. A lonely person is likely to be lonesome because  he is without companions or remote from places of human habitation. Lonesome rather than lonely is more often to mean isolated, desolate, and unfrequented. The narrow path wound through a lonesome stretch of the country. Lonely conveys a feeling of dejection, or sadness. Janet was in tears because she felt so lonely.

5. Eminent, imminent. Eminent means distinguished, high in rank, noteworthy. An eminent statesmen. Imminent, means about to occur, impending, . An imminent rain  squall.

6. Monologue, dialogue. From Greek terms meaning one word or one person, monologue refers to a speech by one person. Dialogue, from Greek words meaning two words or two speeches, refers to conversation between two or more persons. Dialogue is popularly used to refer to an exchange of ideas on the issues of politics, human rights, economics, religion. The managers and workers in this plant should have a dialogue about their common problems. 



For the correct pronunciation of these words, refer to a good desktop college edition dictionary.  


Look for more clarification of confusing words in a future post.

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