Slips of Speech : a Helpful Book for Everyone Who Aspires to Correct the Everyday Errors of Speaking eBook

This eBook from the Gutenberg Project consists of approximately 164 pages of information about Slips of Speech .

Slips of Speech : a Helpful Book for Everyone Who Aspires to Correct the Everyday Errors of Speaking eBook

This eBook from the Gutenberg Project consists of approximately 164 pages of information about Slips of Speech .

“The day being stormy, the members of Class A were all the children at school to-day.”  Correct by saying “were the only children at school to-day.”
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Perpetually, Continually

Perpetually is not synonymous with continually.  Perpetually means never-ceasing.  That which is done continually may be subject to interruptions.

Persuade, Advise

“Almost thou persuadest me to be a Christian.”  Paul had advised many persons to become Christians, some of whom, like Agrippa, were almost persuaded.

Wharf, Dock

These words are sometimes confounded.  The wharf is the pier, or landing, upon which the vessel unloads her cargo.  The dock is the artificial waterway, or basin, formed by the wharves.  “The vessel came into the dock and was made fast to the wharf.”

Contemptible, Contemptuous

Contemptible is sometimes incorrectly used for contemptuous.  A story is told of Richard Parson, an English scholar and critic.  A gentleman being in dispute with him, angrily exclaimed, “My opinion of you is most contemptible, sir,” upon which Parson quickly retorted, “I never knew an opinion of yours that was not contemptible.”

Healthy, Wholesome

These terms are not synonymous.  Toadstools may be healthy, but they would not be regarded as wholesome.
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Plants and animals are healthy when the conditions of their growth are favorable.  They are wholesome when, as food, they promote the health of those persons who eat them.

In a fix

Many persons instead of saying “He is in trouble,” or “He is in an awkward position,” or “He is perplexed,” or embarrassed, employ the vulgarism, “He is in a fix.”  Although Shakespeare may say, “This was the most unkindest cut of all,” and De Quincey may write, “Poor Aroar cannot live and cannot die—­ so that he is in an almighty fix,” we lesser mortals are forbidden such expressions.

Fly, Flee

In a general sense fly is applied to winged creatures and flee to
persons.  “What exile from himself can flee?” “When the swallows
homeward fly.”  The past tense forms are sometimes confused, as, “The
inhabitants flew to the fort for safety,” “The wild geese have all
fled to the South.”  The principal parts of the verbs are: 
Present.      Past.      Perf. part.
fly,       flew,        flown.
flee,      fled,        fled.

The verbs flew and fled in the foregoing sentences should be transposed.  Fly implies motion either
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from or toward.  Flee implies motion from.  Fly may be used, in a figurative sense, of persons, to indicate great speed as of wings.  “I flew to his rescue.”  “He flew to my rescue.”  “Resist the devil and he will flee from you.”

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Slips of Speech : a Helpful Book for Everyone Who Aspires to Correct the Everyday Errors of Speaking from Project Gutenberg. Public domain.