Which Are the Same and Which Are Different?

Thanks to everyone who responded so positively to the April 2008 writing tip on perplexing word pairs. I appreciate your sending additional words that either still puzzle you or you see others use incorrectly.

Listed below are definitions and examples to help you remember the difference between words that look or sound alike. Our language evolves based on how we use it. Therefore, while some of the variations may still ring false to us, their increasingly common usage has landed them in the dictionary as acceptable, albeit, secondary or non-standard alternatives.

Capital	city that serves as the center of government; wealth in the form of money or property (Tina can recite the name of every state capital.) (Rick and Lily acquired enough capital to start their business.)
Capitol	building occupied by a legislature (Our capitol building's impressive architecture attracts many visitors each year.)

Discreet	tactful, prudent (Share your plan only with people you know will be discreet.)
Discrete	separate and distinct (Everyone has discrete roles and responsibilities in the system conversion project.)

E.G.	for example—from the Latin "exempli gratia" (April enjoys many water sports, e.g., water skiing, swimming, and kayaking.) Note: Do not add "etc." at the end of a list preceded by e.g.
I.E.	that is—from the Latin "id est"; use in the sense of "in other words" (Omar earned top academic honors, i.e., summa cum laude.)

Empathic	aware of and understanding the needs and feelings of others (An effective counselor needs to be empathic.)
Empathetic	variation of, and used interchangeably with, empathic

Incredible	unbelievable (Selma can cook an incredible meal with any four ingredients.)
Incredulous	disbelieving (Jorge was incredulous when he heard how much it would cost to replace the furnace.)

Irregardless	redundant, non-standard version of "regardless." Use only "regardless."
Regardless	in spite of, unmindful (Hank is driving to Canada regardless of fuel costs.)

Lay present tense of "put" or "place" (Lay those heavy packages on the table.) Lie present tense of "recline" (Sherry is ill and needs to lie down.) Orient to adjust or adapt to, or acquaint with, a particular situation (Pete's role is to orient new employees to the department.) Orientate standard in British English; considered non-standard in the U.S. Use "orient" instead. Precedence fact, state, or right of preceding; priority (Existing customers will receive precedence during the sale.) Precedent act, decision, or case that serves as a guide or justification for subsequent situations (Dan set a precedent by approving Eli's four-day workweek.) Preventive serving to prevent or hinder (Alec exercises daily as a preventive measure against gaining weight.) Preventative non-standard variation of "preventive." Use "preventive" instead.

Remember, if you're still unclear about which word to use, find a synonym that will work just as well. Use a hardcopy thesaurus or an online resource. Below are a few of my favorites: www.dictionary.com www.websters-online-dictionary.com www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus.htm If you missed or want to review any of our previous newsletters, now you can find them archived at www.ima-associates.com.

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