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‘Aisle’ and ‘isle’

Hannah McCall 5 Comments

It is fairly common to see isle used where aisle would be appropriate, but the different meanings are straightforward to grasp.

Aisle:

  • a passage between rows of seats or seating areas
  • a passage between rows of cabinets and shelves (containing goods)
  • a lower part in a church parallel to but divided from (by pillars) the nave or chancelIsland

Isle:

  • an island

The similarity between isle and island is a useful indicator of which word to use. If the thing you are writing about is not an island, you know that you need to use aisle.

Taradiddle

Hannah McCall 15 Comments

A taradiddle is a petty lie or fib. It can also mean ‘pretentious nonsense’.

The first recorded use is thought to be late 18th century. The origin of the word appears to be unknown, but it could be related to diddle meaning ‘to cheat or falsify’.

BookMThere is an apparent myth that taradiddle came into usage because of the town of Taradiddle in Ireland. There is no such place, and the myth is therefore a taradiddle itself. I believe there is a Taradiddle Lane in Cornwall, Connecticut, but it’s a bit hard to see on Google Maps.

Potterheads might recognise a variation of the word. Cornelius Fudge says it when he dismisses Harry’s story of a Dementor attack:

“We haven’t got time to listen to more tarradiddles, I’m afraid, Dumbledore.” Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, J. K. Rowling.

Sources:

  • Oxford English Dictionary Online
  • Oxford Dictionaries Online

Sample style sheet

Hannah McCall 3 Comments

Crumpled paperI have previously recommended creating your own style sheet to aid you when you are proofreading. If you aren’t sure where to start, I have produced a sample to help.

The layout is the same as the one I use when compiling a style sheet for the projects I proofread. All my non-publisher clients get a copy of the style sheet for their own reference once I have completed proofreading.

The sample is for a made-up project, but it should give you an idea of the things to consider. I have also included some formatting and layout elements you would need to think about as you get ready to publish (e.g. chapter headings and page numbering).

I would advise recording the decisions you make as early as possible (particularly the basic ones such as is/iz suffixes and single or double quote marks). If you do create a style sheet and later employ an editorial professional, send them a copy. It’s really very helpful!

I have uploaded a blank copy of the style sheet for anyone’s use (although if you share it I would appreciate a link back to my original). The sample is for a novel, but you can make adjustments to the blank copy for any writing project.

You can find the sample and the blank style sheet on my Resources page or download the sample by clicking this link: Sample style sheet.

‘Coo’ and ‘coup’

Hannah McCall 4 Comments

Coo and coup couldn’t really be more different in meaning. The sentences produced when they are used mistakenly can be distracting if you enjoy the surreal.

PigeonCoo

  • the soft throaty sound made by birds such as doves and pigeons
  • to speak in a soft, gentle way; a loving murmur
  • (old-fashioned British slang) an exclamation of surprise or amazement

Coup

  • (coup d’état) a sudden, violent and illegal overthrow of a government
  • a difficult or brilliant action successfully achieved

I am tickled by the idea of pigeons leading a violent regime change or armies taking part in a gentle murmur. But you probably don’t want that in your dissertation or novel. Unless you do …

Floccinaucinihilipilification

Hannah McCall 6 Comments

Floccinaucinihilipilification is rarely used. I don’t think I need to explain why.

It means ‘the action or habit of believing something to have no value’.

parliamentIts origin is thought to be mid 18th century, and stems from the Latin words flocci, nauci, nihili, pili (all of their meanings have the sense of little value) with the suffix –fication.

The use of floccinaucinihilipilification is so unusual that it made the news in 2012 when a British MP spoke the word in the House of Commons. It became the longest word in Hansard (the official report of proceedings).

You can listen to the British English pronunciation here if you fancy trying it out yourself.

Proofreading advice: use red ink

Hannah McCall 5 Comments

Studying2Use a pen with red ink to mark corrections and amendments. As a professional, I typically use red and blue ink on proofs. When I don’t have to differentiate between the causes of problems, I always use red. It’s bold and stands out – it is almost impossible to skim over without noticing.

If the idea of using red ink gives you horrible flashbacks to your time at school, choose another strong colour. Make sure it won’t be easily missed or hard to read (no silver glitter pens).

You may find it useful to use a ruler to guide you as you read line by line. It will help you to focus on the text and you won’t lose your place. Read slowly. Mark your corrections clearly to avoid any confusion later.

Previous articles in this series:

‘Plain’ and ‘plane’

Hannah McCall Leave a comment

This is fairly basic but it is easy to type or write the wrong word when you are in a hurry. I tend to find that plane is used in place of plain. I haven’t yet seen an aircraft referred to as a ‘plain’.

Plain

  • without decoration or adornment
  • without pattern or with one colour or with simple weave (when a fabric)
  • having no particular beauty
  • flat or smooth
  • easily understood; clear or simple; unequivocal
  • a lowly person or lowly people (usually in social rank or education)
  • a simple stitch in knitting
  • to mourn, lament or complain

Plane

  • Planean aeroplane
  • to glide, skim or soar without moving wings
  • a level surface; level or flat
  • a flat surface on which a straight line joining any two points on it lies entirely on that surface
  • a level of existence, thought or attainment
  • a tool with a block and projecting steel blade for smoothing timber or wooden surfaces; to smooth timber or remove material using a plane
  • a type of tall spreading tree

Polysemous

Hannah McCall 5 Comments

Words2Polysemous is a term for words that have more than one meaning. Most words in general use are polysemous.

The word is thought to be early 20th century in origin. It comes from the prefix poly-, meaning ‘many’, and the Greek word sēma, meaning ‘sign’.

Words with a single meaning are monosemous.

Hyphens

Hannah McCall 3 Comments

I have previously covered how to use an en dash (–) and an em dash (—). Now to turn to the thing they are not: a hyphen.

A hyphen (-) shows that the matter it is attached to is not a complete word by itself. It should not be used with a space at both ends, although sometimes it is appropriate for it to have a space at one end.

The use of hyphens is often a matter of style. But they are used to do the following things:

  • join compound words
  • join compound modifiers
  • attach prefixes
  • indicate a piece of a word
  • indicate a word break at the end of a line

You might have heard of soft hyphens and hard hyphens. Soft hyphens are those that indicate word division at the end of a line. Hard hyphens are those that indicate words or parts of words are joined together to form compounds. There’s no difference in size or shape.

Hyphens are also used to indicate stammering or paused speech:

'W-w-what are we to do?'

And they indicate the omission of the second part of a hyphenated expression or solid compound:

three- and five-door cars
over- and underpaid employees

If you would like to find out more about when to use a hyphen, I can recommend the Penguin Guide to Punctuation for a thorough and simple explanation.

‘Mold’ and ‘mould’

Hannah McCall 2 Comments

The difference between mold and mould is the u. The meanings are the same. If you use American English, the spelling is mold. If you use British English, the spelling is mould.

Mold/mould:

  • a shaped hollow container into which liquid is poured so it sets in a particular shape
  • Cheesea shape, form, nature, character or type
  • a framework around which something is constructed or shaped
  • something made using a mould (usually a foodstuff)
  • to make something in a mould
  • to shape, form, influence, change or direct
  • a growth of fungi or bacteria that typically develops in a warm, damp atmosphere
  • soft loose soil (often rich in organic matter)