LOOKALIKES: DIFFERENCES AND
Alternate/alternative: Alternate as a verb means interchanging one thing with another; as a noun it means things of two kinds coming one after the other. Alternative as an adjective means offering choice between two things; as a noun denotes an option to choose between two or more things.
Biennial/biannual: Biennial means once every two years, biannual twice a year or, if preferred, twice yearly. Similarly, bimonthly means every two months, not twice a month. With this pair, it is often better to write it out in full rather than risk ambiguity.
Brochure/pamphlet: A brochure is normally taken to mean a wire-stitched or square-backed, illustrated colour-printed production used for promoting an organization’s products, services or activi-ties. There is little difference between a pamphlet, usually just a folded sheet produced in larger numbers at low cost, and a leaflet.
Complement(ary)/compliment(ary): The former means completing, supplying a deficiency, two or more things complementing each other; the latter an expression of regard or praise as in ‘with compliments’.
Compose/comprise: Compose means to constitute, to form or make up a list by putting two or more things or parts together; comprise means to include or contain the items on the list.
Continual/continuous: A close pair. Continual means frequently happening and without cessation, again and again; continuous means joined together, or going on non-stop without interruption.
Counsel/council: Counsel is usually taken to mean giving advice to someone; council is a body of people or an authority.
Delusion/illusion: A delusion denotes a false idea, impression or belief as a symptom of insanity, someone who is genuinely convinced of what is not the case (a delusion of grandeur); an illusion denotes a false impression as to the true nature of an object, a misapprehension of a true state of affairs (an optical illusion).
Derisive/derisory: Derisive means mocking, scoffing; derisory equals ridiculous, laughingly inefficient.
Especial(ly)/special(ly): Little difference. Especial the adjective now replaced by special without much trouble; especially/specially the adverbs expected to survive in contexts where in particular, or even
Appendix 2
Disinterested/uninterested: The former suggests impartial or unbi-ased while the latter means indifference. Most writers prefer to write ‘lack of interest’ rather than disinterested.
Effect/affect: Effect means to accomplish something; affect means to have an influence upon something. The difficulty is compounded by the fact that both can be used as nouns and verb, although affect is more commonly used as a verb and effect as a noun.
Flout/flaunt: To flout means to violate a rule, show a contemptuous disregard; to flaunt means to show off, to make an ostentatious or defiant display.
Forgo/forego: To forgo is to abstain from or do without; to forego is to precede in place or time.
Fortuitious/fortunate: furtuitous means by accident or chance; fortu-nate equals lucky.
Imply/infer: To imply is to hint or state something; to infer is to draw a conclusion from what has been implied. A useful rule to remember is that the writer or speaker implies, while the reader or listener infers.
Inapt/inept: The former means not apt or unsuitable, the latter unskilful.
Less/fewer: The distinction between these words is often lost: less goes with singular ‘mass’ nouns (population/difficulty) while fewer with numbers or quantities capable of being counted or listed (people/things).
Magazine/journal: Both are periodicals, but a journal is usually the more serious, professional publication, like the IPR’s magazine, Profile.
Masterful/masterly: Masterful means domineering, wilful; masterly means executed with superior skill.
Militate/mitigate: To militate against something is to have a signifi-cant effect against it; to mitigate is to create conditions for reducing the severity of something.
Number/amount: These two words are very close in definition, but be careful to distinguish between them: the distinction is whether they go with ‘count’ or ‘mass’ nouns, as in the number of releases sent out compared with the amount of work in writing. As in this example, number is usually constructed with a plural.
Appendix 2
Practical/practicable: Practical (suitable for use) and practicable (able to be done). What, for example, is practical is to mail 100 news releases before the office closes, but not necessarily practi-cable in that there may not be the staff to do it.
Refute/deny: Both verbs dispute the truthfulness of a statement;
deny says it is false, refute proves that it is.
Regretfully/regrettably: The former means an expression of regret, the latter something to be regretted, unwelcome, worthy of reproof.
Scotch/Scottish: Scotch is for whisky made in Scotland (-ey for vari-eties made in Ireland and the USA); Scottish for those from north of the Border.
That/which: Again close and often interchangeable pronouns. The important distinction between them is that which can never refer to people. That defines as in ‘the PR firm that was formed’, while which describes as in ‘the PR firm, which was formed in 1990, is still operating profitably’. The careful observer will note that which usually follows a comma, while that doesn’t need one before it.
Under/underneath: While there is a slim distinction between them, the simplest way to show it is to write underneath meaning ‘directly covered by’ while under means below or beneath. A sentence can end with underneath far more easily than it can with under.
Note: Further examples of confusing pairs will be found in the Oxford Guide to English Usage.
Appendix 2
INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY
Archie: Software for finding information on the Internet.
ADSL: Asymmetric Digital Subscriber Line, a new modem tech-nology, converts existing twisted-pair telephone lines into access paths for multimedia and high-speed data communications.
Bluetooth: Short-range (10–100 metres) digital communication without connection by cables or wires.
Broadband: Communication network carrying a large amount of data, including voice and visual information.
Byte: Unit of measurement of digital data.
CD ROM: Stands for Compact Disc Read Only Memory.
CD RW: CD rewritable. CDs that can be recorded over and over again.
Convergence: Combining personal computers, telecommunications and television.
Appendix 3: Glossary
and jargon buster
Domain name: Name of an internet Web site, or Web address, the URL (uniform resource locator).
Download: Transfer of data from computer to computer, ie from Internet to PC.
DVD: Digital Versatile Disc. Popular way to view movies, giving higher quality picture and sound than video.
e-tailing: Electronic shopping or teleshopping using programmes within television schedules.
Ethernet: Name of local area network and accompanying technical specifications and products.
Freeware: Software that can be downloaded or distributed free of charge although under copyright.
FAQ(s): Frequently asked question(s).
FTP: File Transfer Protocol. Means of transmitting via the Internet or local area network from computer to computer.
HTML: HyperText Markup Language. For creating a document on the Internet.
HTTP: HyperText Transfer Protocol. Means of sending Web pages across the Internet.
ISDN: Integrated Services Digital Network. For speedy transfer of digitized information by digital lines. Ideal for transferring graphics and text and fast downloading of Internet files.
ISP: Internet Service Provider. Examples: Freeserve, AOL.
Java: Computer language.
Link: Takes the user from one point on a Web site to another.
Log-on: Synonym for going online, or connecting to the Internet or to a network operating system.
Megabyte: Mb (abbr). Unit of data storage (a million bytes).
Multimedia: Combination of computerized data from, eg, audio, video, text, CD ROM.
Netiquette: From Internet and etiquette – a standard code: eg, no messages in capitals, users should check with FAQs before asking
Appendix 3
Newsgroup: Discussion group on the Internet.
Online: Being connected to the Internet.
Portal: Term for a Web site used as a ‘gateway’ or starting point for those planning to enter the Internet.
RAM: Random Access Memory measured in Megabytes (Mb).
Used to store data and details of programmes currently being run.
Server: Powerful computer storing digitized information for Web sites and e-mails.
Shareware: Software sent through the Internet free of charge or included on CD ROM disc distributed free with printed publica-tions. Can also be downloaded from the Internet.
Smiley: Also called an emoticon, a contraction of emotion and icon.
Smileys are read sideways: eg :-) for smiling, :-( for sad.
STB: Set-top box. Enables an ordinary TV set to receive cable, and all digital transmissions.
Upload: Reverse of download. Transfer data from PC to Internet Web site, another PC or server or to wide area network.
URL: Uniform Resource Locator. The address of a Web site.
Voice recognition: Technology that permits copy to be voice-recog-nized and set in type.
WAP: Wireless Application Protocol. Connects a mobile phone to the Internet. Hence WAP phones.
Webcam: Miniature, low-cost camera mounted on top of a TV set or computer monitor to capture images for digital transmission.