Write It Right - A Little Blacklist of Literary Faults by Ambrose Bierce
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page 13 of 59 (22%)
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_Connection_. "In this connection I should like to say a word or two."
In connection with this matter. _Conscious_ for _Aware_. "The King was conscious of the conspiracy." We are conscious of what we feel; aware of what we know. _Consent_ for _Assent_. "He consented to that opinion." To consent is to agree to a proposal; to assent is to agree with a proposition. _Conservative_ for _Moderate_. "A conservative estimate"; "a conservative forecast"; "a conservative statement," and so on. These and many other abuses of the word are of recent growth in the newspapers and "halls of legislation." Having been found to have several meanings, conservative seems to be thought to mean everything. _Continually_ and _Continuously_. It seems that these words should have the same meaning, but in their use by good writers there is a difference. What is done continually is not done all the time, but continuous action is without interruption. A loquacious fellow, who nevertheless finds time to eat and sleep, is continually talking; but a great river flows continuously. _Convoy_ for _Escort_. "A man-of-war acted as convoy to the flotilla." The flotilla is the convoy, the man-of-war the escort. _Couple_ for _Two_. For two things to be a couple they must be of one general kind, and their number unimportant to the statement made of them. It would be weak to say, "He gave me only one, although he took a couple for himself." Couple expresses indifference to the exact number, as does several. That is true, even in the phrase, a married |
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