Slips of Speech : a Helpful Book for Everyone Who Aspires to Correct the Everyday Errors of Speaking by John Hendricks Bechtel
page 70 of 253 (27%)
page 70 of 253 (27%)
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68 Unbeknown This is a provincialism that should be avoided. Use unknown. Underhanded Often incorrectly used for underhand; as "That was a contemptible and underhanded trick." Calligraphy This word means not writing, simply, but beautiful writing; hence, to say, "His calligraphy is wretched" is equivalent to saying, "His excellent writing is poor," which is a contradiction of terms. Can but, Cannot but These expressions are sometimes confounded. "If I perish, I can but perish," means "I can only perish," or "I can do no more than perish." "I cannot but speak of the things I have heard" means that I am under a moral necessity to speak of these things. The past tense forms could but and could not but should be, in like manner, discriminated. Casualty, Casuality The latter word is sometimes used in place of the former. The first is legitimate; the second is without authority. The words specialty and |
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