Angela’s ABCs: Words Often Confused – Horde and Hoard
Horde refers to a large crowd, mob, gang, throng or swarm. It is always a noun and applies to people and other living beings and often has an aggressive connotation: Hordes of reporters followed the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge on their recent visit to NZ. The sheep were attacked by a horde of ravening wolves. Hoard can be either a noun or a verb and is usually applied to things, often valuable things such as money, treasure or food. The noun hoard refers to an accumulated store often hidden, or a… Read More
Angela’s ABCs Imply and infer
Why do so many people muddle up imply and infer when they have opposite meanings? Imply means to state indirectly or suggest, while infer means to deduce or draw a conclusion. A speaker or writer implies, while a listener or reader infers: ‘He implied in his text message that he was about to dump me.’ ‘I inferred from his text message that he was about to dump me.’
Manners Makyth Man and Woman by Angela Caldin
It was William of Wykeham, Bishop of Winchester, who took as his motto “Manners makyth Man” as long ago as the fourteenth century. His chosen maxim was fairly revolutionary at the time as it implied that good manners, including adherence to norms of politeness and good conduct are what distinguish someone and make them a rounded, attractive and successful individual. The words meant that an individual is defined, not by birth, money, or property, but by how he or she behaves towards other people. The maxim seems to have worked for William,… Read More
Think On by Emily Smart
PARAPROSDOKIANS (Winston Churchill loved them) are figures of speech in which the latter part of a sentence or phrase is surprising or unexpected; frequently humorous. Since light travels faster than sound, some people appear bright until you hear them speak.
Parlez-vous McSpeak? By Emily Smart
I like McDonald’s. In fact, what’s not to like? They make big fat greasy burgers that can cure even the worst hangover, they have indoor play facilities that keep the kids busy while you try and read a newspaper, and the small people are given a piece of plastic that either waves, makes a loud noise or flashes, and is invariably broken before you can say ‘Get in your car seat please.’ Leaving the politics of obesity and the dodgy bloke in the clown outfit to one side, one thing that struck… Read More
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