Grammarian: All about (D)

Grammar: Which word to use (D)

https://www.theguardian.com/guardian-observer-style-guide-d

 

 

CORRECT USAGE

1.1. Similar words mean different things…

decry or descry?

decry condemn; descry discover

“You only ever see descry when someone uses it wrongly to mean decry.”

defuse or diffuse?

defuse render harmless; diffuse spread about.

deprecate or depreciate?

deprecate express disapproval; depreciate reduce in value.

Hence “a self-deprecating remark”, not “self-depreciating”.

derisive or derisory?

derisive contemptuous; derisory unworthy of serious discussion.

Hence , “a yell of derision” versus “a derisory offer.”

digitise or digitalise?

digitise transcribe data into digital format; digitalise administer digitoxin (extracted from foxglove leaves) to treat heart conditions

disassemble or dissemble?

disassemble take apart; dissemble conceal.

disburse or disperse?

disburse give out money; disperse scatter a crowd.

discreet or discrete?

discreet circumspect; discrete separate.

disinterested or uninterested?

disinterested means free from bias or objective (the negative form of interested as in “interested party”); often used incorrectly instead of uninterested, not taking an interest (the negative form of interested as in “interested in football”).

So disinterest indicates impartiality, not a lack of interest.

distinct or distinctive?

“There’s a distinct possibility that he will insist on showing you the distinctive birthmark on his left buttock.”

drier or dryer?

“This shirt will only get drier after an hour in the tumble dryer (while I use the hairdryer).”

due to or owing to?

Due to should be used when it is the complement of the verb “to be”, and could be replaced by “caused by”; otherwise, use “owing to” or “because of”:

“The train’s late arrival was due to [caused by] leaves on the line; the train was late owing to [because of] leaves on the line.”

1.2 Use the right word in context…

dependant 

dependant [noun]; dependent [adjective]; dependence
“His dependants were dependent on him for everything”

discharged

a patient is discharged, not released, from hospital; a prisoner is released from jail

disfranchise

not disenfranchise

disoriented

not disorientated

dispatched

not despatched

dissociate, dissociation

not disassociate, disassociation

distributor

not distributer

draftsman, draftswoman

draftsman/woman of documents; draughtsman/woman of drawings

driving licence

not driver’s licence in British English

dwarves

dwarves plural of dwarf (not dwarfs); but the verb is to dwarf, eg the Shard dwarfs the surrounding buildings

2. SPELLINGS

2.1 To hyphenate (or not)?

YES

dark-haired, dark-eyed

day-nighter

derring-do

drink-driving, drink-driver, drunk-driving

double-save

EXCEPTIONS

month-long, year-long BUT daylong

2.2 One word or two?

One word

dashcam

datacentre, dataset

deadline

deselect

dos and don’ts

dotcom

downriver, downstream, downtown BUT down under

dressing-room

dugout

Two words

day trip BUT daytime

deathrow BUT deathbed

dinner dance

divisionwide

dressing room

drug raid/dealer/squad…etc BUT note singular; i.e. NOT drugs raid

2.3 Frequently misspelt

dachshund NOT daschund

debatable NOT -eable

defensible NOT -able

definite NOT -ate

desiccated NOT dessicated

dilapidated NOT -adated

discernible NOT -able

doughnuts NOT donuts

dreamed NOT dreamt

drily NOT dryly

drunkenness NOT -ness

2.4 Change with form or plural

despoil BUT despoliation

dignitary BUT dignitaries

discolour BUT discoloration

2.5 Take note of capitals

[ic = initial capitals | lc = lowercase]

ic

Department for Transport = all government ministries take initial caps BUT not ministers; e.g. minister for transport

Duke and Duchess of Cambridge (or wherever), first mention; thereafter the duke and duchess.

ic or lc

[ic] if it’s just Dad, eg “I’ll have to ask Dad”; otherwise [lc], eg “my dad was a dustman”

lc

danish pastry = because it’s generic (like champagne), not place specific (like Melton Mowbray pork pies)

doberman [when a general breed] BUT German shepherd, Irish setter [ic Country when in the name]

3. EXPRESSIONS

derring-do NOT daring-do

Just deserts NOT Just desserts (note: dessert = pudding)

4. PUNCTUATION & STYLE

5. GRAMMAR

DANGLING PARTICIPLES

A participle is a word formed from a verb, usually by adding –d, –ed, or –ing.

There are two kinds of participle in English:

• The present participle: ends with –ing
• The past participle ends with –d or –ed

Participles of verbs are often used to introduce subordinate clauses, which give extra information about the main part of a sentence (known as the main clause).

The participle should always describe an action performed by the subject of the main part of the sentence – when it doesn’t, it becomes a dangling participle.

• e.g. “Travelling to Finland [participle], the weather got colder and colder.” [dangling participle]

should be rewritten as

• “As I [subject] was travelling to Finland, the weather got colder and colder.”

or:

• “Travelling to Finland, I [subject] found that the weather got colder and colder.”

SFEP article?

DOUBLE NEGATIVES

A double negative uses two negative words in the same clause to express a single negative idea and is generally frowned upon  a single negative is almost always preferable:

• “She never danced with nobody” [=“She didn’t dance with anybody”]
• “She never danced with anyone” is preferable

BUT

Using a double negative to express doubt or reservations can create an interesting nuance of meaning:

• “I am not unconvinced by his argument” suggests mental reservations about the argument.
• “I am convinced by his argument” suggests absolute certainty.