Bookworm's Musings

Ok! That's it! I'm really tired of a certain mistake commonly found in HP Fanfic! That mistake is the proper spelling and use of the words vile and vial.
Attention writers!

• Vial refers to a small container, commonly glass, used to store liquids and powders. Example: Snape was carrying a box of empty potion vials.
• Vile refers to something that is nasty or disgusting. Example: The potion tasted vile.

Ok, end of the rant. :)

 Bookworm

Today's Word Rant concerns the use and misuse of the words wary or warily and weary or wearily. These words are commonly misused across many of the fandoms that I frequent. They appear to be similar, but actually have very different meanings, which can lead to confusion (and irritation) when they are misused. Here are their correct meanings and uses:

• Wary / Warily: cautious / cautiously or careful / carefully. Example: His previous experiences made him wary of the other man. He warily searched the hall for traps.
• Weary / Wearily: tired / tiredly or exhausted. Example: He was weary after his long trip. He wearily trudged up the stairs.

Now that I have a livejournal in which to express my irritation with these and similar mistakes, I just can't resist. *smirk*

 Bookworm

Today’s rant concerns the proper use of the words their, they’re, and there. It’s very easy to misuse these words, and often difficult to remember which goes where, since they look and sound so similar. So, in the interest of clarity, here are their correct uses:

• Their / Theirs: Refers to something that belongs to them. Their is the right word to use anytime that you can restructure your sentence to say: That object belongs to them. Example: That table belongs to them. That is their table.  Are you going to the house that belongs to them? Are you going to their house? That house belongs to them. That house is theirs.
• They’re:  A contraction of they are. They’re can be used anytime you can restructure your sentence to say they are. Example: They are going to the mall. They’re going to the mall. Did you know that they are leaving? Did you know that they’re leaving?
• There: Refers to a location or object, sometimes very vaguely. The exact definition and use of this word is difficult to define at times. So, when in doubt, use the above rules to decide whether Their or They’re fits. If not, use There. Example: There it is. There is no reason to panic.

I think I got them all right. This one was a little more difficult for me, but I persevered! I hope it's clear and understandable.

Previous Word Rants can be found here.

 Bookworm

Today's rant concerns the proper spelling and use of the words where and wear. Mix-ups with these words aren't too common, but I did come across several misuses while I was browsing today. So, here are the correct uses for them:

• Where: Used indicate a place. Example: Where are you? I'm where the river meets the ocean. He went back to the place where he was born.
• Wear: To use an article to cover your body. Example: Are you going to wear the red dress? I am wearing the red dress. Also, wear can refer to long term use of an item. Example: The house showed signs of wear.

 Bookworm

Today's Rant concerns the use of the words we're and were. I have tried my best to offer clear guidelines on how to use these words.

• We're: A contraction of the words we are. If you can restructure your sentence to say we are, than we're is the appropriate word to use. Examples: We are lost. We're lost. We are leaving. We're leaving.
• Were: Past tense of be. Used with plurals or with you. Use the above guide to decide if we're is appropriate, if not, were is probably correct. Examples: You were there? We were busy. What were you thinking?

This one was a little difficult, because even the dictionary wasn't all that clear on the meaning of were, but I did my best. I would love to hear more suggestions for the proper definition and use of were.

 Bookworm

Today's Word Rant concerns the use of the words Altar and Alter. There is very little that I find more irritating than having someone mix up these two words. Their meanings are so dynamically different that an error in their use can totally ruin a story for me. So here are the correct uses:

• Altar: A raised platform, such as a table, upon which one places offerings to a deity or individual. One may also kneel or prostrate themselves before an altar as a sign of respect or contrition.
  One of my readers has further clarified the meaning of this word for us. Anonymous adds:
  "An Altar is an area where sacrifice or worship is preformed, the word was first used in relation to Olympia where a pile of ash from previous sacrifice marked the place for future sacrifice, this ash altar was never replaced with a more formal altar. While altars are now normally raised platforms the word does not mean only that type of altar."
  Example: He laid his offering to the Goddess on the altar. She knelt before the altar to pray.
• Alter: To change, to make different. Example: He moved a piece and altered the pattern. Alter your attitude, Young Man!

 Bookworm

As requested by sylvadin, today's rant deals with the proper use of the words counsel and council.

• Counsel: verb - To offer advice. noun - Advice. Also, one who offers advice. Often used to refer to a lawyer or other legal advocate. Example: She counseled him to tell the truth. He took her counsel seriously. She was Counsel for the Defense.
• Council: A group of people, a committee, who make decisions or offer advice. Examples: She took her cause before the Council. The Council advised the King to repeal the law.

 Bookworm

Today's Rant deals with the proper use of the words site, sight, and cite. Since these words sound identical, it can be hard to know which one to use when. Here are their proper uses:

• Site: Location. Also, a collection of connected web pages on the internet. Examples: They arrived at the site an hour late.  Visit my web site.
• Sight: Vision. Also, see. Examples: He was in my line of sight. He sighted along the barrel.
• Cite: To quote or reference. Example: Cite your source.

 Bookworm

Today's Rant is about a mistake I have come across recently. A whole fic where the Author misused the words allowed and aloud. No, I won't tell you what it was (honestly, I can't remember) and I'm sure the Author has corrected it by now (we hope!). But this mistake has bugged me for several days and I'm hoping that if I write about it, it will stop nagging me. ;) So here goes:

• Allowed - permitted. Examples: Is this allowed? My Mother allowed me to go to the party.
• Aloud - out loud. Examples: He read the passage aloud. Do you enjoy reading aloud?

 Bookworm