The United Press International Stylebook cautions, “A burro is an ass. A burrow is a hole in the ground. As a writer, you are expected to know the difference.” Quite apparently, readers of this column want to know the differences between closely related words.
Dear Mr. Lederer: I’ve seen both “in regards to…” and “in regard to…” It is my understanding that only the latter is correct. Do you agree? — Lawrence Schwartz
We’re on the same page, in regard — not in regards — to your question. We hear a lot these days about brinksmanship, especially regarding the crises in North Korea and the Middle East. But it should be brinkmanship. The first known citation is a February 1956 speech in Hartford, Conn., by presidential candidate Adlai Stevenson. Stevenson upbraided John Foster Dulles, Dwight D. Eisenhower’s secretary of state, for his near confrontation with Communist China and his “boasting of his brinkmanship — the art of bringing us to the edge of the abyss.”
The extra letter in regards and brinksmanship is called “the gratuitous s” — our penchant for tacking on an extra hiss to the end of perfectly good words. The most ubiquitous violation is daylight savings time, rather than the proper daylight saving time. Think about it: We’re not talking about a bank here; we’re talking about saving daylight (even though daylight saving time doesn’t actually save any daylight).
Other instances demonstrate that we English speakers don’t know our s from a hole in the ground. Simply excise the s from the end of each malformed word — anyways, the Book of Revelations, Down’s syndrome, numbers crunching and sports utility vehicle — and you’ll have the correct form
Dear Mr. Lederer: Please address healthful vs. healthy. Is it too late to insist on a difference? — Myra Harada
Something that is healthful makes us feel healthy. While I honor the distinction, I do not insist that others follow suit. In fact, I believe the manufacturers of Healthy Choice cuisine made the right decision to choose that name. Healthful Choice would not have sold as well.
Dear Mr. Lederer: Your recent column reminded me about the problems individuals and businesses sometimes encounter with complement and compliment. I have seen wine-tasting notes provided to customers at wineries stating how such-and-such ingredient “compliments” the taste of other ingredients in the wine. — Michael Sampson
Which twosome is playing doubles?:
(a) Ellen complimented Frank’s game.
(b) Ellen complemented Frank’s game.
The answer is the twosome in the second sentence. As a noun or a verb, compliment involves an expression of admiration, while complement involves something that completes. A helpful mnemonic devise is to visualize complement as comple(te)ment.
Whenever I read a menu that boasts “Our desserts will compliment your meal,” I can almost hear the pie saying, “Hey, steak. You look so red and juicy” or “Yo, vegetables. You’re such a colorful and healthful (or healthy) medley.”
Dear Mr. Lederer: I was wondering which version is correct, a couple or a couple of. For instance, which is more proper: “That happened a couple weeks ago,” or “That happened a couple of weeks ago”? I tend to incline toward the latter, but I would greatly appreciate your expert opinion. — Devin Cassidy
As a noun, couple requires of to link it to the rest of the sentence. Couple of is more traditional and more commonly employed than just couple. Thus, I agree with your recommendation to say or write, “That happened a couple of weeks ago.”
Please send your questions and comments about language to richard.lederer@utsandiego.com