The English language is abundantly expressive but can be maddening.  It has more words than most languages, few set rules of spelling (or pronunciation – either way words don’t always look like they sound), it picks up new words all the time and absorbs new meaning into old words.  It’s a wonder that English has become the most widely spoken language on earth; even those of us who learned “at mother’s knee” to speak and understand it can have trouble.  And even if we are able to discern the correct spelling and take a good shot at the proper usage, there’s always the matter of whether we’ve picked the right word.

“The Wrong Word Dictionary” is a lively new reference book by Dave Dowling of Owego that contains 2,000 of the most commonly confused words.  Sometimes the mixup (or is that a mix up?) comes from the similarity between two words (e.g.- equable and equitable), but often the root of the problem is technical or even philosophical (what’s the difference between cynical, sarcastic and skeptical?).

Imprecision in writing can be at least an embarrassment and in the worst instance an impediment to understanding and action.  Dave Dowling has collected these malaprops over the past 25 years as a technical writer, editor and instructor.  His company, Write on Course, conducts business and technical writing seminars.  In the preface (not the “foreword”, which isn’t “forward”) to “The Wrong Word Dictionary”, Dowling points out that language is not an exact science.  Though written language is generally more formal than speech, writers should avoid pomposity. Most of all be sure to use the right word.  There is a tremendous difference between an anecdote and an antidote, and between empathy and sympathy.

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Is there a mythic and spiritual dimension to today’s technology?  On January 24^th, Lee Worth Bailey, associate professor of religion and culture at Ithaca College, visits OFF THE PAGE to tell about his new book “The Enchantments of Technology” and how the newest innovations are serving some of mankind’s deepest passions.