Different - English editing.

Different from, different than, and different to: many people wonder if there is any distinction between these three phrases, and whether one is more correct than the others. In practice, different from is by far the most common structure, both in the UK and North America, while different than is almost exclusively used in North America. Different to is also correct, but is not used as often as either different from or different than. Since the 18th century, different than has been singled out by critics as incorrect, but it is difficult to sustain the view in modern standard English that one version is more correct than the others. There is little difference in sense between the three, and all of them are used by respected writers.
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Dice, Die - English editing.

Historically, dice is the plural of die, but in modern standard English dice is both the singular and the plural: throw the dice could refer to either one or more than one dice.
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Derisory - English proofreading.

Although the words derisory and derisive share similar roots, they have different core meanings. Derisory usually means ‘ridiculously small or inadequate’, as in a derisory pay offer or the security arrangements were derisory. Derisive, on the other hand, is used to mean ‘expressing contempt’. The proper reaction to a derisory salary increase is a derisive laugh.
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Deprecate, Depreciate - English editing.

The similarity of spelling and meaning of deprecate and depreciate has led to confusions in the use, with deprecate being used simply as a synonym for depreciate in the sense ‘disparage or belittle’. This use is now well established and is widely accepted in standard English. In particular, the phrases self-deprecating and self-deprecatory are far more common than the alternatives self-depreciating and self-depreciatory.
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Dependant, Dependent - English editing.

Until recently, the only correct spelling of the noun in British English was dependant, as in a single man with no dependants. However, in modern British English (and in US English), dependent is now a standard alternative. The adjective is always spelled -ent, never -ant, as in we are dependent on his goodwill.
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Depends - English editing.

In formal use, it is quite common for the on to be dropped in sentences such as it all depends how you look at it (rather than it all depends on how you look at it), but in well-formed written English the on should always be retained.
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Definite, Definitive - English editing.

Definitive is often used, rather imprecisely, when definite is actually intended, to mean simply ‘clearly decided’. Although definitive and definite have a clear overlap in meaning, definitive has the additional sense of ‘having an authoritative basis’. Thus, a definitive decision is one which is not only conclusive but also carries the stamp of authority or is a benchmark for the future, while a definite decision is simply one which has been made clearly and is without doubt.
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Deceptively - English editing.

Deceptively belongs to a very small set of words whose meaning is genuinely ambiguous in that it can be used in similar contexts to mean either one thing or its complete opposite. A deceptively smooth surface is one which appears smooth but in fact is not smooth at all, while a deceptively spacious room is one that does not look spacious but is in fact more spacious than it appears. But confusion sets in with phrases such as a deceptively steep gradient – is it steep without appearing to be, or does it look gentle but turn out to be steep? And what is a person who is deceptively strong? To avoid confusion, it is probably best not to use deceptively at all when it can be ambiguous.
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Decade - English editing.

There are two possible pronunciations for decade: one puts the stress on the first syllable (/dek-ayd/) while the other puts the stress on the second syllable (/di-kayd/, like decayed). The second pronunciation is disapproved of by some traditionalists but is now regarded as a standard, acceptable alternative.
It is good style not to write individual decades with an apostrophe: during the eighties or the 80s, not the ‘eighties or the 80s.
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Deaf mute - English editing.

In modern use deaf mute has acquired offensive connotations (implying, wrongly, that such people are without the capacity for communication). It should be avoided in favour of other terms such as ‘deaf without speech’.
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Data - English editing.

In Latin, data is the plural of datum and, historically and in specialized scientific fields, it is also treated as a plural in English, taking a plural verb, as in the data were collected and classified. In modern non-scientific use, however, it is treated as a mass noun, similar to a word like information, which cannot normally have a plural and which takes a singular verb. Sentences such as data was collected over a number of years are now the norm in standard English and are perfectly correct.
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Critique - English editing.

Critique is pronounced with stress on the second syllable, /kri-teek/, and means ‘a detailed critical essay or analysis’ especially of a literary, political, or philosophical theory: Kant’s Critique of Pure Reason. Although it may not be liked by some, critique is now also regularly used as a verb, especially in the arts world, in a general sense of ‘to review’ or even just ‘to criticize’, as in my writing has been critiqued as being too academic.
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Criterion - English editing.

The traditional singular form is criterion, and the plural form is criteria. It is a common mistake, however, to use criteria as if it were a singular, as in a further criteria needs to be considered, and this use is best avoided.
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Cripple - English editing.

The word cripple has long been in use and is recorded in the Lindisfarne Gospels as early as AD 950. The term has now acquired offensive connotations and has been largely replaced by broader terms such as ‘person with disabilities’. Similar changes have affected crippled.
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Crescendo - English editing.

Crescendo in Italian means literally ‘growing’, and was originally a musical term for a gradual increase in loudness, building to a climax. Its use has since developed further to mean the resulting state and is thus widely used as a synonym for peak or climax: demands for a public inquiry rose to a crescendo last week. Some traditionalists are against this extension of its meaning, but it is now well established.
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Credible, Creditable - English editing.

Confusion often arises between the words credible and creditable. Credible chiefly means ‘convincing’ (few people found his story credible), while creditable means ‘praiseworthy’ (their 32nd placing was still a creditable performance, considering they had one of the smallest boats).
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Covert - English editing.

In British English, covert, meaning ‘secret, disguised’, is traditionally pronounced like cover (/kuv-ert/), although the US pronunciation like over (/koh-vert/) is gaining ground in Britain and elsewhere.
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Councillor, Counsellor - English editing.

Confusion often arises between the words counsellor and councillor. A counsellor is a person who gives advice or counsel, especially on personal problems (a marriage counsellor), whereas a councillor is a member of a city, county, or other council (she stood as a Labour candidates for city councillor).
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Convince - English editing.

Convince used with an infinite as a synonym for persuade first became common in the 1950s in the US, as in she convinced my father to branch out on his own. Some traditionalists deplore the blurring of the distinction between convince and persuade, maintaining that convince should be reserved for situations in which someone’s belief is changed but no action is taken as a result (he convinced me that he was right) while persuade should be used for situations in which action results (he persuaded me rather than he convinced me to seek more advice). In practice, convince someone to do something is well established, and few people will be vexed by its use.
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Controversy - English editing.

There are two possible pronunciations of the word controversy in British English: /kon-truh-ver-si/ and /Kuhn-trov-uh-si/. The latter, though common, is still widely held to be incorrect in standard English.
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Contribute - English editing.

In British English there are two possible pronunciations of the word contribute, one which stresses the first syllable (/kuhn-trib-yoot/) and one which stresses the second syllable (/kon-trib-yoot/); /Kuhn-trib-yoot/ is held to be the standard, correct pronunciation, even though /kon-trib-yoot/ is older.
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Contagious - English editing.

In practice, there is little or no difference in meaning between contagious and infectious when applied to disease: both mean, roughly, ‘communicable’. There is, however, a difference in emphasis or focus between the two words. Contagious tends to be focused on the person or animal affected by the disease (precautions are taken with anyone who seems contagious), while infectious emphasizes the agent or organism which carries the disease.
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English Usage - Consummate - English editing.

Consummate is pronounced /kon-syuu-mayt/ as a verb, e.g. the marriage was never consummated. As an adjective meaning ‘complete, perfect’, e.g. a consummate liar; consummate elegance it is traditionally pronounced /kun-sum-uht/, with the stress on the second syllable, but the pronunciation /kon-syuu-muht/, with the stress on the first syllable, is equally correct.
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English Usage - Connote - English editing.

Connote does not mean the same as denote. Denote refers to the literal, primary meaning of something, while connote refers to other characteristics suggested or implied by that thing. Thus, you might say that a word like mother denotes a woman who is a parent but connotes qualities such as protection and affection.
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English Usage - Conjoined twins - English editing.

The more accurate and correct term conjoined twins has supplanted the older term Siamese twins in all contexts other than informal conversation.
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