| Today's wordo came in via the old (e)mail bag | | | | |
| and concerns a typical Type C Wordo. (If this | | | | Presently is an adverb that indicates an |
| is your first Wordo Alert, there's a | | | | event that will happen soon but is still in |
| definition of a wordo at the end of this | | | | the future as in The current administration |
| article.) If you think presume and assume or | | | | will lose the election, and, presently, a new |
| ensure and insure mean the same thing, you | | | | group will be in power. The confusion |
| can get tripped up by a Type C. | | | | probably comes from the fact that the roots |
| | | | of both words, the adjectives "present" and |
| Dear Prof. Wordo, I'm a writer for our local | | | | "current," mean essentially the same thing |
| newspaper, and every time I use the word | | | | when they're used as adjectives. There's no |
| "presently" to mean "right now," the editor | | | | difference between "I'm the current |
| deletes it and writes in "currently." I think | | | | occupant," and "I'm the present occupant." |
| they mean pretty much the same thing, and | | | | Unfortunately, when you add the -ly and use |
| it's just a matter of style and creative | | | | them as adverbs, there is an important |
| choice. Please tell me I'm right. Thanks, | | | | difference that should be observed by careful |
| Cliff. | | | | writers - whether on local newspapers or |
| | | | national. |
| Dear Cliff, You're absolutely right - when | | | | |
| you say you write for a local paper. After | | | | So, as I write this, I can say that |
| that, I have to say you're wrong. While I | | | | currently, I'm working on a reply to your |
| don't recall ever working for an editor who | | | | question, and presently, I'll send it off to |
| wasn't always right anyway, in this case, | | | | you.wordo (wûrd•Å) n. Related to |
| I'll have to agree with the boss. | | | | a typo but without a spelling or |
| | | | typographical error. Results from a choice of |
| Currently is an adverb that indicates, oddly | | | | the wrong word from among similar or related |
| enough, the present, belonging to the | | | | words. Type A: a choice of the wrong form of |
| present, or being a part of the present time. | | | | related words, e.g., its vs. it's and their |
| It also means being in circulation or in | | | | vs. there; Type B: a wrong choice from among |
| progress at this moment as in The currency | | | | homophones, e.g., site vs. sight and |
| that is currently in use is difficult to | | | | principal vs. principle; Type C: a wrong |
| counterfeit. "Currently" can also indicate a | | | | choice between words with similar or |
| moment in time recognized as being between | | | | overlapping meanings, e.g. strategy vs. |
| the immediate past and the present, although | | | | tactics and aggravate vs. annoy. |
| this definition is somewhat harder to apply. | | | | |
| In fact, I can't think of an example right | | | | [poss. |
| now. | | | | |