Verbs

“CLINTON LOOSES SUPPORT”

Adjectives, Common English Blunders, Verbs

I saw this on Fox News Channel this morning.

Problem:
One cannot “loose” support.

Explanation:
The headline writer wanted to say Hillary Clinton stops having support for her presidential campaign. with just three words.

It’s true that “loose” can be used as a verb as well as an adjective.

“Loose screws” is a common expression containing “loose” as an adjective.

According to Dictionary.com, “loose” was first recorded as a verb around 1225.

When used as a verb, however, “loose” does not mean “stops having”; this definition belongs to the verb “lose” instead, which gives us the solution.

Solution:
“CLINTON LOSES SUPPORT”

“Loath” vs. “Loathe”

Adjectives, Common English Blunders, Devolution toward Simpler, Verbs, Versus

I sometimes see these two words mixed up in writing, and I sometimes hear them mixed up in speech.

Problem:
“Loath” and “loathe” are not synonyms.

Explanation:
“Loath” is an adjective that means reluctant or unwilling. “Loath” is usually followed by “to”, as in “Mary was loath to call her sister about their brother’s death.”

“Loathe” is a verb that means abhor, or dislike greatly, as in “Mary loathes making cold sales calls.”

I sometimes hear the verb “loathe” where the adjective “loath” is required. Misuse of “loathe” as a substitute for “loath” — especially in speech — seems to support my “Devolution toward Simpler” hypothesis. The verb “loathe” is simpler to pronounce (with the “th” sound like in “smooth”) than is the adjective “loath” (with the “th” sound like in “thin”).

Solution:
Use “loath” as an adjective (usually followed by “to”); use “loathe” as a verb. Remember that “loath” and “thin” have the same “th” sound, whereas “loathe” and “smooth” have the same “th” sound.

“Conversate”

Verbs

I occasionally hear this.

Problem:
“Conversate” is a slang verb that makes the speaker sound dumb.

Explanation:
“Conversate” is a back-formation of the noun “conversation”.

Maybe some people who use “conversate” know that the noun “obligation” and the verb “obligate” go together and therefore believe that “conversation” and “conversate” go together.

I have heard “conversate” or one of its ‘conjugations’ in sentences such as these:

  • “Let’s conversate about the ladder that I borrowed from you.”
  • “I was conversating with her yesterday about the weather.”
  • “I conversated with him about the outrageous telephone bill.”

At least in my experience, it seems as if some of those who say “conversate” are trying to sound more intelligent than those who are listening to them. After all, “conversate” is longer than “converse”, so the former must be a “fancier” word than the latter (or at least that’s their reasoning).

Whatever the reason, “conversate” makes the speaker sound dumb.

Solution:
“Converse” (or — keeping it simple — “Chat”)