Common English Blunders

“Miniscule”

Adjectives, Common English Blunders

I occasionally see this in writing.

Problem:
“Miniscule” is meaningless.

Explanation:
People use “miniscule” as if it were an adjective that means small or tiny. Unfortunately, this is a misspelling of “minuscule” (notice the “u”), which means lowercase or (of letters) small.

In other words, “minuscule” is a typesetting word. Its complementary typesetting word is “majuscule”, which means uppercase or (of letters) capital.

I believe that those who use “miniscule” are not hearing “minuscule” pronounced correctly (or they’re mis-hearing the pronunciation) and they believe that it sounds more intelligent than “small” or “tiny”. Well, it doesn’t sound more intelligent to those who know what the proper word is and what that word means. They should stick with “small” or “tiny” and leave “minuscule” to typesetters.

Solution:
Never use “miniscule”. Use “minuscule” when referring to lowercase letters; use an adjective such as “small” or “tiny” when referring to size.

“Install” vs. “Installer” vs. “Installation”

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

I increasingly see the first word used as a synonym for the second or third word.

Problem:
The words “install” and “installer” and “installation” are not synonyms.

Explanation:
The primary definition of the verb “install” is to place in position. For example, Joe can install a word processor on your PC. would be an appropriate use of this verb. The primary definition of the noun “installer” is someone who or something that installs something. For example, the word-processor installer would be an appropriate use of this noun. The key definitions of the noun “installation” are something that has been installed or the process of installing. For example, The word-processor installation consumed 500 MB of hard-disk space. and The word-processor installation has already required ten minutes. would be appropriate uses of this noun.

Unfortunately, many use “install” when they should use “installer” or “installation”. I believe that the use of “install” instead of “installer” or “installation” when one of the latter is appropriate represents a laziness that favors easier-to-pronounce words. The word “install”, at two syllables, is simpler to say and write than are “installer” and “installation”, at three or four syllables, respectively.

This use of a verb as a noun (e.g., The install went well. or Download the install from our website.) when there are perfectly good “-er” and “-tion” nouns is not only lazy but also confusing.

For example, Do you have a copy of the install? could mean:

  • Do you have a copy of the installer?
    –    or-
  • Do you have a copy of the installation?

Other examples abound these days.

Solution:
Use “install” when you want to refer placing in position; use “installer” when you want to refer to the thing or person who installs something; use “installation” when you want to refer to the act of installing or to that which has been installed.

“sign and drive”

Adverbs, Common English Blunders, Conjunctions, Devolution toward Simpler

This phrase is the starting point of a Volkswagen TV commercial.

Problem:
The conjunction “and” is used even though the adverb “then” is what is meant.

Explanation:
This humorous TV ad begins with a Volkswagen spokesman inviting viewers to attend VW’s “sign and drive” event. The ad then shows future VW customers signing documents on clipboards while they attempt to navigate an automotive obstacle course, presumably at a VW dealership. The drivers obviously are distracted by the task of signing documents; they drive over traffic cones and almost crash into one another. Upon seeing the driving problems, a man in a suit whispers into the VW spokesman’s ear, and the spokesman then announces an “even better” event called the Volkswagen “sign THEN drive” event.

The common English blunder here, which VW illustrated very well, is using the conjunction “and” when the adverb “then” is what is meant. The problem with “and” between two verbs is that it can be (and should be) interpreted as implying parallel, not sequential, actions. Replacing “and” with “then” ensures a sequential-actions meaning.

Unfortunately, many use “and” when they should use “then”. I believe that the use of “and” instead of “then” when the latter is appropriate represents a laziness that favors easier-to-pronounce words. The word “and” is easier than the word “then” to say.

Solution:
“sign THEN drive”