Confident vs. Confidant

Certain versus Friend Certain versus Friend Certain versus Friend By Maeve Maddox A peruser pronounces, One of the linguistic blunders Im seeing increasingly more is disarray among sure and confidant(e) Could you spread that? On the least complex level, a few English descriptors that end in - ent are habitually incorrectly spelled with a - subterranean insect finishing, for instance: retentive conflicted precursor unavoidable officeholder free harmful Scholars who incorrectly spell certain as compatriot might be articulating sure accurately, yet have simply neglected to figure out how to spell it effectively. Scholars who incorrectly spell certain as compatriot have an inability to listen. Certain is articulated with the weight on the principal syllable: CON-fi-mark. The e of the last syllable is the short stable of e, as in lease. The way to express partner isn't so direct. Charles Elster noticed that the more seasoned articulation with the weight on the principal syllable is as yet recorded in some ebb and flow word references, yet â€Å"is now dead or near it.† Modern elocution puts the weight on the primary syllable, however not every person articulates the last syllable with a similar vowel sound. For instance, in the main articulation given in both OED and Merriam-Webster, the an in dant has the sound of an in father. In the subsequent elocution given in the two word references, the an in dant has the short a sound, as in gasp. All things considered, either articulation, â€Å"con-fi-dahnt† or â€Å"con-fi-dant,† give some insight that associate isn't spelled equivalent to sure. Associate is the female spelling of comrade (same articulation). Some style guides suggest the utilization of just associate, because the ladylike spelling compatriot is â€Å"a unnecessary qualification among guys and females.† I can't help suspecting that on the off chance that we are going to spell the thing uniquely in contrast to the modifier, we should spell it partner to make it as various as feasible for the spelling-tested. Before the descriptive word certain and the thing compatriot, we had the action word trust. Trust entered English in the mid-1400s from the Latin action word confidere: to trust in, depend solidly upon, accept. The importance of the English action word was to trust or have faith.† In the 1700s, trust took on the significance â€Å"to share a mystery with.† The expression â€Å"to trust in (someone)† came into utilization in 1888. The descriptor sure, â€Å"self-dependent, certain about oneself,† dates from the 1570s. In the mid 1600s, certain came to be utilized as a thing meaning: â€Å"trusty companion or follower; one in whom one trusts; a secret friend.† This, obviously, is the cutting edge importance of associate. The articulation with the emphasize on the last syllable [kahn-charge DAHNT], created after the 1700s, most likely in impersonation of the way to express the French words sure and confidente; the spelling friend followed so as to mirror the distinctive elocution. The most punctual model in the OED of the spelling compatriot for the thing is 1751. The most recent case of the spelling sure as a thing is 1867. From that point forward, the standard spelling of the descriptive word has been sure, and the spelling friend has been standard for the thing. English speakers have had 147 years to get the spellings straight. Maybe the most popular utilization of the word friend happens in the signature melody for the TV satire arrangement The Golden Girls: Much obliged to you for being a companion, Going down a street and back once more. Your heart is valid, youre a buddy and a friend. Regardless of whether we drop the spelling associate for â€Å"trusted friend,† compatriot stays as a furniture term. A partner is a household item that associates two seats on a s-plan. One companion sits on one side and the other on the inverse sideâ€the ideal arrangement for murmuring. Need to improve your English in a short time a day? Get a membership and begin getting our composing tips and activities every day! Continue learning! Peruse the Misused Words classification, check our well known posts, or pick a related post below:Math or Maths?English Grammar 101: Verb MoodHow Do You Fare?