If you have a new account but are having problems posting or verifying your account, please email us on hello@boards.ie for help. Thanks :)

Hello all! Please ensure that you are posting a new thread or question in the appropriate forum. The Feedback forum is overwhelmed with questions that are having to be moved elsewhere. If you need help to verify your account contact hello@boards.ie

Hi there,
There is an issue with role permissions that is being worked on at the moment.
If you are having trouble with access or permissions on regional forums please post here to get access: https://www.boards.ie/discussion/2058365403/you-do-not-have-permission-for-that#latest

Oft-confused words

Rredwell · 2004-10-27 22:42:47

Has anyone else noticed how the words 'discrete' and 'discreet' are too often confused (not least on Boards)? For the record, 'discreet' can mean prudent, cautious, showing restraint, or just generally doing something on the QT. 'Discrete' on the other hand, describes unconnected, separate entities. It is usually a…

27-10-2004 10:42pm

#1

Rredwell

Closed Accounts Posts: 225 ✭✭

Join Date: August 2004

Posts: 206

Has anyone else noticed how the words 'discrete' and 'discreet' are too often confused (not least on Boards)?

For the record, 'discreet' can mean prudent, cautious, showing restraint, or just generally doing something on the QT.

'Discrete' on the other hand, describes unconnected, separate entities. It is usually a mathematical term, to describe points on a line, for example.

Is this so hard to grasp?

0

Comments

#2 27-10-2004 10:52pm

PurpleFistMixer

Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 5,851 ✭✭✭

Join Date: July 2004

Posts: 5784

Wow, and I thought people were just repetitively misspelling discreet.

I dislike people confusing accept and except. It's highly irritating.

0
#3 27-10-2004 10:58pm

Healio

Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,828 ✭✭✭

Join Date: February 2004

Posts: 2710

just like affect and effect aswell.

0
#4 27-10-2004 11:00pm

Zaph

Registered Users, Subscribers, Registered Users 2 Posts: 47,352 ✭✭✭✭

Join Date: July 2003

Posts: 45097

The one that really bugs me is how "loose" (not tight) has almost replaced "lose" (misplace) in the English language. Even people I would consider intelligent have sent me e-mails with the misspelling in it.

0
#5 27-10-2004 11:02pm

PurpleFistMixer

Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 5,851 ✭✭✭

Join Date: July 2004

Posts: 5784

Now that one is annoying. It's funny when someone calls someone else a "looser". I can understand how people make the mistake, phoenetically thinking, but still... they're common enough words, people shouldn't be making the mistake at all.

0
#6 24-04-2005 1:14pm

Drag00n79

Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,746 ✭✭✭

Join Date: March 2002

Posts: 2577

The way people misuse "less" and fewer" annoys me.,

0
Advertisement
#7 25-04-2005 10:24am

Eoin

Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 21,263 ✭✭✭✭

Join Date: July 2004

Posts: 20150

I know it has been mentioned on another thread in this forum, but the "you're" and "your" thing really annoys me - e.g. "your an idiot".

0
#8 26-04-2005 1:56pm

pickarooney

Moderators, Arts Moderators Posts: 35,731 Mod ✭✭✭✭

Join Date: June 2002

Posts: 34688

I hate when people confuse 'employee' and 'slave'.

0
#9 20-05-2005 2:39pm

Frankie Smith

Closed Accounts Posts: 57 ✭✭

Join Date: July 2004

Posts: 40

i, like, have a friend who's, you know, bad at english? it's like, so annoying?

the old there, their, they're mistake is shockingly prevalent. it's primary school stuff, not to mention use of the apostrophe for plurals, eg. "the boy's went to the shop"

0