Every-Day Errors of Speech

by L. P. Meredith

Attacked, not attackted.

Auction—awk´shun, not ŏk´shun.

Ay or Aye, meaning yes, and aye, an affirmative vote, are pronounced äĭ and not ī nor ā.

Aye, meaning forever, always (used chiefly in poetry), is pronounced ā not ī nor äĭ.

B.

Bade—băd, not bāde.

Badinage—băd´in-äzh, not băd´in-āje. Worcester gives the same pronunciation, but places the accent on the last syllable.

Balance. There are two common errors connected with this word. One is to write it ballance: the other is to use it in the sense of remainder, rest, etc.; as, the balance of the day, the balance of the people. Balance means properly "the excess on one side, or what added to the other makes equality." The corrupt use of the word, as above mentioned, is laid down as a vulgarism.

Bantam, not banty.

Bellows—bĕl´lŭs, not bĕl´lōz. The plural is the same as the singular.