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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

To want people to know the difference between discrete and discreet?

188 replies

Tworingsandamicrowave · 16/08/2016 10:53

Have noticed it a few times recently, when 'discrete' has been used in the wrong context and it makes me cross.

OP posts:
Thread gallery
6
MissHooliesCardigan · 16/08/2016 12:11

Someone described something as 'defunked' the other day. I had to take an extra blood pressure tablet.

ThumbWitchesAbroad · 16/08/2016 12:14

Took the 70s disco out of it, did they MissHoolies? Wink

toadgirl · 16/08/2016 12:54

Someone described something as 'defunked' the other day

The world was defunked for me when James Brown died!

toadgirl · 16/08/2016 12:56

Took the 70s disco out of it, did they MissHoolies?

Cross-posted with you. Great comment, Thumb :)

IwannaSnorlax · 16/08/2016 13:02

What the hell is defunked??

Lweji · 16/08/2016 13:04

I think it was supposed to be debunked, but someone wrote defunked.

Lweji · 16/08/2016 13:07

Oh, probably defunct!

LyingWitchInTheWardrobe2726 · 16/08/2016 13:09

You sound so very patronising, OP. Did you post for traffic? Not enough drones on the pedant board for you?

'I thank you' only sounds good when Julian Clary says it. HTH.

MissHooliesCardigan · 16/08/2016 13:21

Lweji Yes, given the context, I think it was meant to be 'defunct'.

ginghamstarfish · 16/08/2016 13:27

There are many more things concerning the English language that I'd like people to be aware of, but this isn't top of the list!

ThumbWitchesAbroad · 16/08/2016 13:57

Thanks Toadgirl - you too! Grin

Ladymayormaynot · 16/08/2016 14:12

Practice practise licence & license discuss

LurkingHusband · 16/08/2016 14:29

Be curious to know exactly how many people this effects ?

Lweji · 16/08/2016 14:39

I'd imagine affectively little.

Smile
Lweji · 16/08/2016 14:40

Or did you mean bicurious?

DelicatePreciousThing1 · 16/08/2016 14:58

@OP

Yanbu. The ignorance of people - some who should definitely know better - shocks me.

DelicatePreciousThing1 · 16/08/2016 14:59

Another two:

Effects and affects
Practice and practise

DelicatePreciousThing1 · 16/08/2016 15:03

@LemonScentedStickyBat:
The amount of people? Eh? Don't you mean the number of people?

Countable and uncountable nouns, guys.

Sigh

toadgirl · 16/08/2016 15:04

Moral and morale.

DelicatePreciousThing1 · 16/08/2016 15:05

@augustusdecimus
Are you Lynne Truss?

toadgirl · 16/08/2016 15:08

Time for a meme Wink (What am I saying? It's ALWAYS time for a meme!)

To want people to know the difference between discrete and discreet?
Oldraver · 16/08/2016 15:08

I always confuse effects and affects....I've mastered doing links though unlike the OP

LiviaDrusillaAugusta · 16/08/2016 15:09

Its not half as irritating as the fuckers that use "could of", "should of" etc - I wouldn't generally be enough of a cunt to pick them up on it but I hate it!

DelicatePreciousThing1 · 16/08/2016 15:10

Not mastering - or mistressing - links is no big deal. Knowing the differences between the meanings of the words the OP mentions is pretty important, however.

toadgirl · 16/08/2016 15:11

Affect Definition

Affect means to influence or to produce a change in something.

The tornado affected citizens within forty miles of Topeka.

The medicine will affect your eyesight for at least an hour.

Winning the swimming medal affected Tina’s performance in school, too.

Here’s a tip: Here’s a mnemonic: A is for action. Verbs are about action. Affect starts with an A, so it’s a verb. Presto

Effect Definition

Effect is a noun, and it means the result of a change. So, if an event affects your life, you will feel the event’s effect.

The effect of the tornado was devastating.

You’ll feel the effect of the medication in the next twenty minutes.

Tina’s big win had an effect on her confidence level overall.

Here’s a tip: Think of the common phrase cause and effect. Cause ends with an E, and effect begins with an E. So not only does a cause lead to an effect, but also cause’s E leads to effect’s E, giving you a handy noun bridge to step across and remember which spelling to use

www.grammarly.com/blog/affect-vs-effect/