Pedants' corner: discreet and discrete are not interchangeable

[FuzzyPuffling]

Several times today on MN I have seen "discrete" being used instead of "discreet".

Different words, different meanings. Very irritating.

I’m quite relaxed about some American spellings and usage after decades working for a US company. Sometimes they make more sense than the English versions.
For instance I’d take a bet that our ‘kerb’ began as a misspelling of ‘curb’ - the latter makes more etymological sense, there’s no compelling reason for us to use a different spelling for it.

I think you are the exception. Most/many of us
read websites etc written in American English. I think it is understandable if people get muddled up.

I'm English.
I am a qualified art teacher.
I have never been to America.
I can manage to use "discreet" and "discrete" correctly.
😁

I don’t think America can in any way be blamed for discrete/discreet confusion tbf.

Possibly not, but the STEM v arts argument remains.

I’m increasingly finding even well educated people who don’t seem to understand the difference between infer and imply. When more senior people at work mix it up it is very hard not to correct them!

I do read websites that are in American English but I don't really consider it reading, Reading online is not the same as reading print in that how you retain and process the information is different. If I'm reading American English then I'll read it as American English, pretty much the same as if I was reading French I'd be reading it in French not English.

I read a lot of print. Probably not as much as online but a lot. Hours most days.
Usually non-fiction and something I'll learn something from. If I read newspapers, they'll be printed broadsheets, not click-fodder websites.
If I come across a word I don't know, I make a note of it and find out what it means.

What's to get muddled up? You probably only speak one language and you've had several years of education in that language.

How hard can it be to look up discrete and discreet? Do they think one's American and the other British? Why assume?

I've not been to America (USA, NA or SA) either.

@Nesbi , I'd correct by questioning.
e.g. Colleague: This infers that this is not in our remit'
You: It implies it, but I don't think we can infer that it isn't. Could we check if we can rule it out? (or whatever)

I've had someone use implication and obligation the wrong way round (not in English). I had to correct.

🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣 I have a first class degree in ….. German!!!! I also speak a few other languages and have lived abroad in several countries, some English-speaking, some not.

I was commenting on people in general (not you) maybe the reason some people are getting muddled up with practice/practise because ‘practice’ is both the noun and the verb in the US. And maybe others just don’t care that much. No big deal!

i agree about discrete and discreet, also effect and affect. Plus a few others. They are actually different words and are the same in the US.

I didn't realise that someone with a first-class degree in German could use emojis and exclamation marks so excessively.
You were generalising.
I don't claim to have any excellent educational achievements because none of them are relevant to the thread.

'How hard can it be to look up....'

It's not difficult to look things up but if you don't know you might be wrong, you don't know to look up.

I know I struggle with complimentary and complementary so I check every time. I also struggle with principal and principle but I know if I think about it for a second I 'know'.

We're not all perfick.

We're not all perfick.
I'm in Pedants' corner, I think I'm allowed to be pedantic.

... complimentary and complementary so I check every time....
A complimentary coffee is one that says 'I'm free, you look beautiful'
A complement has the same root as complete.

It's easy to get words mixed up or get autocorrect/predictive text put in the wrong word. We probably all make typos and spell-checkers won't flag ones that are real words.

Compliment has the same root too, though it’s a more convoluted derivation.
https://www.etymonline.com/word/compliment

It you know there is a difference, like me. I google it whenever I need it, as I struggle to keep them straight. The ‘creep to be discreet’ thing may work for me, though.

I was trying to give an easy way of remembering.
You need to imagine an overly smooth voice for the coffee. It works for me anyway

I know there’s a difference but it's one of those ones that I can never get to stick in my head. Sorry 😞
Somethings just won't stick. If people understand what you mean, that'll do.

My 9 year-old can instantly identify whether he is reading text written by a British or American English writer. He has no problem at all with the concept that Americans spell some words differently.

An educated British person has absolutely no excuse for not knowing that Americans use the verb “practice” and the noun “license” but we do not, no matter how much US content they consume.

I work in a law firm. All English lawyers have a “practising certificate”. Again and again I see our HR and Learning & Development colleagues refer to it in internal comms as a “practicing certificate”. I’m embarrassed for them.

The HR and Learning & Development colleagues aren't practising lawyers, are they? They should get it right but it's internal comms, how badly does it reflect on the organisation? You could let them know, I suppose.

I had a colleague who was a 'Principle ....' in his email signature. I thought it was sweet. He was very good at his job and a great colleague.
I never know whether to use e-mail or email. For years, e-mail was the preferred spelling but I believe it's email now.

They are professionals in a law firm whose job it is to manage the admin around renewal of practising certificates! It completely undermines their credibility with their lawyer colleagues. Would you be impressed if your HR colleagues contacted you about your “Annuel leeve entitlement”?

I let them know every single time. Politely. They change it then do it again.

Good on you. I think that the Principle [job title] doesn't reflect well on the organisation but it's a different type of organisation and the person more than makes up for it.

You'd expect HR and admin to have good attention to detail.

Funny you should say this, was reading this thread & asked DS if he knew the difference; he looked in horror & said 'Of course!' As Maths & Stats graduate (well, about to next week- I'm very excited as he's my first!👏) he uses discrete constantly.

Yes, I do think it's that. It's not difficult for us on this thread, but for others who perhaps don't see it much/ are younger & do indeed read a lot of American English/ online stuff it's seen as correct to just use practice.

I refer you to my earlier comment about my 9 year-old.

For the avoidance of doubt I also die inside every time I see a British person refer to having any sort of “license”, double death points for “Driver’s License”.

The DVLA issues DrivING LicenCes.

I am really good fun at parties..

Oh, I get you! My DC have always been on point, I'm just trying to understand why people get it wrong. I'm working with PE teachers here who have been over-promoted!!! Send help!🫣😆

Me too! My children cringed as young teens when I added apostrophes on signs at the gym!🤣🤣🤣

I have learnt something today ☺️