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Mnemonic Devices for Easily Confused Words

Wowbagger

The Infinitely Prolonged
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In this thread, we will post examples of mnemonic devices we use to help remember the difference between two or more words that are easily confused, for one reason or another. It doesn't matter how wacky they are: As long as they help YOU remember stuff.

For example: Entomology vs. Etymology:

Entomology begins with the word "Ent". Ents are creatures in The Lord of the Rings who are giant walking trees, sort of analogous to stick insects. (The fact that ents don't really exist is besides the point.) If you can remember that connection, you can remember that entomology is the study of insects.

Etymology begins with "Ety" which sounds sort of like the web site Etsy. If you look at its HTML source in a browser, you will find it is made up of a bunch of words. Therefore, Etymology studies the sources of words.
 
For entomology/etymology, I refer to the word "etiology" which means "the cause(s) of" a medical condition in medical jargon. The "eti" prefix is similar to the "ety" in etymology, which is also about the causes/origins of something, in this case words.
 
Examples do not necessarily need to sound alike, but can also be confused for other reasons. For example: Port Side vs. Starboard Side. The words "Port" and "Left" have the same number of letters, therefore Port is the Left side of the ship. That leaves Starboard as the right side of the ship.
 
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Wowbagger said:
Examples do not need to sound alike, but can also be confused for other reasons. For example: Port Side vs. Starboard Side. The words "Port" and "Left" have the same number of letters, therefore Port is the Left side of the ship. That leaves Starboard as the right side of the ship.
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I was taught "Port" is red as in the drink, red is left as in politics. Not that I need it, since I never sail.
 
Myriad said:
For entomology/etymology, I refer to the word "etiology" which means "the cause(s) of" a medical condition in medical jargon. The "eti" prefix is similar to the "ety" in etymology, which is also about the causes/origins of something, in this case words.
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Is it possible that the etymology of "etymology" is in the word etiology? Or, is that just an etymological coincidence?

Belgian thought said:
I was taught "Port" is red as in the drink, red is left as in politics. Not that I need it, since I never sail.
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In the U.S., the color blue is more often associated with the left, which is considered the liberal/progressive side.
 
Just remember: The pasture is the one that's covered in it, the pastor is the one that's full of it.
 
Wowbagger said:
Examples do not necessarily need to sound alike, but can also be confused for other reasons. For example: Port Side vs. Starboard Side. The words "Port" and "Left" have the same number of letters, therefore Port is the Left side of the ship. That leaves Starboard as the right side of the ship.
Click to expand...

You English-speakers have it easy. In German, 'port' is 'backbord', 'starboard' is 'steuerbord'.

The etymology of the word 'backbord' for the left of the ship is far less clear than 'port' (side towards the port/dock [for loading]). Most likely, it's because the seaman had his back towards that side when facing the rudder ('Steuer' in German). [Nautical terms in German evolved in the North of it, where the Anglo-Saxons lived/passed through before they made it on the isles; there's a bit of affinity between North-German dialects and English.]
 
Wowbagger said:
In this thread, we will post examples of mnemonic devices we use to help remember the difference between two or more words that are easily confused, for one reason or another. It doesn't matter how wacky they are: As long as they help YOU remember stuff.

For example: Entomology vs. Etymology:
Click to expand...

One of them is almost "antymology" and it's pretty easy from there.
 
Wowbagger said:
Examples do not necessarily need to sound alike, but can also be confused for other reasons. For example: Port Side vs. Starboard Side. The words "Port" and "Left" have the same number of letters, therefore Port is the Left side of the ship. That leaves Starboard as the right side of the ship.
Click to expand...

That particular one has been around for years. It assumes you can spell p-o-r-t, though. I agree with BelgianThought, though. I first heard it used in the 50s as a kid. That was the time of the Red Chinese, better dead than red, etc...

Principal/principle. From my early childhood I still always fall back on: the one who can be a "pal" is a person.
 
Cavalry/Calvary? One starts with a C like Cowboy, and the other starts with a C, like Church? Uhm, I got nothin'.
ETA:
Wait, one starts with CALV, like Calves! Tended by Cowboys, who ride horses! Oh, wait. Still nuthin'
 
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elgarak said:
You English-speakers have it easy. In German, 'port' is 'backbord', 'starboard' is 'steuerbord'.

The etymology of the word 'backbord' for the left of the ship is far less clear than 'port' (side towards the port/dock [for loading]). Most likely, it's because the seaman had his back towards that side when facing the rudder ('Steuer' in German). [Nautical terms in German evolved in the North of it, where the Anglo-Saxons lived/passed through before they made it on the isles; there's a bit of affinity between North-German dialects and English.]
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In English, it used to be 'starboard' and 'larboard' (though 'port' was also used), the Royal Navy changed to using only 'port' supposedly due to confusion between the terms when being shouted in a storm.
 
zooterkin said:
In English, it used to be 'starboard' and 'larboard' (though 'port' was also used), the Royal Navy changed to using only 'port' supposedly due to confusion between the terms when being shouted in a storm.
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In Italian, it's just left and right.
 
To keep hepatitis pathogens straight:
A - you ate the virus
B - blood
C- chronic
D - don't worry about it because you can't get it unless you have B
E - you eat the virus elsewhere (mostly third world countries)​
 
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