Surprize check

What is wrong with advertize if we can say realize?

The word-endings –ise and –ize occasionally cause confusion, so a quick look at a few words could be useful. The first group consists of words that are always spelled with ise, there is no exception. The most frequently used verbs in this set are: Advertise, advise (the noun is advice), apprise, chastise, circumcise, comprise, compromise, despise, devise (the noun is device), disguise, excise, exercise, improvise, supervise, surmise, surprise, televise.

Some nouns in this list would be demise, enterprise, franchise and merchandise.

The second and much larger group consists of verbs containing the Greek suffix –ize, like realize, civilize, ostracize and trivialize. These verbs are too numerous to list, and new verbs are constantly being coined, such as, hospitalize, finalize, prioritize.

These verbs must be spelled with –ize in American English. It is also the traditional spelling in British English, but many British writers prefer –ise. There is a choice, but it is important to be consistent in the use of –ise or –ize throughout. When following the –ize style, derived nouns must also be spelled consistently, such as, realization and civilization. Capsize is spelled with –ize in all styles.

And check the meaning

“You didn’t see her fall down, did you?”

It would seem here that the questioner is begging the person addressed to say that he did not see someone fall down, but that does not make him beg the question. Instead, this is a leading question, where the desired answer is implied in the form of the question. Begging the question is to use as a basis of proof something that itself needs proving. For example, “Marriage needs to be abolished because women are worthless creatures.” Begging the question means arguing in a circle.

“The government of Iran,” said the American president Jimmy Carter once, “must realize that it cannot flaunt, with impunity, the expressed will and law of the world community.”

But flaunt means to show off, display ostentatiously. The president needed the word flout, which means to disregard, or treat with contempt. Flaunt and flout must never be treated as synonyms.

Are you close to your kith and kin? Who are they really? Kin are relatives, kith are relatives and acquaintances. Both words are rather old-fashioned when taken individually, although kin is often used for special effect. Taken together, the pair is hackneyed and redundant.

Double trouble

Redundant and stale expressions make the language boring. We have looked at cliches earlier: there seems no harm to add to the list. For example, “The bad news came with shocking suddenness” sounds more immediate than “The bad news came like a bolt from the blue.”

“The mention of communists was to him like a red rag to a bull” sounds so predictable. Perhaps you could put this into a more direct and dramatic form.

Try the exercise with “He is sitting on a powder keg”, “The long arm of the law caught up with him”, “He had to sell his entire business, lock, stock and barrel”, “He returned from his holiday looking bronzed and fit” and “Are you going on a hurricane tour?”