Doesn't anyone pay attention anymore?
I received a campaign flyer in the mail the other day and had to shake my head. How could someone send something out with a serious error in it?
Wrong date? No. Wrong time? No. Spelling error? Perhaps. Wrong word? Most definitely.
This simple type of error affects me like nails on a chalkboard affects most people. I just don't understand it.
The word ... "insure". It should have been "ensure". But these two words also get confused with "assure". Whats the difference or it really isn't that big of a deal, is it? Yes it is.
These words have completely different meanings -- similiar, but very different. Let's take a look.
First, insure:
1. to guarantee against loss or harm.
2. to secure indemnity to or on, in case of loss, damage, or death.
3. to issue or procure an insurance policy on or for.
Next, ensure:
1. to secure or guarantee
2. to make sure or certain
3. to make secure or safe
Finally, assure:
1. to declare earnestly to; inform or tell positively; state with confidence
2. to cause to know surely; reassure
3. to pledge or promise; give surety of; guarantee
4. to make (a future event) sure; ensure
5. to secure or confirm; render safe or stable
6. to give confidence to; encourage.
Now, this campaign flyer made a point of "insuring" a certain area's lifestyle. Looking at #1,#2 and #3 from "insure" above, I don't see how this can happen. We can't "insure" an area's lifestyle or way of life. If there is an insurance company offering this coverage, they would have the market to themselves. And I don't know of any such coverage.
I'm sure they meant "ensure", especially as it relates to #2 in our list of definitions for "ensure". "Vote for me and I will ensure our way of life is preserved" makes sense to me.
Maybe they meant, "Vote for me and I assure you I will preserve our way of life". That would be #3 from our list in "assure".
No big deal, you might say. My response is a simple one: this is attention to detail and how can we vote for someone that can't pay attention to a simple detail? If you can't pay attention to small stuff, how can I be sure you will pay attention to the big stuff?
Let me say this, I assure you, dear reader (or 3), that I believe they will do everything in their power to ensure our community is preserved, without having to buy anything that will insure it.
Permalink | Share:
Comments
LOL... did you know that there is actually a website that lists common errors in the english language? The URL is: http://www.wsu.edu/~brians/errors/errors.html#errors
This is what they have to say about ensure/insure/assure
To “assure” a person of something is to make him or her confident of it. According to Associated Press style, to “ensure” that something happens is to make certain that it does, and to “insure” is to issue an insurance policy. Other authorities, however, consider “ensure” and “insure” interchangeable. To please conservatives, make the distinction. However, it is worth noting that in older usage these spellings were not clearly distinguished.
European “life assurance” companies take the position that all policy-holders are mortal and someone will definitely collect, thus assuring heirs of some income. American companies tend to go with “insurance” for coverage of life as well as of fire, theft, etc.
That being said, maybe we can forward this link onto our favorite politicians and give them a resource that will put them one step ahead of their competition!
Posted by: bernie | January 31, 2008 10:37 AM
This was a great BLOG. I am
always amazed at what I receive from "intelligent"
people who fracture the
English language IN PRINT!
Posted by: Tina Korn | January 31, 2008 4:39 PM