Today's blog on Offbeat Ways to Remember How to Spell Hard Words tackles how to spell "permanently"— a word that has entitled spellcheck to scold me more often than it does when I type my own name.
The guesswork that comes with where to place the "a" and the "e" in "permanently" is akin to deciding which wire to cut when disabling a bomb or writing a cover letter. I've decided the wrong placement time and time again, prompting spellcheck to put me under arrest for permanently being an idiot.
But today's the day we confidently say "NEVER AGAIN!"
Let's permanently learn how to spell permanently!
STEP 1: Break It Up
The first step to cementing how to spell hard words in a way that lasts or remains unchanged indefinitely; for all time (i.e. the very definition of permanently) is to break up the offending word into pieces that you already recognize or are less intimidating.
Permanently can be simplified in four parts.
First Word: Per
"Per" is a quick term meaning "for each," as in "This page on Westelm.com deceives me into thinking I can get two of my dream dining chairs for $119, but the price is actually $119 per two cushions." Yes, just the cushions.
The chair itself is actually $129 per chair. Can you believe that?
Perhaps an even more frustrating use of the word "per" is when someone hits you with a "Per my last email..." which is a professional way of saying, "I bloody told you this already."
Either way, you're already a pro at spelling "per" when figuring out how to spell permanently, so let's move on.
Second Word: Man
Whether we're contributing to message boards celebrating Taylor Swift's genius of The Man or texting our gal pals to complain that man is the root of all our issues, we know how to spell the word "man."
However, when writing "permanently," this is the part of the word that throws us spelling champions off. The proper pronunciation of permanently offers no help in determining whether it's per-man-ently or per-men-ently.
So, it comes down to remembering that there is only room for one man in permanently. And that man is likely Gary Oldman.
Third Word: Ent
"Ent" isn't a word by itself, but its service as the rail cars to words like "vent", "rent", "tent", and the first two books of the Divergent trilogy makes it as valid as what the word "fam" is becoming in day-to-day youthspeak.
But, like when you arrive at "man" in how to spell permanently, this part of the word triggers second-guessing and distrust of self when figuring out if it's "perman-ent-ly" or "perman-ant-ly."
Pause. Take a deep breath. And douse the word permanently with Raid Ant Killer because there is not a single "ant" in permanently.
But there is one "man".
Fourth Word: Ly
Again, "ly" isn't a word by itself, but compared to the chaos in Part II and Part III of remembering how to spell permanently, knowing to put an "ly" at the end is super easy.
PER + MAN + ENT + LY = PERMANENTLY
Tie those fragmented words together. You have finally nailed how to spell permanently.
Pound sand, spellcheck.
コメント