Write On!

• Citation: Vol. 38 No. 5 Pg. 60
• Publication year: 2015
• Pages: 60
• Year: 2015

Write On! Vol. 38 No. 5 Pg. 60 Wyoming Bar Journal October, 2015

John H. Ridge, J.D., Ph.D. City of Cheyenne

Unraveling Some Confusing Word Pairs

The English language can be perplexing. It is filled with pairs of words that confuse and confound us (or at least some of us) on a regular basis. Below are some of the word pairs that occasionally trip me up. By providing a short definition and examples of how each word is used, I hope this discussion will help us become better writers.

Adverse/Averse:

The term adverse means to be in opposition to something. It may also refer to something harmful. The term averse, which refers to a persons attitude, means to have feelings of dislike for something.

• The Wyoming Attorney General was adverse to the U.S. Government during the trial over water rights.

• The tropical storm caused adverse driving conditions.

• The grizzled public defender was averse to calling his client as a witness.

Afflict/Inflict:

The term afflict, which takes the preposition "with," means to cause trouble to or distress with an ailment. The term inflict, which takes the preposition "on," means to impose something unwelcome. The chief difference between these terms is in their emphasis: afflict emphasizes the one suffering, while inflict emphasizes the one causing the suffering.

• The plaintiff was afflicted with shingles as a result of stressful work conditions.

• The additional financial burdens inflicted on the workers by the CEO caused the union to file a lawsuit...