Reigned In

If I read one more pontification about the need to “reign in” the US Supreme Court or some other out of line demagogues, I’m going to jump off a cliff. No parachute.

Not that I disagree with what they’re trying to say, but because they’re relying on spellcheck instead of proofreading. Kings and queens reign, that is, they rule. Horses have reins, which their riders use to guide them, and when the horses get out of line, to “rein them in”.

To pair things is to take two similar or identical things and put them together as a “pair”. To pare something is to peel it or carve it down to a smaller size. But to “pair someone down to size” just makes no sense, does it?

Homing and honing are a dicey and misunderstood pairing (not paring). In the usage in question, homing is what pigeons do, and missiles or bullets are said to “home in” on a target. Honing is to finish the sharp edge of a blade. Because the notions are not dissimilar, that is, approaching a more precise edge or point, the two expressions “homing in” and “honing in” are often used interchangeably, but incorrectly. It’s “homing in”.

Throws and throes. This one is spellcheck at its most devious. But when something is dying in agony, it’s in its “death throes”, unless the unlucky creature is being tossed around until it expires.

My personal Achilles’ heel is “its” and “it’s”. This is because to keep the rule you must break the rule. In the entirety of the English language, “apostrophe-s” indicates possession, so naturally if something belongs to “it”, you’d spell it “it’s”, right? No, this is (I’m quite sure) the only exception, and “it’s” is reserved for the contractions of it is or it has. It’s about its spelling.

Surprisingly, one sees educated people confusing “lose” and “loose”, as in “I’m going to loose my mind.” Well, yes, if I see that one more time, I probably will turn my mind loose to graze where it wants.

Related, but not one of a pair, is the misuse of “enthralled”. People will tell you that they are enthralled as if it’s a good thing, related to thrilled. Anything but. Historically, “thralls” were domestic slaves. To be enthralled actually means that you are under the control of something, or enslaved by it. At best it means “captivated”.

If someone gets too excited (or is that two exited?) about these things, just tell them, “Dear deer! They’re, their, there, you’ll be grate.”

Crazy language, what?