One of the anchors for the Olympic television coverage spoke of a team "throwing down the gantlet" in their competition. The word he used is pronounced "GANT-let", rhyming with "can't let". He was correct. Most would say "gauntlet" instead of "gantlet". Each is correct. But, if you say "gantlet", someone is likely to correct your pronunciation.
The same is true if you describe one of the things you do well as being your "fort". Most would instead say "FOUR-tay", and may try to correct your pronunciation. However, in this case, they would be wrong. The French word "fort" means "something that you do well" or "a strong point". The Italian word "forte" instead means "something that you do loudly".
The problem comes from people hearing someone else use a word or phrase that they think makes that person sound intelligent, cool, or knowledgeable. So, they start using the word or phrase themselves. This is how non-words like "irregardless" get into common usage. Someone says it, someone else hears it and starts using it, and it spreads like a virus.
One of the keys to you communicating effectively is to be careful that you don't fall into those traps. Before you start using a new word or phrase, find out what it really means and how it should be correctly used. It may seem trivial and unnecessary, but anything you can do to make it easier for the other person to understand what you're talking about is in your best interests.
Call or E-mail today to schedule a "Break Through the Clutter" Communication Seminar for your group or business, 913-631-2985, bkthrucomm@aol.com.
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