You Keep Using That Word/Very Pedantic: Difference between revisions

* '''Zombie''': This is a case where the continued wrong use of a word in popular culture has redefined the term. However, using the term ''zombie'' to describe any old reanimated corpse is technically wrong. Zombies are supposed to be bodies specifically animated and directed by a supernatural force (as in Voodoo, [[Hollywood Voodoo|Hollywood]] or otherwise). Zombies don't even have to be ''dead'' or ''undead'', as drugged Haitian slaves might tell you. Similarly, '''Ghouls''' are typically viewed as type of Undead, but in Arabic myth they were actually Jinn believed to have been sired by [[Satan|Iblis]] that dwelt in graveyards and other uninhabited places. '''Revenants''' actually were undead, but they weren't typically held to be specifically brought back, they come back of their own accord, either for some specific purpose (such as to take revenge on their killer) or just to harass their families.

* '''Universe''': Technically speaking, the "universe" is the totality of everything that exists. If two "universes" are capable of interacting with one another, they're (strictly speaking) part of the ''same'' universe. This one is ''extremely'' pedantic, particularly if you have a [[The Multiverse|Multiverse]] (which under the technical definition would be both an oxymoron and a physical impossibility). Turns out 'Universe' is for the entirety of everything, and 'universe' is for the big balls of space and time.

*** Whereas within modern metaphysics, 'world' is used for the totality of all existing things, and 'universe' for universe as in cosmology. This becomes confusing for the uninitiated when talk of possible worlds -- ways the totality of stuff might, logically, have been -- is combined with talk of multiverse theory within physics as entirely reasonable statements like "Even if our universe is not actually part of a multiverse, there is a possible world close to this one in logical space in which our universe does exist as part of a multiverse" are a bit puzzling, especially for those who use 'the world' and 'Earth' interchangeably.

** The man who coined the word "multiverse", William James, said that if there was something beyond the universe, it wasn't the universe; it was one of a number of multiverses that were aspects of a greater universe; exactly the opposite of how the words are used now.

* '''Mystic''' and '''mystical''' are not the same thing. '''Mystic''' means "of hidden or symbolic meaning, especially in religion". '''Mystical''' means "of mystics or mysticism". "The mystic crystal ball" is correct, "the mystical crystal ball" is not, unless said crystal ball is used by mystics. Technically '''mystical''' also means "having spiritual meaning, value, or symbolism", so the crystal ball could be called "mystical" if it had spiritual value.

* '''Eke out'''. If Jane Austen says "the vicar ekes out a meager living by beekeeping," she doesn't mean he lives on nothing but the pittance that the bees bring him: she means the beekeeping supplements his inadequate stipend. (''Eke'' still occasionally means 'also'.)

* An '''acronym''' is an initialism which forms a word, such as "laser" ('''l'''ight '''a'''mplification by '''s'''timulated '''e'''mission of '''r'''adiation), or "amphetamine" ('''a'''lpha-'''m'''ethyl-'''ph'''en'''et'''hyl'''amine''')<ref>Note:An initialism does not need to be composed ''entirely'' of initials; it can contain word fragments or whole words. See [[wikipedia:Initialism|The Other Wiki]] for more information</ref>. This distinction is commonly ignored; [[The BBC]] and ''[[British Newspapers|The Guardian]]'' are just two mainstream media outlets who are happy to use "acronym" as though it were synonymous with "initialism".

* '''Due''' is an adjective, and needs a noun to modify. In the sentence "There is chaos due to misunderstandings," ''due'' modifies ''chaos'', not the whole clause ''there is chaos''. Thus, some of us hyper-pedants would prefer that ''due to'' not be used in place of ''because of''.