LawProse Lessons

unsupportable; insupportable. Both forms are standard and have been since they were first recorded in English in the 16th century. “Unsupportable” is about twice as common as “insupportable” in American print sources — e.g.: “[A]dding $212 a month for health insurance to food, transportation, and housing costs in this high-cost state might well prove an […]

unrelentlessly. *”Unrelentlessly” is a solecism for either “unrelentingly” or “relentlessly.” Ironically, this nonword literally suggests just the opposite of the intended meaning — e.g.: o “He has unrelentlessly [read ‘relentlessly’ or, better, ‘faithfully’] served as a committee person involved in parks and recreation, fire prevention, police and emergency services, highway management, budget control and youth

*unmercilessly. *”Unmercilessly” is a malapropism and nonword on the order of *”uncategorically.” “Mercilessly,” of course, is the word — e.g.: o “He worked with top-flight professionals and drilled them unmercilessly [read ‘mercilessly’].” David Richards, “That Fosse Flair,” Wash. Post, 27 Sept. 1987, at F12. o “They were joined in their crime by the ‘slashers’ who

Miscellaneous Entries. twofold, threefold, fourfold, and the like should each be spelled as one word. tying. So spelled — not *”tieing.” tyke (= a child, esp. a small boy) is the standard spelling. *”Tike” is a variant. typing; typewriting. “Typing” is the standard term for operating an alphanumeric keyboard whether done on a typewriter, a

unlike in. Though some critics have called the phrase a “gaucherie” and worse, “unlike in” — in which “unlike” takes on an adverbial sense — is now common in American and British English alike. Of all the instances in which “unlike” appears, it is followed by “in” about 2% of the time — meaning, statistically,

unleash. “Unleash” is premised on the analogy of letting a threatening or vicious animal off a leash. But a surprising number of writers have misunderstood that and written the meaningless *”unlease” — e.g.: o “But Mr. Williams unleases [read ‘unleashes’] a fiery temper at managers who fail to make budget.” Eric N. Berg, “Suntrust’s Florida

unkempt (2). Today: And “unkept.” Beginning in the mid-20th century, some writers and speakers began using “unkept” for “unkempt.” Most commonly, “unkept” appears (quite appropriately) in phrases such as “unkept promises,” “unkept commitments,” and “unkept vows” — e.g.: “The unkept vow involves the company’s stated intent to make its wildly popular AOL Instant Messenger (AIM)

unkempt (1). Today: Sense and Use. “Unkempt” is a word with a “lost positive,” one of those interesting negatives without a corresponding positive word (cf. “discombobulate,” “disgruntled,” “nondescript”). That is, the word *”kempt” is obsolete while “unkempt” thrives. (Perhaps this says something about the state of the world.) “Unkempt” means “uncombed, disheveled” (another word with

Miscellaneous Entries. tubful. The plural is “tubfuls” — not *”tubsful.” Tucsonan; *Tucsonian; *Tucsonite. The first is standard; the others are needless variants. tunable. So spelled — not “tuneable.” tunnel, vb., makes “tunneled” and “tunneling” in American English, “tunnelled” and “tunnelling” in British English. turf. The plural is “turfs” — not *”turves” (which is archaic). Turkmen.

United States. Part A: Number. A century ago, in American English, this proper noun had “ceased to have any suggestion of plurality about it.” Harry T. Peck, What Is Good English? 3, 16 (1899). That represented a change, though, from just 50 years before, when states’-rights particularism was rampant. Thus, much earlier even than 1850,

unique. Strictly speaking, “unique” means “being one of a kind,” not “unusual.” Hence the phrases *”very unique,” *”quite unique,” *”how unique,” and the like are slovenly. The Oxford English Dictionary notes that this tendency to hyperbole — to use “unique” when all that is meant is “uncommon, unusual, remarkable” — began in the 19th century.

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undue alarm. “Undue alarm” is not always an illogical phrase — e.g.: “Committee Chairman Richard Lugar (R-Ind.), sponsor of the legislation, said the CFTC was reacting with ‘perhaps undue alarm.’” Mike Dorning, “Futures Overseer Fights Plan to Ease Regulation,” Chicago Trib., 12 Feb. 1997, Bus. §, at 1 (implying that some amount of alarm might

Miscellaneous Entries. triumphant; triumphal. People are “triumphant” (= celebrating a triumph), but events and actions are “triumphal” (= of, relating to, or constituting a triumph). triumvir (= one of three officers forming an administrative or rulemaking group, which is called a “triumvirate”) forms the plural “triumvirs” or (less good) *”triumviri.” The word is pronounced /tri-UHM-vuhr/.

underway; under way. Some dictionaries record the term as two words when used adverbially, one word when used as an adjective preceding the noun {underway refueling}. In the phrases “get underway” (= to get into motion) and “be underway” (= to be in progress), the term is increasingly made one word, and it would be

Understood Words. Understood words are common in English, and they usually aren’t very troublesome if we can mentally supply them. Often they occur at the outset of sentences. “More important” is short for “what is more important”; “as pointed out earlier” is short for “as was pointed out earlier.” In a compound sentence, parts of

Miscellaneous Entries. triceps. While the correct term for these three-anchored muscles (especially the back muscle of the upper arm, called the “triceps brachii” by anatomists) is “triceps” in both singular and plural forms, it is so common when writing of a single muscle to drop the “-s” that *”tricep” has become a variant form —

underestimate. “Underestimate” is often misused for “overestimate” when writers intend the phrase “impossible to overestimate.” The misuse renders the phrase illogical, even ludicrous — e.g.: o “Claiming ‘it’s impossible to underestimate [read ‘overestimate’] the timidity of professors,’ Mansfield [Harvey C. Mansfield Jr.] worries that too many scholars are studiously avoiding teaching the hot topics of

unconscious; subconscious. These words are most commonly adjectives. “Unconscious” = (1) lacking consciousness; senseless {the blow knocked him unconscious}; (2) unaware {she was unconscious of the danger}; (3) not perceived by oneself {an unconscious slip of the tongue}; or (4) not done on purpose; unintentional {an unconscious slight}. “Subconscious” = not fully or wholly conscious