Thursday, March 14, 2013

Screenwriter of the Month: Sidney Howard

Sidney Howard.
Picture found here.
A Short Biography:

Sidney Howard was born in Oakland, California, the son of Helen Louise (née Coe) and John Lawrence Howard. He graduated from theUniversity of California, Berkeley in 1915 and went on to Harvard University to study the art of playwriting under George Pierce Baker in his "47 workshop." Along with other students of Harvard professor A. Piatt Andrew, Sidney Howard volunteered with Andrew's American Field Service, serving in France and the Balkans during World War I. After the War, Howard, competent at foreign languages, translated a number of literary works from French, Spanish, Hungarian and German.

In 1921, Howard had his first Broadway production, with a neo-romantic verse drama, Swords, which failed to win approval from either audiences or critics. It was with his realistic romance, They Knew What They Wanted in 1924 that Howard found recognition. The story of a middle-aged Italian vineyard owner who woos a young woman by mail with a false snapshot of himself, married her, and then forgives her when she becomes pregnant by one of his farm hands, it was praised for its non-judgmental and unmelodramatic view of adultery, and its warm-hearted, tolerant view of all its characters. The play won the 1925 Pulitzer Prize for Drama, was thrice adapted into film (1928, 1930, and 1940) and later became the Broadway musical, The Most Happy Fella. Lucky Sam McCarver, a coolly observed, unsentimental account of the marriage of a New York speakeasy owner on his way up in the world with a self-destructive socialite on her way down, failed to attract audiences but won the admiration of some reviewers. The Silver Cord, a drama about a mother who is pathologically close to her sons and works to undermine their romances, was one of the most successful plays of the 1926-27 Broadway season.

Picture found here.
A prolific writer, and a founding member of the Playwrights' Company, he wrote or created more than seventy plays; he also directed and produced a number of works. In 1922 he married actress Clare Eames (1896–1930) who had played the female lead in Swords. She later starred in Howard's Lucky Sam McCarver (1925), and Ned McCobb's Daughter (1926) on Broadway, and The Silver Cord in London (1927). Clare Eames was the niece of opera singer Emma Eames on her father's side, and of the inventor Hiram Percy Maxim on her mother's side, and a granddaughter of former Maryland governor, William Thomas Hamilton. Howard and Eames had a daughter, Jennifer Howard. They separated in 1927, and Howard's anger and frustration at the disintegration of his marriage is reflected in his bitter satire of modern matrimony, Half Gods (1929). Following the unexpected death of Eames in 1930, Sidney Howard married Leopoldine (Polly) Damrosch, daughter of the conductor Walter Johannes Damrosch in 1931, with whom he had three children.

A particular admirer of the understated realism of French playwright Charles Vildrac, Howard adapted two of his plays into English, under the titles, S. S. Tenacity (1929) and Michael Auclair (1932). One of his greatest successes on Broadway was an adaptation of a French comedy by Rene Fauchois, The Late Christopher Bean. Yellow Jack, an historical drama about the war against yellow fever, was praised for its high purpose and innovative staging when it premiered in 1934.

Picture found here.
Hired by Samuel Goldwyn, Howard worked in Hollywood, writing several successful screenplays. In 1932, Howard was nominated for an Academy Award for his adaptation of the Sinclair Lewis novel Arrowsmith, and again in 1936 for Dodsworth, which he had adapted for the stage in 1934.

Howard wrote the stage adaption of Humphrey Cobb's novel Paths of Glory which played on Broadway in 1935. The play was a flop because of its harsh anti-war scenes that alienated the audience, as a World War I veteran Howard wanted to show the horrors of war. Convinced that the novel should be filmed, Howard wrote, “It seems to me that our motion picture industry must feel something of a sacred obligation to make the picture.” The film version of the novel directed by Stanley Kubrick did not appear until 1957. Howard's screenplay for Gone with the Wind echoed, perhaps, Paths of Glory, with an unflinching look at the horrors of war.

Posthumously, he won the 1939 Academy Award for Writing Adapted Screenplay for Gone with the Wind (he was the only one honored, despite the fact that his script was revised by several other writers). This was the first time a posthumous nominee for any Oscar won the award.

Picture found here.
A lover of the quiet rural life, Sidney Howard died in Tyringham, Massachusetts while working on his 700-acre (2.8 km2) hobby farm. Howard was crushed to death in a garage by his two and one half ton tractor. He had turned the ignition switch on and was cranking the engine to start it when it lurched forward, pinning him against the wall of the garage. Apparently an employee had left the transmission in high gear.

He is buried in the Tyringham Cemetery.

Howard left behind a number of unproduced works. Lute Song, an adaptation of an old Chinese play co-written with Will Irwin, premiered on Broadway in 1946. A lighthearted reworking of the Faust legend, Madam, Will You Walk?, closed out of town when produced by the Playwrights Company in 1939, but was more warmly received as the first production of the Phoenix Theatre in 1953.

His Best Known & Awarded Movies:

"A Lady to Love"
movie poster.
Picture found here.
- "A Lady to Love" (1930) - Based upon Howard's play, They Knew What They Wanted, "A Lady to Love" is about a "middle-aged Napa Valley grape-grower Tony (Edward G. Robinson) posts a marriage proposal to San Francisco waitress Lena (Vilma Banky) enclosing a photo of his handsome younger brother Buck (Robert Ames). When she gets there she overlooks his duplicity and marries him. Then she falls in love with Buck." Written by Ed Stephan (Source here.)

"Arrowsmith"
movie poster.
Picture found here.
- "Arrowsmith" (1931) - Starring Ronald Colman and Helen Hayes, and "based on a Sinclair Lewis novel Martin Arrowsmith. A medical researcher is sent to a plague outbreak, where he has to decide priorities for the use of a vaccine." Written by Anonymous (Source here.)
- Nominated for a 1932 Oscar for 
"Best Writing, Adaptation"

"The Silver Cord"
movie poster.
Picture found here.
- "The Silver Cord" (1933) - Based on Howard's play of the same name, "The Silver Cord" is about "a domineering matriarch (Irene Dunne) is less than happy when her son (Joel McCrea) brings home his new bride (Laura Hope Crews). She immediately sets to work at sabotaging their marriage as well as the engagement of her younger and weaker son (Eric Linden)." Written by Daniel Bubbeo (Source here.)

"Dodsworth"
movie poster.
Picture found here.
- "Dodsworth" (1936) - Based on a Sinclair Lewis novel, it's about "[the] bittersweet tale of the increasing estrangement of a retired automobile tycoon (Walter Huston) and his wife (Ruth Chatterton). Increasingly obsessed with maintaining an appearance of youth, she falls in with a crowd of frivolous socialites during their 'second honeymoon' European vacation. He, in turn, meets a woman (Mary Astor) who is everything she is not; self-assured, self-confident, and able to take care of herself." Written by Sonya Roberts (Source here.)
- Nominated for an Oscar in 1937 for 
"Best Writing, Screenplay"

"Raffles" movie poster.
Picture found here.
- "Raffles" (1939) - "Man about town and First Class cricketer A.J. Raffles (David Niven) keeps himself solvent with daring robberies. Meeting Gwen (Olivia de Havilland) from his schooldays and falling in love all over again, he spends the weekend with her parents, Lord and Lady Melrose. A necklace presents an irresistible temptation, but also in attendance is Scotland Yard's finest, finally on the trail." Written by Jeremy Perkins (Source here.)

"Gone with the Wind"
movie poster.
Picture found here.
- "Gone With the Wind" (1939) - "This tale of the Old South from the start of the Civil War through to the period of reconstruction focuses on the beautiful Scarlett O'Hara (Vivien Leigh). Before the start of the war life at the O'Hara plantation, Tara, could only be described as genteel. As for the young Scarlett, she is without doubt the most beautiful girl in the area and is always the belle of the ball. She is very much looking forward to a barbecue at the nearby Wilkes plantation as she will get to see the man she loves, Ashley Wilkes (Leslie Howard). She is more than a little dismayed when she hears that he is to marry his cousin Melanie Hamilton (Olivia de Havilland) and in a fit of anger, she decides to marry Melanie's brother. War is soon declared and as always seems to be the case, men march off to battle thinking that it will only last a few weeks. Now living in Atlanta, Scarlett sees the ravages that war brings. She also becomes re-acquainted with Rhett Butler (Clark Gable), whom she had first met at the Wilkes barbecue. Now a widow, she still pines for the married Ashley and dreams of his return. With the war lost however, she returns to Tara and faces the hardship of keeping her family together and Tara from being sold at auction to collect the taxes. She has becomes hardened and bitter and will do anything, including marrying her sister's beau, to ensure she will never again be poor and hungry. After becoming a widow for the second time, she finally marries the dashing Rhett but they soon find themselves working at cross-purposes, their relationship seemingly doomed from the outset." Written by garykmcd (Source here.) Also stars Hattie McDaniel who was the first African American to be nominated for an Oscar in 1940 for "Best Actress in a Supporting Role" and the first to win for her role as Mammy.
- Won the 1940 Oscar for "Best Writing, Screenplay". 
Though four others had helped write the screenplay 
(Oliver H.P. Garrett, Ben Hecht, Jo Swerling, 
and John Van Druten), Howard was the only one to receive it. 
He's also the first person to be posthumously 
nominated and awarded for an Oscar. 

"They Knew What They
Wanted" movie poster.
Picture found here.
- "They Knew What They Wanted" (1940) - Screenplay written by Robert Ardrey and based upon Howard's Pulitzer Prize winning play of the same name. "Tony (Charles Laughton), a successful but illiterate middle-aged grape farmer, sends the photograph of his handsome young foreman, Joe (William Gargan), instead of his own, hoping to woo and marry Amy (Carole Lombard), a waitress in a San Francisco restaurant. Through a series of letters, the two become close and Tony invites his 'future wife' to visit. When the beautiful, young Amy arrives at Tony's Napa, California ranch she falls for the wrong man thinking that Joe (William Gargan) is the wealthy Tony. When Tony tries to win her over in broken English, she is at first furious and then charmed. But Tony breaks his legs while showing off to impress Amy, and -- left alone to care for a cripple -- she reluctantly succumbs to Joe's charms and becomes pregnant. Although Tony discovers that he has been cuckolded and that Joe has run off, his anger turns to genuine love and he offers to take Amy back unconditionally for the sake of the child and his own true feelings for Amy." Written by E. Summer (Source here.)

Sources:
- #1 - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sidney_Howard

Wednesday, March 13, 2013

Tip & Quote of the Week: "Defence & Defense"

"The history of man is the history of crimes, and history can repeat. 
So information is a defense. Through this we can build, 
we must build, a defense against repetition."
- Simon Wiesenthal

Here we have two words that sound very similar and have only one letter of difference between them. But like 'realise', 'defence' is only okay to use if you don't live in North America.

defense (Brit. 'defence')
noun

1 - the action of defending from or resisting attack
they relied on missiles for the country's defense | 
she came to the defense of the eccentric professor.
attempted justification or vindication of something
he spoke in defense of a disciplined approach.
an instance of defending a title or seat in a contest or election
his first title defense against Jones.
military measures or resources for protecting a country
the minister of defense | [as adj. ] defense policy.
a means of protecting something from attack
education is the best defense against tyranny.
(defenses) fortifications or barriers against attack
coastal defenses.
(in sports) the action or role of defending one's goal against the opposition
we played solid defense.
(the defense) the players in a team who perform this role.
2 - the case presented by or on behalf of the party being accused or sued in a lawsuit.
3 - one or more defendants in a trial.
(usu. the defense) [treated as sing. or pl.] the counsel for 
the defendant in a lawsuit
the defense requested more time to prepare their case.

"Foremost, it is important to know that there are two major notations of spellings that are widely accepted today worldwide. These are the British and the English spellings. Back in the 18th century, the English spellings were not standardized which led to much confusion after several British-spelled words surfaced and were made public. To the common knowledge of most people, Webster has been the major proponent of the English system. In this regard, “defense” is the American spelling whereas “defence” is the British counterpart pertaining to the same term. Australian, Canadian, and U.K. language users prefer the British notation whereas the American system is mainly used in North and South America and in some parts of Asia." (Source #1)

"Though defense is now the American spelling, it is not American in origin. The OED and Google Books reveal examples of the spelling from as long ago as the 1300s, many centuries before the United States existed. That spelling continued to appear a fraction of the time through the 19th century, when it was taken up by American writers. Today, to the chagrin of those who dislike American English, the spelling is gaining ground throughout the English-speaking world." (Source #2)

This ngram, which graphs the use of defence and defense in American English through the 20th century, shows that defense became the prevalent spelling around 1910:

And the next ngram graphs the occurrence of the words in British English during the same period.
It shows defense gaining ground:



"In sports, the words “defense” or “defence” can also mean the way a team or player defends or protects his area of responsibility from the offending attacks of the other opposing team. In many sports, such as ice hockey, water polo, basketball, and volleyball, among others, this term is frequently being used by the coaches, fans, and the players themselves.

"In terms of the military scene, the words can pertain to the act of protecting oneself either through the use of protective devices, weaponry, the terrain advantage, and one’s body parts in the act of defense or defence. More so, this word can imply the overall tactics that a unit or units employ to fend off an attack." (Source #1)
Picture found here.
Sources:
- #1 - http://www.differencebetween.net/language/difference-between-defence-and-defense/
- #2 - http://grammarist.com/spelling/defence-defense/
- quote from http://www.brainyquote.com/words/de/defence152008.html

Sunday, March 10, 2013

Tip & Quote of the Week: "Allude & Elude"

“Never affirm, always allude
allusions are made to test the spirit and probe the heart.” 
Umberto Eco
author of "The Island of the Day Before"

Again, similarities in look and sound are to blame for this usual mix-up. But these words meanings couldn't be more different.

allude
verb [intrans.] ( allude to)

• suggest or call attention to indirectly; hint at
she had a way of alluding to Jean but never saying her name.
mention without discussing at length
we will allude briefly to the main points.
(of an artist or a work of art) recall (an earlier work or style) 
in such a way as to suggest a relationship with it
the photographs allude to Italian Baroque painting.

elude
verb [trans.]

• evade or escape from (a danger, enemy, or pursuer), 
typically in a skillful or cunning way
he managed to elude his pursuers by escaping into an alley.
(of an idea or fact) fail to be grasped or remembered by (someone)
the logic of this eluded most people.
(of an achievement, or something desired or pursued) 
fail to be attained by (someone)
sleep still eluded her.
avoid compliance with or subjection to (a law, demand, or penalty).

Picture found here.
Picture found here.




The verbs allude and elude sound very similar, and this is why they are sometimes confused.

Allude: 'To allude' means 'to refer to indirectly'. The verbs 'to allude' and 'to mention' are close in meaning, but 'to allude' is less direct. It can be translated as 'to hint at' or 'to offer an indication about'.






Examples:
  • This Chinese saying alludes to nature's power: "A spark can start a fire that burns the entire prairie." (The saying does not mention nature's power, but it offers a clue about nature's power. The saying alludes to nature's power.)
  • "Forewarned is forearmed" alludes to the importance of being in control. (offers an indication about the importance of being in control)
  • The judge did not mention his previous crimes specifically, but he alluded to them in his summary. (hinted at previous crimes)

Picture found here.
Elude: 'To elude' means 'to avoid', 'to evade' or 'to escape from'. *Remember that the word elude starts with the same letter as escape.

Examples:

• Correct:
  • Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid try to elude capture. (try to avoid capture)
• Wrong:
  • Peter Beardsley used to allude defenders with his trademark foot shuffle. (avoid defenders / should be 'elude')

Also, there is a test located here.

Picture found here.
Also, here are two other words that can be confused with allude and elude:
  • To delude is to lead into error or misjudgment. We delude ourselves if we think allusions are all we need to communicate clearly. “Darmok and Jalad" is meaningless, for example, if the story isn’t in your shared lexicon. The wise are not deluded into simplistic understandings.
  • To illude is to trick or deceive, often in a mocking way, as with an illusion. An elaborate plan to illude them regarding the true identity of the blackmailer resulted in a madcap romp through the mansion and the eventual death of the villain.
Sources:

Essay of the Month: The Second Act

Last month, in the Essay of the Month: The First Act, I gave you the rundown on the structure of the opening moments, the inciting incident, and the 'first act turn'/'plot point one' that make up the first act of your screenplay. Since many screenwriters, producers, agents, and most people in Hollywood use the three act structure when composing a screenplay, we're going to keep going in that vein.

Picture found here.
Now that you have your first act written, or at least in outline form, you need to have a second act. Follow through with the story. What happens next? For many screenwriters, this is the hardest act to write. ScriptShadow said it best:

"So I’m sitting there reading Sex Tape last week and it hits me. Even the high level professionals getting a million bucks a script struggle with their second acts. And then I really start thinking about it (always a bad thing), and it clocks me. Not only do they struggle with it. They FAKE IT. No seriously, they do. They don’t know how to get through their second act so they throw up a bunch of smokescreens and set pieces and twists and turns, all in the hopes that you won’t figure out that they have no idea what they’re doing. And hey, who can blame them? It really is a fucked up act. I mean the first act is easy. You set up your story. The last act is simple. You conclude your story. But if you’re not setting up and you’re not concluding, what the hell are you doing?"

Many screenplays, and many movies, are plagued with a flagging middle. So how do you set up the second act without setting yourself up for failure?

Picture found here.
Obstacles: Remember the Character's Goal

"Keep in mind the main tension - and that your character should always be on the path to resolving that tension.

"The second act begins right after the lock-in: the moment when the character is stuck in the predicament and main tension - it is too late to turn back, so he/she must go forward. Now the character aims towards the goal, the objective, and he/she has the first meeting of the obstacles and antagonists or circumstances, always with rising actions.

"The first sequence usually presents the alternative solutions. What are the choices? What should be done? And the character selects one alternative, and if it should be the worst one, then he selects another one, and in the meantime, the rest of the alternatives are eliminated. Then the character uses one of the ways to solve the predicament, and it seems to work, and that’s usually the first culmination or midpoint.

"But it’s not that simple, because there are consequences of things that happened before that he didn’t take into consideration. He offended somebody. He didn’t do things that he was supposed to do. He forgot about things. You bring those things back in the second part of the act, and at that time they can be entered almost without motivation, because anything that works against your character at that time is acceptable. Any accident, any coincidence is fine because it makes his predicament worse, and therefore we enjoy it. Also it helps to explore the validity of the desire of the dream."
(Source #2)

BitterScriptReader explains the Three-Act Structure:

Character Development:

"Okay, here’s why most second acts fail: Because writers don’t realize the second act is about CHARACTER DEVELOPMENT. That’s not to say there isn’t action in your second act. Or plot. Or thrills. Or horror. There can be all these things. But the bigger overarching purpose of the second act is to explore your characters. Once you realize that, you’re way ahead of everyone else. All of this starts with your character’s defining flaw - or “fatal flaw” - which is loosely defined as the thing that’s held your character back his/her entire life. Once you identify that flaw, you’ll create a journey to specifically test it over and over again. These tests will force your character to grow, which will in turn bring us closer to your character."
(Source #1)
Picture found here.
The Essential Elements:
  • OBSTACLES: The second act is all about obstacles. It elaborates in great detail and intensity on the difficulties and obstacles the hero faces as he or she struggles to achieve his or her goal. Just when we think the situation can’t get worse, it does. And when there is no way that our hero can get out of the jam, he does, only to end up in a worse jam. Basically, each sequence centers around a new obstacle or obstacles of increasing difficulty.
  • FIRST ATTEMPTS: Now that the character is locked-in, he makes his first attempts to solve the problem. This is usually the simplest, easiest manner to resolve the problem, and these attempts usually fail. 
  • RAMIFICATIONS: It is important to show the ramification of the attempts, which must result in an increase in complications. 
  • ACTION: Every move the character makes traps him even more. Each action leads to more entrapment. Be merciless on the character. 
  • SUB-PLOT: A solid sub-plot that carefully intertwines with the main tension in both plot and theme will be a great channel in which to relate the character’s emotions (in regards to the main tension).
  • FIRST CULMINATION: This is the midpoint of the film. If our hero is to win in the end, this then is the first time the character finds a solution that seems to work. It is a victory. If the script is a tragedy, however, this is often a low point for the character. 
  • MIDPOINT MIRROR: The first culmination and ending of the film usually mirror each other: both victories or both failures.
  • MIDPOINT CONTRAST: The first culmination (Midpoint) and the main culmination (End of Act II) are usually in contrast with each other. 
  • NEW ATTEMPTS: By the first culmination, our hero has failed in his/her first attempts, but in failure realizes the weight of the issue and becomes aware of the correct method in which to resolve the main tension. He/she then can begin new attempts, still faced with new obstacles, that get him/her closer to resolving the issue. 
  • CHARACTER CHANGE: Throughout the second act, the main character starts changing, learning, and developing, or at least intense pressure is put on the character to change, and that change will manifest in the third act. 
  • MAIN CULMINATION: This is the end of the second act and the point where the character sees what he thinks he has been doing is not what he has been doing. The tension is at the highest point, and this is the decisive turning point. You must convince the audience that their worst fears are going to come true. This moment will change the main character in some way. 
  • FIRST RESOLUTION: This resolution of the second act tension often spins the character(s) into the third act. 
(Source #2)

Picture found here.
In keeping with the Shakespearean theme I started in the first act essay (using Hamlet), I will be demonstrating the 'second act' of Shakespeare's "Romeo and Juliet". The term second act is in quotation marks because "Romeo and Juliet" was actually written in five acts. But I like to mentally torture myself, so I'm going to break down what is the 'middle' of this well-known tragic tale. [Enter] Chorus: Two households, both alike in dignity, In fair Verona, where we lay our scene....
  • OBSTACLES: Romeo and Juliet have figured out that their budding relationship is threatened by their families dangerous and deadly quarreling. Oh, baggage....
  • FIRST ATTEMPTS: They know they can't tell their families about their undying love for each other, at least not until their families undying hatred for each other's families fizzles out. So they.... get married....in secret.
  • RAMIFICATIONS: Now Romeo can't fight any of Juliet's relatives, which apparently was his hobby when he wasn't being a whiney bitch over Rosaline. But.....
  • ACTION: Romeo still has that duel with Tybalt coming up because he was caught at the Capulet's party and no one likes a party crasher, so a fight to the death is in order.
  • SUB-PLOT: Aside from their families unreasonable hatred for each other, poor Paris of the ruling family of Verona wants to marry Juliet. This may cause problems since her family is fine with that choice in husband, but Juliet is already married.
  • FIRST CULMINATION: When Romeo refuses to fight Tybalt for insulting him, Mercutio fights in his stead and is mortally wounded.
  • MIDPOINT MIRROR: Romeo kills Tybalt. This is problematic for our lovers: Firstly, Tybalt is Juliet’s cousin and at this point in the story, Romeo and Juliet are married, so by extension Tybalt is Romeo’s cousin. Secondly, according to the laws of Verona, Romeo himself will receive the death sentence for killing Tybalt. It must be noted that the first point makes it more poignant because Romeo may lose Juliet’s love.
  • MIDPOINT CONTRAST: Instead of receiving the death penalty, Romeo is banished from Verona for the slaying of Tybalt. Juliet forgives him, but now they cannot see each other. Also, Juliet's marriage to Paris is coming up.
  • NEW ATTEMPTS: Both lovers miss each other terribly, to the point where they take drastic measures to ensure their life together. I guess running away didn't seem like a good enough idea to either of them....
  • CHARACTER CHANGE: Juliet needs a plan that will get her out of her marriage with boring Paris and into the arms of her dashing Romeo. (She is the one who needs to make the plan, as Romeo is probably just being mopey somewhere.)
  • MAIN CULMINATION: Juliet comes up with a plan that involves Juliet faking her own death - all without telling Romeo a damn thing. Good thing she sent a messenger. Well, this can't possibly end badly.... 
  • FIRST RESOLUTION: The messenger never arrives in time, so when Romeo hears of her death, he buys poison with the intent of killing himself at her tomb.
(Source #3)
The Fall:

"The end of your second act is when your character has tried everything. He’s overcome all the previous obstacles. He’s managed to keep his relationships together. He may even believe he’s overcome his flaw. But then all of these things (either bit by bit or all at once) should come crumbling down on top of him. He should lose the girl. He should fail to defeat the villain. He should fall back into his own ways. The last 10-15 pages of your second act is the steady decline of your main character, ending with him at the lowest point of his life. Neo unable to defeat Smith in The Matrix. Kristin Wiig losing her boyfriend and best friend in Bridesmaids. The Man In Black LITERALLY dying in The Princess Bride. The end of your second act should LOOK like it’s over for your character. That there’s no hope. And with that my friend, you’ve done it. You’ve concluded your second act and are ready to cross into the third."
(Source #1)

BitterScriptReader explains the Midpoint:


Many people consider the second act as the story. Well, it takes up most of the script and a lot of effort on your part, it should be doing something.

If there is something you would like to see in the future on this blog, please let me know in the comments section below! Until next time!

Sources:

Wednesday, February 27, 2013

Tip & Quote of the Week: "Realise & Realize"

One of these is an actual word and the other is a common misspelling.

"It takes considerable knowledge just to realize 
the extent of your own ignorance."
-- Thomas Sowell


realize
verb [trans.] 

1 - become fully aware of (something) as a fact; understand clearly: 
he realized his mistake at once | [with clause] they realized that something was wrong
she had not realized how hungry she was. 

2 - cause (something desired or anticipated) to happen: 
our loans are helping small business realize their dreams
his worst fears have been realized. 

• fulfill: 
it is only now that she is beginning to realize her potential. 

3 - (usu. be realized) give actual or physical form to: 
the stage designs have been beautifully realized

• use (a linguistic feature) in a particular spoken or written form. 

• Music add to or complete (a piece of music left sparsely notated by the composer). 

4 - make (money or a profit) from a transaction: 
she realized a profit of $100,000. 

• (of goods) be sold for (a specified price); fetch: 
the drawings are expected to realize $500,000. 

• convert (an asset) into cash: 
he realized all the assets in her trust fund.

realise
not a word 
(Technically, the British spell it this way from time to time.)

Picture found here.

Realise and realize are different spellings of the same word, and both are used to varying degrees throughout the English-speaking world. Realize is the preferred spelling in American and Canadian English, and realise is preferred outside North America. The spelling distinction extends to all derivatives of the verb, including realised/realized, realising/realizing, and realisation/realization.

Although realize is now regarded by many in the U.K. and Australasia as the American spelling, it is not an Americanism. In fact, the -ize spelling variant is older than -iserealize predates the United States and Canada by nearly two centuries—and has been the preferred spelling throughout most of the word’s history in English. If we can believe the ngram below, which graphs the use of realize and realise in British books and journals published between 1800 and 2000, realise had a brief ascendancy in British English from the late 19th century through the early 20th, but realize was preferred before around 1875 and is again preferred today—perhaps because of the influence of dictionaries like Oxford, Cambridge, and Collins, which encourage -ize over -ise.

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But the British preference for realize is not in evidence when we search for the two spellings in 21st-century British news publications, where realise is about ten times as common as realize. We have trouble explaining this, but perhaps it’s simply that a few influential British news organizations have collectively adopted the newer spelling, while most of the publishers of books and journals (including prestigious British scientific periodicals such as Nature and The Lancet) in Google’s Books index have kept -ize. The favoring of -ise may also have something to do with a decline in classical education; with Latin and Greek no longer mainstays of British schooling, their influence on English is weakening (-ize has its origins in Ancient Greek).

As the -ise spelling grows in popularity, realize is increasingly associated with North American writing, giving rise to the belief that it is an Americanism and hence to be avoided. There is no doubt, however, that both -ize and -ise are acceptable in British, Australian and New Zealand English, and writers in those varieties should not feel obliged to shun -ize, nor should they abandon -ise if they prefer it. The caveat on this advice is the -ize suffix does risk distracting non-American readers with what is (mistakenly) perceived to be a Americanism.

Whichever suffix you use, it is wise to use that one consistently throughout any given text. Note too that, for etymological reasons, some words are never spelled with a z in any variety of English, e.g. surmise, improvisation, televise, surprise, etc.

Tuesday, February 26, 2013

Tip & Quote of the Week: "Elicit & Illicit"

Again, very similar sounding words with completely different meanings.

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"I don't give a damn for a man 
that can only spell a word one way." 
-- Mark Twain



elicit 
verb ( -ited , -iting ) [trans.] 

• evoke or draw out (a response, answer, or fact) from someone 
in reaction to one's own actions or questions: 
they invariably elicit exclamations of approval from guests. 
• archaic draw forth (something that is latent or potential) into existence: 
a corrupt heart elicits in an hour all that is bad in us.


illicit
adjective 

• forbidden by law, rules, or custom: 
illicit drugs | illicit sex.

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Elicit

In very general terms, the verb elicit means 'to obtain'. However, it has the connotation of actively obtaining something (usually information). It can often be translated as 'to draw out', 'to extract', 'to obtain information', 'to deduce' or 'to construe'.

Examples:

• Fog always seems to elicit strong feelings of melancholy.

• His questioning sought to elicit the conclusion he had reached even before the hearing began.


Illicit

The adjective illicit means 'illegal' or 'contrary to accepted morality (i.e., naughty)'.

Examples:

• The act seeks to prevent the illicit trafficking of narcotics.

• We have been told to expect a purge on illicit file-sharing web sites.

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ELICIT = EXTRACT 

The first letter of elicit can serve to remind you that it means extract.

ILLICIT = ILLEGAL

The first three letters of illicit can serve to remind you that it means illegal.

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QUIZ

Test your skills with this quiz. Fill in either elicit or illicit in the blanks. The answers are at the bottom.

1. The child hid an ________ piece of candy in his pocket.
2. Randy was in tears because he did not _______ approval from the nominating committee.
3. Hank was being charged for having _______ material on his computer’s hard drive.
4. The mouse managed to _______ a howl from the cat when he startled it.

1. illicit 2. elicit 3. illicit 4. elicit

Tip & Quote of the Week: "Council & Counsel"

Not only do these words sound alike and have a similar spelling, but they also have similar meanings.

"It's a damn poor mind that can think 
of only one way to spell a word!"
-- Andrew Jackson


council
noun 

an advisory, deliberative, or legislative body of people 
formally constituted and meeting regularly: 
an official human rights council. 
• a body of people elected to manage the affairs of 
a city, county, or other municipal district. 
• an ecclesiastical assembly. 
• an assembly or meeting for consultation or advice: 
that evening, she held a family council.


counsel 
noun 

1 - advice, esp. that given formally. 
• consultation, esp. to seek or give advice. 
2 - ( pl. same) the lawyer or lawyers conducting a case: 
the counsel for the defense. 

verb (chiefly Brit. -selled, -selling)

1 - give advice to (someone): 
he was counseled by his supporters to return to Germany. 
• give professional psychological help and advice to (someone): 
he was being counseled for depression. 
• recommend (a course of action): 
the athlete's coach counseled caution.

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A council is meeting for discussion or advice, but to counsel is a verb meaning to give advice. They sound exactly the same, but the language council met and decided to counsel you on how to keep them straight.

Council is a group of people who get together to figure something out, or or a group chosen to give advice, like a student council. Used as an adjective, council describes things related to a council, such as a council candidate or a council room, or a council member:

But the information was often incomplete or conflicting — 
and council members are now asking the agencies to respond 
to their queries in writing. (New York Times)

The council is trying to "contain" acts of 
armed resistance by military defectors and 
described them as "isolated incidents." (Business Week)

On the other hand, counsel is more slippery; it can act as a noun or a verb. As a noun, counsel is a synonym for advice, but it can also mean the act of giving that advice or refer to a person who gives legal advice. Counsel means a legal advisor. In the U.K., the term is used for barristers appearing in court; in the U.S., it is used for office practioners such as general counsel, as well as litigators. Note that the plural of general counsel is general counsel, not general counsels. In fact, a lawyer who goes to trial for you is your counsel. That lawyer would counsel you. Here are some counsels in the wild:

He had argued that he received ineffective 
assistance of counsel at trial. (Reuters)

"Don't go out in the storm tonight," 
counseled his wife. (Rossiter Johnson)

counsellor is one who gives advice – often, but not always, legal, but a councillor is a member of a council.

Before the 16th century, council and counsel were interchangeable, but by the 1500s, council's meaning became restricted to "a meeting" and counsel's "to give advice." The two should not be confused. Never! If you need a verb or a lawyer, use counsel because she'll say something helpful. If you are referring to a meeting or group, choose c for crowd and council.

Picture found here.

Examples:

"Peace is not made at the council table or by treaties, but in the hearts of men." (Herbert Hoover)

"Go not to the elves for counsel, for they will say both yes and no." (J. R. R. Tolkien)

Practice:

Tip & Quote of the Week: "Assent & Ascent"

As with most commonly misspelled words, assent and ascent sound remarkably alike and you only have to change one letter to get the other word, but they have two completely different meanings.

assent
noun 

- the expression of approval or agreement: 
a loud murmur of assent | he nodded assent
- official agreement or sanction: 
the governor has power to withhold his assent from a bill.

verb [intrans.]

- express approval or agreement, typically officially: 
Roosevelt assented to the agreement
[with direct speech ] “Guest house, then,” Frank assented cheerfully.


ascent 
noun 

1 - a climb or walk to the summit of a mountain or hill: 
the first ascent of the Matterhorn | the routes of ascent can be retraced. 
- an upward slope or path: 
the ascent grew steeper. 

2 - [in sing. ] an instance of rising through the air: 
the first balloon ascent was in 1783. 
• [in sing. ] a rise to an important position or a higher level: 
his ascent to power.


Assent and ascent are two more words with the same sound but different meanings. When you agree with an idea, you assent to it. When you climb a mountain, you ascend it. When you assent to an ascent, that means you’re willing to go mountain climbing.

Assenting to something means giving your approval, at least reluctantly. Sometimes people give a mere mental assent to an idea, without having any deep feelings about it. That’s why assent has a fairly mild connotation, similar to acquiesce, unlike similar, stronger words such as affirm or avow.

An ascent is an upward motion, or the path you take to move upwards. It can also be used technically to describe the steepness or grade of a road: “this road has an ascent of 5 degrees.” Assent doesn’t always mean a physical climb – the path to sainthood can be as difficult an ascent as the path up Mt. Everest.

As you think about assent and ascent, if you have trouble remembering which is which, you can think about their antonyms. (If you have trouble remembering what an antonym is, it’s a word that means the opposite of another word – a sort of “anti-word.”). The opposite of ascent (to go up) is descent (to go down). The opposite of assent (to approve) is dissent (to disapprove).

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"My spelling is Wobbly. 
It's good spelling but it Wobbles, 
and the letters get in the wrong places."
-- A. A. Milne



Ascent is a noun.  It is the act or process of rising or progressing upward.

Ex. The plane began its ascent to 10,000 feet.

Assent also functions as a noun.  However, it means agreement, accord, or acceptance.

Ex. He gave his assent to his daughter’s engagement.

Assent may also function as a verb. It is the act of agreeing with a suggestion or idea.

Ex. President Johnson assented to the proposal
to cut government spending.

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QUIZ

Test your understanding of the correct use of ascent and assent by answering the following sentences:

1. I’ll make my (ascent, assent) to the top of the cliff to see where the smoke is coming from.

2. Rockets must make their (ascent, assent) at an angle to stay on correct trajectory.

3. We must first have the (ascent, assent) of our parents to go to Vegas together.

4. I need the school’s (ascent, assent) to test out of the class.

5. When the rollercoaster made a steep (ascent, assent), David became scared.

6. Sara's father must (ascent, assent) to her move.

Picture found here.

Answers (No cheating.)

1. I make my ascent to the top of the cliff to see where the smoke is coming from.

2. Rockets must make their ascent at an angle to stay on correct trajectory.

3. We must first have the assent of our parents to go to Vegas together.

4. I need the school’s assent to test out of the class.

5. When the rollercoaster made a steep ascent, David became scared.

6. Sara's father must assent to her move.

Sources: