Some word pairs flummox even the most literate writers. We use a word to say one thing, but its opposite form seems not to exist. Or does it? In some pairs, apparent opposites have the same meaning. English is a mongrel language with a motley history, which means that our words don’t always make sense. Here are several pairs of words that might surprise you.
Inevitable/evitable
Inevitable means unavoidable. Did you know that the word evitable is a real word, meaning that something could be avoided? Why do we say inevitable but never evitable?
He wanted to pretend the breakup was inevitable, but if he had behaved properly, it was entirely evitable.
Disgruntled/Gruntled
Disgruntled means dissatisfied or unhappy. Its parallel word is gruntled, which means satisfied or contented. So, the next time you run into an old friend, you can exclaim, “I’m so gruntled to see you!”
A friendly smile can make the difference between disgruntled and gruntled.
Inorganic/Organic
The word “organic” has been hijacked by health-food enthusiasts who want it to mean natural, specifically, grown without using artificial pesticides. But technically, organic means derived from a living organism. In chemistry, the word refers to something that contains the element carbon. In this context, most of our food is organic except salt, which is composed of sodium and chloride.
In contrast, inorganic means not growing from a living organism or not containing carbon compounds. So your polyester shirt is inorganic, but your cotton blouse is organic. Still, we rarely see the word inorganic, while organic, – which is in a sense inaccurate – is used to describe food that has been grown a certain way.
In a business context, organic growth comes from sales of a company’s products or services. Inorganic growth comes from revenue of an M&A transaction, from the acquired company. The company grew organically at the rate of 15%; investors may be fooled by the rapid increase due to inorganic growth after the acquisition.
Most fast food is organic but not organic. The salt on the French fries is inorganic.
Inflammable/Flammable
Although these words are widely considered to by synonyms, they have subtly different meanings.
Flammable means easily ignited and capable of burning rapidly. Something flammable is capable of burning, especially a liquid.
Inflammable means capable of being easily set fire; easily enkindled; combustible. It also refers to a person who is easily upset.
While you can use them interchangeably, it’s best to honor these slightly different connotations.
Invaluable/Valuable
These words, which, according to all English usage, should be opposites, actually mean the same thing. In fact, something invaluable is even more valuable than something merely valuable. You have to love the English language for throwing out these conundrums!
Irregardless/Regardless
For decades, as a true curmudgeon and card-carrying member of the Grammar Police, I objected to the word irregardless. It is redundant and has the same meaning as regardless.
However, to my dismay, the Merriam-Webster dictionary recently took the position that irregardless is a word, as it has been used, albeit in a nonstandard manner, for over 200 years. Nevertheless, and irregardless of the dictionary, business writers should use regardless instead.
Disinterested/Uninterested
Although these words are often used synonymously, they have very different meanings.
Disinterested means objective, not having a stake in the dispute. An arbitrator or mediator needs to be a disinterested party so that they can treat both parties in a fair and impartial manner.
Uninterested means lacking in interest. A person who is uninterested does not care. If you are involved in litigation, you want the judge to be disinterested but not uninterested.
As you see, it pays to be precise when we choose our words. After all, words become sentences, and sentences become thoughts. Thoughts have wings – carrying our ideas into the minds of our readers. Let’s make sure we fly right.