Thursday, December 14, 2006

Personal Finance Grammar and Usage: Part Three

Here we go again!

Today, we take on the grammar of saving money. Aside from the overuse of the idiom "socking away," what do you think is the most common usage problem afflicting personal finance bloggers writing about saving money?

My vote goes to the "hoard"/"horde" Homophonic Dilemma.

Much as I like the image of little Attila the Sums storming up the piggy bank's back, waving their scimitars, in fact, when we save large sums, we are hoarding, not hordeing or hording money. Similarly, the product of that strict savings plan is a hoard, not a horde or hord. Less like the Visigoths, more like the loot in a dragon's cave.

Go forth, ye hordes, and hoard.

No comments: