Bryson's Dictionary for Writers and Editors - Bill Bryson [110]
Scott, Dred. A Missouri slave who unsuccessfully sued for his freedom on the grounds that his owner had taken him into free territory. The Supreme Court case of 1857 that resulted is called Dred Scott v. Sanford.
Scribners. U.S. publisher; formally Charles Scribner’s Sons.
scrutiny, scrutinize. To scrutinize something means to look at it with particular attentiveness. Thus, qualifying words like close or careful are nearly always superfluous.
SCSI. Small computer system interface, a type of port on small computers.
scurrilous does not mean merely angry or insulting. It means grossly obscene or abusive. An attack must be exceedingly harsh to be scurrilous.
Scylla and Charybdis. In Greek mythology, Scylla (pronounced silla) was a six-headed monster who lived beside a treacherous whirlpool called Charybdis (pronounced kuh-rib-dis) off the coast of Sicily, so Scylla and Charybdis signify a highly unattractive dilemma.
SDI. Strategic Defense Initiative, commonly called “star wars.” Plan propounded by President Reagan in 1983 to erect a shield of weapons in space over the United States to keep out incoming missiles.
Seaborg, Glenn. (1912–) American nuclear chemist and physicist; awarded Nobel Prize for Chemistry (1951).
Seanad Éireann. Upper house of Irish parliament pronounced shin-add' air-ann'.
Sears, Roebuck. Note the comma.
SEATO. Southeast Asia Treaty Organization.
Sebastopol/Sevastopol. The first is the historical spelling; the second the modern spelling for the Crimean city and Black Sea port, now part of Ukraine.
secede.
second-largest and other similar comparisons often lead writers astray as in “Japan is the second-largest drugs market in the world after the United States” when in fact what is meant is that Japan is the largest drugs market in the world after the United States or the second-largest drugs market in the world.
Securities and Exchange Commission. Note and. The regulatory body for U.S. stock markets; but note that it is the Securities Exchange Act.
sedentary.
Sedgemoor, Battle of. British battle at which forces of James II defeated the Duke of Monmouth, 1685.
Segovia, Andrés. (1894–1987) Spanish guitarist.
se habla español. (Sp.) “Spanish spoken here.”
seigneur. Lord of a manor, feudal lord.
seismograph, seismometer, seismogram. Occasionally, and perhaps understandably, confused. A seismometer is a sensor placed in the ground to record earthquakes and other vibrations. A seismograph is the instrument that records the seismometer’s readings. A seismogram is the printout or chart that provides a visual record of seismic activity.
seize.
Sejm. Parliament of Poland.
Selassie, Haile. See HAILE SELASSIE.
self-confessed, as in “a self-confessed murderer,” is usually tautological. In most cases, confessed alone is enough.
Selfridges. (No apos.) London department store.
Selznick, David O. (for Oliver) (1902–1965) American film producer.
semblance.
Sendero Luminoso. (Sp.) Shining Path, Peruvian revolutionary group.
Senegal. West African republic; capital Dakar.
senhor, senhora, senhorita. (Port.) Mr., Mrs., Miss; first syllable pronounced sun.
Senna, Ayrton. (1960–) Brazilian Formula One racing car driver.
“Sennacherib, The Destruction of.” Poem by Byron (1815).
Sennett, Mack. (1884–1960) Canadian-born American film producer and director; born Michael Sinnott.
señor, señora, señorita. (Sp.) Mr., Mrs., Miss.
sensual, sensuous. The words are only broadly synonymous. Sensual applies to a person’s baser instincts as distinguished from reason. It should always hold connotations of sexual allure or lust. Sensuous was coined by Milton to avoid those connotations and to suggest instead the idea of being alive to sensations. It should be used when no suggestion of sexual arousal is intended.
Seoul. Capital of South Korea. An alternative name in Korea is Kyongsong.
Sephardi. A Jew of Spanish or Portuguese origin; pl. Sephardim. See also ASHKENAZI.
seppuku. Ritual suicide in Japan; hara-kiri.
septicemia. Blood poisoning.
septuagenarian. Not septa-. Person seventy