Bryson's Dictionary of Troublesome Words - Bill Bryson [60]
perchance, perforce. The first means possibly. The second means without choice.
period of time. A curiously irresistible expression for many writers, as here: “Roth maintained that the problem was not new at all, but rather had been going on for a considerable period of time” (Washington Post). Shortening it to “for a considerable period” or “a long time” would be an improvement. Specifying a more precise span—“for months,” “for years,” “for more than six weeks,” or whatever is appropriate—would be better still.
perpetrate, perpetuate. Occasionally confused. To perpetrate is to commit or perform. To perpetuate is to prolong or, literally, to make perpetual. The Boston Strangler perpetrated a series of murders. Those who write about him perpetuate his notoriety.
persevere, perseverance. Not -ser-.
personal, personally. When it is necessary to emphasize that a person is acting on his own rather than on behalf of a group or that he is addressing people individually rather than collectively, personal and personally are unexceptionable. But usually the context makes that clear and the word is used without purpose, as it was here: “Dr. Leonard has decided to visit personally the Oklahoma parish which is the center of the dispute” (Daily Telegraph). If he visits, Dr. Leonard can hardly do otherwise than personally. Many other common terms—personal friend, personal opinion, personal favorite—are nearly always equally redundant.
perspicacity, perspicuity. Perspicacity means shrewdness and applies to people (“a perspicacious judge of character”). Perspecuity means easily understood and applies to things (“a perspicuous explanation”). In both cases, a simpler synonym—shrewd for the first, clear for the second, for example—is often advisable.
peruse. “Those of us who have been idly perusing the latest flock of holiday brochures . . .” (Guardian). It is a losing battle, no doubt, but I must point out that peruse does not mean to look over casually. It means to read or examine carefully.
Peterhouse, the Cambridge college, is never called Peterhouse College.
Philippines. Note one l, two p’s. A person from the Philippines is a Filipino if male, a Filipina if female. Filipino is also the name of the national language.
phrasal verbs is a somewhat ungainly term for what is unquestionably one of the more versatile features of English—namely, the ability to extend the meaning of verbs by attaching a particle to them. Thus in English we can break up, break off, break down, break in, break out, and break into, or take to, take off, take in, take over, take up, take down, and take away, among many others. Each expression conveys a shade of meaning that would not be possible without the particle. But this capacity to grace a verb with a tail sometimes leads writers to add a word where none is needed. Thus we get head up, lose out, cut back, trigger off, pay off, and countless others. Sometimes such combinations, though strictly unnecessary, gain the force of idiom (stand up, sit down, beat up), but often they are merely a sign of careless writing. In the following examples, the italicized words do nothing but consume space: “Now the bureau proposes to sell off 280 acres” (Time magazine); “The time will be cut down to two hours within two years” (Daily Telegraph); “A light snowfall did little to slow down the British advance” (Sunday Times).
pizzeria, not pizza-, for the place where pizzas are made.
plan ahead. “[The] keys to success are to plan ahead, to choose manageable recipes, and to cook in batches” (New York Times). Always tautological. Would you plan behind?
plea, plead. “Police in plea for more funds” (Evening Standard headline). The story beneath the headline described a routine request for more money. Unless there is a genuine sense of urgency and at least a hint of submissive entreaty, plea almost always overstates the case. It is without argument a usefully compact headline word, but so are the more neutral words seek and ask. See also GRIEF, GRIEVE.
plenitude for the sense of abundance. Not plenti-.
plethora is not merely