athlete ATHLETE Tired of people stereotyping you as a dummy just because you’re a jock? One way to impress them is to pronounce “athlete” properly, with just two syllables, as “ATH-leet” instead of using the common mispronunciation “ATH-uh-leet.” List of errors file:///C|/Temp/livres/commonerrors/errors/athlete.html03/09/2005 15:36:57 athiest ATHIEST ATHEIST An atheist is the opposite of a theist. Theos is Greek for “god.” Make sure the “TH” is followed immediately by an “E.” List of errors file:///C|/Temp/livres/commonerrors/errors/athiest.html03/09/2005 15:36:58 attribute/contribute ATTRIBUTE/CONTRIBUTE When trying to give credit to someone, say that you attribute your success to their help, not contribute. (Of course, a politician may attribute his success to those who contribute to his campaign fund, but probably only in private.) List of errors file:///C|/Temp/livres/commonerrors/errors/attribute.html03/09/2005 15:36:58 aural AURAL/ORAL “Aural” has to do with things you hear, “oral” with things you say, or relating to your mouth. List of errors file:///C|/Temp/livres/commonerrors/errors/aural.html03/09/2005 15:36:58 auger/augur AUGER/AUGUR An augur was an ancient Roman prophet, and as a verb the word means “foretell”—“their love augurs well for a successful marriage.” Don’t mix this word up with “auger,” a tool for boring holes. Some people mishear the phrase “augurs well” as “all goes well” and mistakenly use that instead. List of errors file:///C|/Temp/livres/commonerrors/errors/auger.html03/09/2005 15:36:58 avocation AVOCATION/VOCATION Your avocation is just your hobby; don’t mix it up with your job: your vocation. List of errors file:///C|/Temp/livres/commonerrors/errors/avocation.html03/09/2005 15:36:59