DATA (vi) Dashes can indicate hesitation in speech: I - er - don't - um - know what - what to say. (vii) Dashes can indicate missing letters or even missing words where propriety or discretion require it: c 1 (ship of the desert) Susan L— comes from Exeter. He swore softly, ' it'. data (plural) datum (singular) Strictly speaking, DATA should be used with a plural verb: The DATA have been collected by research students. You will, however, increasingly see DATA used with a singular verb and this use has now become acceptable. The DATA has been collected by research students. dates See NUMBERS for a discussion of how to set out dates. deceased or diseased? DECEASED means dead. DISEASED means affected by illness or infection. deceit (not -ie) See EI/IE SPELLING RULE. deceive decent or descent? DECENT means fair, upright, reasonable. DESCENT means act of coming down, ancestry. decide decided, deciding (not decied-) 64 DE LAPIDATED deciet Wrong spelling. See DECEIT. decieve Wrong spelling. See DECEIVE. decision decolletage (not de-) decrepit (not -id) defective or deficient? DEFECTIVE means not working properly (a DEFECTIVE machine). DEFICIENT means lacking something vital (a diet DEFICIENT in vitamin C). defer deferred, deferring, deference See ADDING ENDINGS (iv). deffinite Wrong spelling. See DEFINITE. deficient See DEFECTIVE OR DEFICIENT?. definate Wrong spelling. See DEFINITE. definite (not -ff-, not -ate) definitely deisel Wrong spelling. See DIESEL. delapidated Wrong spelling. See DILAPIDATED. 65 DELUSION delusion See ALLUSION, DELUSION OR ILLUSION?. denouement/denouement Both spellings are correct. dependant or dependent? The adjective (meaning reliant) is always -ent. She is a widow with five DEPENDENT children. I am absolutely DEPENDENT on a pension. The noun (meaning someone who is dependent) has traditionally been spelt -ant. However, the American practice of writing either -ant or -ent for the noun has now spread here. Either spelling is now considered correct for the noun but be aware that some conservative readers would consider this slipshod. She has five DEPENDANTS/DEPENDENTS, descent See DECENT OR DESCENT?. describe (not dis-) description (not -scrib-) desease Wrong spelling. See DISEASE. desert or dessert? A DESERT is sandy. A DESSERT is a pudding. desiccated (not dess-) 66 t DEVICE/DEVISE desirable (not desireable) See ADDING ENDINGS (ii). desperate (not desparate) The word is derived from spes (Latin word for hope). This may help you to remember the e in the middle syllable. dessert See DESERT OR DESSERT?. dessiccated Wrong spelling. See DESICCATED. destroy destroyed, destroying (not dis-) See ADDING ENDINGS (iii). detached (not detatched) deter deterred, deterring See ADDING ENDINGS (iv). deteriorate (not deteriate, as it is often mispronounced) deterrent (not -ant) develop developed, developing (not -pp-) development (not developement) device/devise DEVICE is the noun. A padlock is an intriguing DEVICE. 67 t t t DIAGNOSIS DEVISE is the verb. Try to DEVISE a simple burglar alarm. diagnosis (singular) diagnoses (plural) See FOREIGN PLURALS. diagnosis or prognosis? DIAGNOSIS is the identification of an illness or a difficulty. PROGNOSIS is the forecast of its likely development and effects. diarrhoea diary (singular) diaries (plural) See PLURALS (iii). See DAIRY OR DIARY?. dictionary (singular) dictionaries (plural) (not -nn-) See PLURALS (iii). didn't (not did'nt) See CONTRACTIONS. diesel (not deisel) See EI/IE SPELLING RULE. dietician/dietitian Both spellings are correct. differcult Wrong spelling. See DIFFICULT. difference (not -ance) different (not -ant) different from/to/than 'Different from' and 'different to' are now both t 68 DIRECT SPEECH considered acceptable forms. My tastes are DIFFERENT FROM yours. My tastes are DIFFERENT TO yours. Conservative users would, however, much prefer the preposition 'from' and this is widely used in formal contexts. 'Different than' is acceptable in American English but is not yet fully acceptable in British English. difficult (not differcult, not difficalt) dilapidated (not delapidated) dilemma This word is often used loosely to mean 'a problem'. Strictly speaking it means a difficult choice between two possibilities. dinghy or dingy? A DINGHY is a boat (plural - dinghies). See PLURALS (iii). DINGY means dull and drab. dingo (singular) dingoes or dingos (plural) dining or dinning? dine + ing = dining (as in dining room) din + ing = dinning (noise dinning in ears) See ADDING ENDINGS (i) and (ii). diphtheria (not diptheria as it is often mispronounced) diphthong (not dipthong as it is often mispronounced) direct speech See INVERTED COMMAS. 69 . drab. dingo (singular) dingoes or dingos (plural) dining or dinning? dine + ing = dining (as in dining room) din + ing = dinning (noise dinning in ears) See ADDING ENDINGS (i) and (ii). diphtheria (not . (iv). deffinite Wrong spelling. See DEFINITE. deficient See DEFECTIVE OR DEFICIENT?. definate Wrong spelling. See DEFINITE. definite (not -ff-, not -ate) definitely deisel Wrong spelling. See . working properly (a DEFECTIVE machine). DEFICIENT means lacking something vital (a diet DEFICIENT in vitamin C). defer deferred, deferring, deference See ADDING ENDINGS (iv). deffinite Wrong