Clifford & Co

Many Latin terms are misused, e.g. “i.e.”

People sometimes write “i.e.” when they mean “e.g.” in the mistaken belief that the terms are interchangeable. They’re not.

I read in a recent newspaper article: “Footage of densely crowded streets and crammed queues in London showed hoards of shoppers ignoring, or unable to obey, social distancing measures.”

gamut, gambit, ambit

• Gamut refers to the full range or scope of something.
• Ambit means the scope, extent, or bounds of something.

I recently spotted a job ad for someone with a flare for graphic design. The company might also want to hire someone with a flair for spelling.

(Continuing the A-Z series)

Economic and economical – the two words are closely related and both mean something to do with money. They come from the same Greek word meaning “relating to household management” but they don’t mean quite the same thing.