Misuse of adverse when averse was meant

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livesoft
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Misuse of adverse when averse was meant

Post by livesoft »

The moderators do a great job improving thread titles now and then. Should they change the word "adverse" to "averse" as well? If folks see "adverse" all the time, they will eventually think it is the correct word to use when it isn't, so changing it where many people see it used incorrectly would be a good thing.

Or would there be an adverse reaction to this?
Last edited by livesoft on Fri Jan 05, 2018 4:38 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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mptfan
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Re: Misuse of adverse

Post by mptfan »

Thank you for raising one of my pet peeves, I'm glad I'm not the only one bothered by that. I don't know if there would be an adverse reaction, but I am not averse to your suggestion.
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Pajamas
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Re: Misuse of adverse

Post by Pajamas »

In this particular case, the Latin root and basic meaning are the same, so I would say no. Many people probably don't even notice the difference when reading because the mind glosses over it. More importantly, I doubt that the moderators would want to open up that particular can of worms and take on the task of correcting everyone's word choices, grammar, punctuation, etc. Where would it end?

Misuse of "loose" for "lose" bothers me more.
Last edited by Pajamas on Fri Jan 05, 2018 2:41 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Nicolas
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Re: Misuse of adverse

Post by Nicolas »

+1 I'm also sick of seeing this misuse. I'm also sick and tired of reading about people "loosing" money. And don't get me started about people using "to" when "too" is called for.
Last edited by Nicolas on Fri Jan 05, 2018 3:04 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Pete12
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Re: Misuse of adverse

Post by Pete12 »

I go nuts when folks refer to this forum as the “Boggleheads” or the “Bogelheads” ... I mean come on people!!!
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Pajamas
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Re: Misuse of adverse

Post by Pajamas »

Pete12 wrote: Fri Jan 05, 2018 2:46 pm I go nuts when folks refer to this forum as the “Boggleheads” or the “Bogelheads” ... I mean come on people!!!
What about this?

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bagel_head

Or this?

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bobblehead
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cinghiale
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Re: Misuse of adverse

Post by cinghiale »

(Warren) Buffett spelled with only one “t” so that he sounds like a food court?

Principle when one means principal?

Disinterested (objective, unbiased) when one means uninterested (doesn’t give a rip)?


There... I feel better now.
Last edited by cinghiale on Fri Jan 05, 2018 2:57 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: Misuse of adverse

Post by JohnFiscal »

I thought this was a thread about different types of poetry (un-actionable) but instead it is the obverse
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Pete12
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Re: Misuse of adverse

Post by Pete12 »

Pajamas wrote: Fri Jan 05, 2018 2:47 pm What about this?

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bagel_head
Lovely...
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livesoft
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Re: Misuse of adverse

Post by livesoft »

Eventually probably the posting software of the future will do such things automatically anyways much like spell checking is done now. I suppose all these other words would be edited automatically based on context and meaning, too.
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Re: Misuse of adverse

Post by Christine_NM »

See this for the difference between averse and adverse, which actually makes sense even if its source is from 1906: https://www.etymonline.com/word/averse

Don't get me started, I could look up etymologies all day long. Fascinating.
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mptfan
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Re: Misuse of adverse

Post by mptfan »

livesoft wrote: Fri Jan 05, 2018 2:56 pm Eventually probably the posting software of the future will do such things automatically anyways much like spell checking is done now. I suppose all these other words would be edited automatically based on context and meaning, too.
Spell checking software would not catch that since adverse is also a word.
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livesoft
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Re: Misuse of adverse

Post by livesoft »

mptfan wrote: Fri Jan 05, 2018 2:59 pm
livesoft wrote: Fri Jan 05, 2018 2:56 pm Eventually probably the posting software of the future will do such things automatically anyways much like spell checking is done now. I suppose all these other words would be edited automatically based on context and meaning, too.
Spell checking software would not catch that since adverse is also a word.
Yes, but some AI software should be able to do so.
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HueyLD
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Re: Misuse of adverse

Post by HueyLD »

I blame it on the autocorrect feature of software.

And yes, I am risk averse, but being risk averse may have unintended adverse effect on one’s wealth.
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Re: Misuse of adverse

Post by Mel Lindauer »

Your all being way to pickey! :D
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mptfan
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Re: Misuse of adverse

Post by mptfan »

I don't think we are being too picky, its the principal of the matter thats important. :wink:
Last edited by mptfan on Fri Jan 05, 2018 3:10 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: Misuse of adverse

Post by jebmke »

Not to pile on ... well, actually, to pile on I'll toss "fewer" and "less" on the pile.
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HueyLD
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Re: Misuse of adverse

Post by HueyLD »

How about compliment and complement?

Who says English is an easy language?
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Re: Misuse of adverse

Post by DartThrower »

People may be averse to changing adverse to averse, or it could be the reverse, causing people to become terse. What could be worse?
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Re: Misuse of adverse

Post by Mitchell777 »

If someone has a comment that assists me, I can easily look beyond their grammar, usage, or spelling. This from someone once told he may have O.C.D.
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livesoft
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Re: Misuse of adverse

Post by livesoft »

Mitchell777 wrote: Fri Jan 05, 2018 3:13 pm If someone has a comment that assists me, I can easily look beyond their grammar, usage, or spelling. This from someone once told he may have O.C.D.
Would you consider a comment about a word you used incorrectly to be an assist?

Years ago, there was a word that I always used incorrectly because nobody told me until late in life that it wasn't supposed to be used that way. I probably misused it on the SAT, too.
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Re: Misuse of adverse

Post by TomatoTomahto »

I’m down with all those pet peeves, but ROTH isn’t something named after the person who legislated it.
I get the FI part but not the RE part of FIRE.
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Re: Misuse of adverse

Post by mptfan »

livesoft wrote: Fri Jan 05, 2018 3:16 pm Years ago, there was a word that I always used incorrectly because nobody told me until late in life that it wasn't supposed to be used that way. I probably misused it on the SAT, too.
Pray tell which word?
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Re: Misuse of adverse

Post by baconavocado »

I've noticed that the generation who grew up with autocorrect and typing with their thumbs has a much different attitude about grammar and spelling (and even logic) than us old folks. On the other hand, if you hit the send button more than once, everyone in your family will be notified of your unbelievable stupidity.
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Re: Misuse of adverse

Post by triceratop »

baconavocado wrote: Fri Jan 05, 2018 3:32 pm I've noticed that the generation who grew up with autocorrect and typing with their thumbs has a much different attitude about grammar and spelling (and even logic) than us old folks. On the other hand, if you hit the send button more than once, everyone in your family will be notified of your unbelievable stupidity.
This is quite an ironic statement given your avatar! :D

Myself, I pretty much accept that when I type responses on bogleheads.org using my smartphone, I will make mistakes. Not logic mistakes though, at least usually.
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Re: Misuse of adverse

Post by ACA »

Let’s correct judgement too..
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Re: Misuse of adverse

Post by qwertyjazz »

Maybe they are just sophisticated but cynical and view most changes in stock prices related adverse selection of offerings being manipulated in the market by traders and companies having differential knowledge - they are risk adverse?
But like all gamblers being asked why they play a crooked game, they respond it is the only one.
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Re: Misuse of adverse

Post by 2b2 »

I was excited when I started reading this string until I realized their was no they're their.
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Re: Misuse of adverse

Post by Mitchell777 »

livesoft wrote: Fri Jan 05, 2018 3:16 pm
Mitchell777 wrote: Fri Jan 05, 2018 3:13 pm If someone has a comment that assists me, I can easily look beyond their grammar, usage, or spelling. This from someone once told he may have O.C.D.
Would you consider a comment about a word you used incorrectly to be an assist?

Years ago, there was a word that I always used incorrectly because nobody told me until late in life that it wasn't supposed to be used that way. I probably misused it on the SAT, too.
I'd consider it an assist if I was sitting in English class or talking to a friend or relative I know well. On a financial site, dealing with people I don't know other than to read their comments, I'd look to better spend my time. If you would not correct someone, someone you don't know or barely know, to their face then I see no need to hide behind a computer and do it here.
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Re: Misuse of adverse

Post by NotWhoYouThink »

Yes, seeing "risk adverse" makes me averse to helping the poster, a tendency I try to fight.

Some AI Grammar Cop software would help. "To correct and serve."
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Re: Misuse of adverse

Post by Teague »

A verse:

A flea and a fly in a flue
were imprisoned, what could they do?
Said the flea - let us fly;
Said the fly - let us flee;
so they flew through a flaw in the flue.

Ad verse:

These signs
Are not
For laughs alone
The face they save
May be your own
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Re: Misuse of adverse

Post by Bmac »

While we are at it, how about using advise and advice correctly? So many posts wherein there is a request for some advise on some question or another.
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Re: Misuse of adverse

Post by Minty »

In the passed, I have seen alot of misused words and phrases on this cite. Usually, I except a bazaar usage, because it does not effect me. The only time I would consider counciling a poster whom misspeaks is when they are writing about there job search or seeking career advise. In some fields, braking the rules of grammer or spelling could altar their prospects for the worst. But especially on a board as polite as this one, it is hard to brooch difficult topics and tell someone how they are suppose to write. I personally agree with Livesoft that it is better to know.

Anyways, I did a quick search, and, in a commonly used database in my field, there are over 10,000 articles using the phrase "risk averse", over 1,000 using "risk adverse" (sometimes with a hyphen) and 190 containing both phrases. So it may be too late to suppress this debatable use of the term.
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prudent
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Re: Misuse of adverse

Post by prudent »

I'd like to point out that it's probably best to avoid a deep-seeded reaction to misspelled words. I could care less if there's a typo and I know I'm not a shoe-in to spell everything perfectly. Don't read with baited breath looking for typos that wet your appetite to hit the report button. They are inevitable and should be taken for granite. For all intensive purposes we should give posters free reign to have the occasional misspelling and as members avoid being on tenderhooks when seeing one.

Just wanted to comment since the topic peaked my interest.
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Re: Misuse of adverse

Post by livesoft »

I suppose then that it would be too much to edit a few of the "sticky" posts to put a short list of commonly misused financial words at the end of a few of them. You know, kind of a stealth way of increasing knowledge. :)

For instance, add to Bogleheads philosophy:

11. Be aware of the differences between averse / adverse, principal / principle, advice / advise, ....
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Re: Misuse of adverse

Post by daveydoo »

This should of come up sooner
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Re: Misuse of adverse when averse was meant

Post by Atilla »

All these smart people complaining about grammar using bad punctuation. :P Me, I ain't smart.
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Re: Misuse of adverse when averse was meant

Post by nps »

Reminds me of this:

WHEREAS, on occasion, members of the Missouri House of Representatives have used the word “physical” instead of “fiscal” when referring to fiscal matters including, but not limited to, fiscal review and fiscal notes; and WHEREAS, the use of proper terminology is important to our legislative process: NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that we, the members of the Missouri House of Representatives, Ninety-eighth General Assembly, hereby urge the members of the Missouri House of Representatives to use the word “fiscal” instead of “physical” when referring to fiscal matters.

http://house.mo.gov/billtracking/bills1 ... R1220I.PDF
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Re: Misuse of adverse

Post by daveydoo »

...and the winner is...
Pete12 wrote: Fri Jan 05, 2018 2:46 pm I go nuts when folks refer to this forum as the “Boggleheads” or the “Bogelheads” ... I mean come on people!!!
:D
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Re: Misuse of adverse when averse was meant

Post by nisiprius »

I actually read Anthony Adverse, by Hervey Allen, a long time ago. The heyday of its popularity was, however, an even longer time before I read it. It is very long. Some parts of it were considered hot stuff in 1933.

I can't think of any novel titles containing the word "averse."
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Re: Misuse of adverse when averse was meant

Post by triceratop »

nps wrote: Fri Jan 05, 2018 4:50 pm Reminds me of this:

WHEREAS, on occasion, members of the Missouri House of Representatives have used the word “physical” instead of “fiscal” when referring to fiscal matters including, but not limited to, fiscal review and fiscal notes; and WHEREAS, the use of proper terminology is important to our legislative process: NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that we, the members of the Missouri House of Representatives, Ninety-eighth General Assembly, hereby urge the members of the Missouri House of Representatives to use the word “fiscal” instead of “physical” when referring to fiscal matters.

http://house.mo.gov/billtracking/bills1 ... R1220I.PDF
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Re: Misuse of adverse

Post by beardsworth »

Mel Lindauer wrote: Fri Jan 05, 2018 3:04 pm Your all being way to pickey! :D
Carefull, Mell, some people here may be critisism-adverse.
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Re: Misuse of adverse when averse was meant

Post by beardsworth »

This thread has already touched on most of the linguistic offenses seen too frequently on the forum.

However, a couple others, both wrong and unnecessary, are references in capital letters to the FED, or to opening a ROTH, as if these were acronyms.
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Re: Misuse of adverse when averse was meant

Post by CJC000 »

I am Groot!
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livesoft
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Re: Misuse of adverse when averse was meant

Post by livesoft »

I'm thinking some kind of "nudge" could be made somehow to encourage better usage of at least a few commonly used words on the forum. I'm not bothered at all by the occasional slip, but I really think many people have no idea that there is another word that should be used.
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Re: Misuse of adverse when averse was meant

Post by Pinotage »

Ok, to vent: missing definite/indefinite articles in threads about cars.

It is common to read "I bought Camry with factory snow tires"

I would rather read "I bought a Camry in my favorite shade of beige"

It's almost always "Camry". Camry Camry Camry.

Ok, I'm done.

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Re: Misuse of adverse when averse was meant

Post by blueblock »

Yes, doing it right is better then doing it wrong, than people will know!
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Re: Misuse of adverse when averse was meant

Post by 2comma »

The two words that I struggle with the most are affect and effect. You wouldn't believe the affect this has on me mentally but I don't know how to effect a change. I had to look them up and I'm still not sure the sentence is correct. :(
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Re: Misuse of adverse when averse was meant

Post by triceratop »

2comma wrote: Fri Jan 05, 2018 5:47 pm The two words that I struggle with the most are affect and effect. You wouldn't believe the affect this has on me mentally but I don't know how to effect a change. I had to look them up and I'm still not sure the sentence is correct. :(
It's not. The first use of "affect" should be "effect". Both uses should be "effect", that is.
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Re: Misuse of adverse when averse was meant

Post by Alexa9 »

Eye use too bee pickey bout grammer two.
When they give me a crown, I'll speak like the Queen.
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