10 Pairs of Words and Their Useful Distinctions

10 Pairs of Words and Their Useful Distinctions 10 Pairs of Words and Their Useful Distinctions 10 Pairs of Words and Their Useful Distinctions By Mark Nichol Writers should take care when determining which word among two or more synonyms or near synonyms to employ, because the sense of a word can be subtly or significantly different from that of a similar term, as the following examples illustrate. 1. Childish/Childlike Childish refers to immature behavior characteristic of a child, while childlike pertains to more positive qualities such as innocence and curiosity. 2. Illegible/Unreadable Something that is difficult to read because the text has been damaged or obscured is illegible or unreadable, but the latter term may alternatively refer to the poor quality of the content. 3. Incomparable/Uncomparable Incomparable is used as an intensifier to mean that the person, place, or thing so described is so excellent that no other person, place, or thing can compare; uncomparable, meanwhile, means that something about the person, place, or thing prevents it from being compared to someone, someplace, or something else. 4. Inequality/Inequity Inequality has a quantitative connotation; inequity implies an inequality borne of injustice or unfairness. However, inequality also has this sense in sociological contexts, as in references to gender or racial discrimination. 5. Inexplicable and Unexplainable These words are nearly identical in meaning, but inexplicable has developed a unique connotation of an illogical or irrational quality, as in references to odd behavior or supernatural phenomena. 6. Invaluable/Valuable Something valuable has value; something invaluable has value that, because of its quality or intangible importance, cannot be quantified. 7. Lonely/Lonesome Lonely and lonesome are nearly synonymous, but while lonely simply means â€Å"desiring companionship,† lonesome can have a slightly different connotation, one that is more existential or philosophical although, contradictorily, it is also more colloquial. Lonesome is also sometimes used to refer to a desolate landscape, as in â€Å"the lonesome prairie.† 8. Melted/Molten Something that has melted has, often because of heat, changed from a solid state to a liquid state; something that is molten is presently in a liquid state due to melting. The connotation is of extremely hot liquid, such as steel or lava, and the term also refers figuratively to a glowing quality. 9. Misinformed/Uninformed Someone who is misinformed has received erroneous information, whereas someone who is uninformed lacks information. 10. Nauseating/Nauseous Someone or something that is nauseating causes nausea; someone who is nauseated is experiencing nausea. This distinction is often not observed in colloquial writing, but careful writers maintain it. Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Misused Words category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:Program vs. ProgrammeAwoken or Awakened?35 Synonyms for Rain and Snow

Wardens and Guardians

Wardens and Guardians Wardens and Guardians Wardens and Guardians By Maeve Maddox A discussion prompted by Daniel’s word of the day ward put me in mind of one of my favorite etymological factoids: the relationship between words like warden and guardian. English suffers a bad rap for its spelling, but the variety of spellings is an inevitable side effect of the richness of vocabulary acquired by borrowing words from different languages at different periods of history. From 1066 until about 1250, English and French were spoken side by side in England. Then, because of political changes, the French-speaking ruling class shifted to English. The words warden and guardian are good examples of the linguistic mingling that went on between the two languages at that time. Old English had the verb weardian to keep guard, and the noun weard a guard, a watchman, a sentry, Old French had the verb guarder, â€Å"to guard.† Speakers of Norman French were people who had been Vikings a hundred years before William of Normandy invaded England in 1066. They brought their own distinctive pronunciations to French. One peculiarity was that Normans tended to pronounce the letter combination gu– as w-. For example, Old French guarder, â€Å"to guard,† became warder in Norman French. However, Parisian French kept the gu spelling and pronunciation. As a result, English ended up with words derived from both forms The OED gives numerous meanings for the word warden, including one that is identical to one of its definitions for guardian. In general usage, however, a guardian is a â€Å"protector,† while a â€Å"warden† is a â€Å"keeper.† A similar pair of words is warranty and guarantee. Both words have the sense of an assurance that a certain standard of quality or integrity will be upheld. As a legal term, warranty means n. a written statement of good quality of merchandise, clear title to real estate or that a fact stated in a contract is true. An express warranty is a definite written statement and implied warranty is based on the circumstances surrounding the sale or the creation of the contract. Law.com A new car comes with a warranty. If anything goes wrong with the car during a specified period, the warranty is a document that entitles the owner to have the problem corrected without charge. The word guarantee is often used as a synonym for warranty. However, a guarantee can be something more concrete. Warring sides might exchange hostages as a guarantee that neither will fight during an agreed period of truce. A parent might confiscate a child’s cell phone as a guarantee that he won’t be texting instead of doing homework. Etymology nerds can have fun looking for modern French words beginning with gu that correspond to English words beginning with w-. For example: war/guerre: Old English wyrre; Norman French werre; Modern French guerre. And of course there’s William the Conqueror whom the French refer to as Guillaume le Conquà ©rant. Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Vocabulary category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:100 Idioms About Numbers"Certified" and "Certificated"50 Plain-Language Substitutions for Wordy Phrases

Create Short-term Wins step 6 - The Heart of Change book - GE case + Research Paper

Create Short-term Wins step 6 - The Heart of Change book - GE case + executive summary - Research Paper Example This idea seemed rather surprising for me at first glance; but then, I understood that the majority of important decisions made in the company is based on emotions. That is why it is worth taking this idea into account. One more new thing I have learnt after reading The Heart of Change is that the company can be changed successfully only by means of eight steps. They are these ones: 1) increase urgency, 2) build the guiding team, 3) get the vision right, 4) communicate for by-in, 5) empower action, 6) create short-term wins, 7) don’t let up and 8) make change stick. The book under consideration helped me to comprehend that each of the seven steps listed above are very important and nothing will be changed in the organization and functioning of the company if one of the steps is omitted. For example, it is very important to create short-term wins. They are necessary to plan all processes and foresee the results of concrete work. Moreover, this step is a good way to motivate emp loyees and organize all the staff of the company. It is logical that nothing will be achieved without this step because no company can be successful for a long period of time without a concrete plan. It should be stressed that the sixth step is the best basis for good planning in any company. It should be mentioned that the authors of The Heart of Change pay the reader’s attention to the stories that demonstrate the relevance of the sixth step. They are the stories to remember: the List of the Bulletin Boards, Creating the New Navy, The Senator Owned a Trucking Company and Hoopla. All these stories teach the reader to apply the short-term wins in his/her organization. Another explanation of the short-term wins is â€Å"quick achievements†. There is a growing body of evidence that no person may be working for a long period of time if he/she does not see the results of his/her efforts. That is why it is very important to resort to the use of the sixth step. It is no wond er that it is also applied in Jack Welch’s leadership. The creation of short-term wins helps to achieve a lot of important aims. They are: Quick achievements help to get constant feedback and motivate leaders. The latter are persuaded that their actions are valid and important for the whole company. Wins provide all the members of the company with an emotional uplift. This changes the atmosphere in the company and makes it more enthusiastic and friendly. Short-term wins make more passive people become interested in the process. They see success by means of quick achievements and understand that it is necessary to join the process. Short-term wins leave no voice to cynics and those, who like to criticize the policy of the administration. The effectiveness of short-term wins is demonstrated through the creation of â€Å"the Big Four.† This means that the company does not write the list of all its purposes, but chooses just four important goals to achieve. This ruse makes the results seem more visible. The list with four aims is placed in every place, where the employees may gather. They see â€Å"the Big Four† and understand that the company is

Philosophical Questions Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Philosophical Questions - Essay Example This paper will provide four arguments that God exists. To begin with, one should point out one simple, yet rather important fact: the belief in divine powers has been known since the dawn of humanity; so, this continuous existence of the tradition might be considered to be an indirect indication of existence of God. Common sense suggests that there is no smoke without fire. If there had not been any divine power, millions of people around the world could not simply have imagined it out of nowhere. Keeping in mind that there was no communication between the groups of the early people, the very existence of religious cults might be regarded as a valid evidence that God exists. Is it possible that people have been mistaken for thousand or years about one of the most defining aspects of their identity? It is rather hard to believe in that. Therefore, the existence of religious beliefs that dates back to the primitive society may be a suitable argument for existence of God. The second indirect indication that God exist focuses on our very lives. Should not the latter be considered to be a true miracle? The process of ovum fertilization by spermatozoid has not only been studied in great details, but also filmed. It may seem that science has taken cover from the greatest mystery – the beginning of live. However, no scholar is able to point out that moment when a small number of cells become a living organism. In other words, science did its best to analyze the world around us, but it could not get a hold of one of the fundamental powers – life. It would not be a mistake to suggest that without any divine intervention the above mentioned set of molecules would have never become a living creature. So, all the organisms in the world are the living arguments for the existence of God. Another point that should be taken into

Predicting Bankruptcy of Firms

Predicting Bankruptcy of Firms TOPIC A Abstract The recent world budgetary or financial crisis has expanded the quantity of insolvencies in various nations and has brought about another range of research which reacts to the need to foresee this phenomenon, not only at the level of individual nations, as well as at a worldwide level, offering clarifications of the regular attributes shared by the affected companies. The objective of this essay is to discuss possible useful model for predicting the bankruptcy of the firms that is taking place globally. Introduction This essay concentrates on foreseeing the risk of the bankruptcy of business forms with a worldwide degree. The present significance of bankruptcy prediction models has developed because of the current world financial crisis. This crisis has seen an expansion in the numbers of bankruptcy in a several nations and has served to exhibit that even the best international organizations must be consistently careful concerning their budgetary circumstance and the position of the organizations they work. On the other side, because of the globalization process that the world economy is encountering, a complex system of international connections that has emerged in the business world. A few studies have demonstrated that the globalization phenomenon has resulted the homogenization of the budgetary behavior of organizations, techniques for fund, and the conduct of money related markets. Bankruptcy And Instrument to Prediction A study by Yadav 1986 (cited in BRÃŽNDESCU-OLARIU 2016, p. 258) indicates that the evaluation of the corporate bankruptcy risk has represented a focal theme of the ration analysis since the beginning of the twentieth century. The studies over samples of organizations from everywhere throughout the world have demonstrated the handiness of the monetary proportions in the predicting the bankruptcy. Amid the most recent century, distinctive univariate or multivariate procedures for evaluating the bankruptcy were proposed, as per the characteristics of population. The need to reestablish the approaches is permanent, as the features of the populaces consistently change. A previous research by (Brà ®ndescu-Olariu, 2016a) conducted over a paired sample of 1176 Romanian organizations demonstrated a general characterization accuracy based on solvency ratio of 67%. According to Chung et al. (2008) cited in Brà ®ndescu-Olariu 2016, p. 258, despite the fact that this level of accuracy leaves imperative space for error, it is viewed as enough to make the solvency ratio a helpful classifier. As the tests were performed over a paired sample (588 bankrupt organizations, 588 non-bankrupt organizations), the ideal cut-off esteem was not viewed as fit for the entire populace (which has a yearly liquidation recurrence of less than 3% and a method of analysis was not arranged. The current review sets to build up an approach for surveying the insolvency chance in light of the solvency ratio, applicable to the entire populace. Albeit different instruments for the assessment of the liquidation risk exist, the procedure proposed will offer data quick, with negligible exertion from the part of the analyst, being in the meantime open to all stakeholders. According to Alaminos, del Castillo, FernaÂndez 2016, p. 3 in the development of models that have attempted to offer strict predictions of bankruptcy, distinct reviews are remarkable, with the greater part of these centering on one specific nation or industry as it were. Using samples of American firms, Odom M, Sharda R (1990) neutral network model figured out how to accomplish a precision of 86.8% with a multiple discriminant analysis (MDA) model and 77.0% with neural networks (NN). Zhou L, Tam KP, Fujita H (2016) accomplished 100% precision amid the preparation stage and 97.5% amid the testing stage with NN. Mossman CE, Bell GG, Swartz LM, Turtle H (1998) embraced a relative investigation of four sorts of bankruptcy prediction models utilizing proportions of financial statement, share performance, share capital, and standard deviations of that execution, accomplishing a classification accuracy of 84.9%. Laitinen EK, Laitinen T (2000) apply a Logit model utilizing data from the two years prior to the liquidation. Shumway T (2001) displayed a model to anticipate the likelihood of insolvency using Logit, with which a 54% classification was accomplished. Philosophov LV, Philosophov VL (2005) created a model for the improvement of the structure of firm capital with the likelihood of bankruptcy as the fundamental prohibitive component. El Kalak I, Hudson R (2016) explored whether size influences the probabilities of liquidation by creating four discrete-time risk models (discrete-time, duration-dependent hazard mode), while also using American firms as a foundation for this. Some of people and analysts also think that quarterly financial statement comes helpful in predicting insolvencies. In general, the reviews have found that interim budgetary information are valuable for prescient purposes (Brown and Niederhoffer [1968]; Reilly, Morgenson, and West [1972]; Coates [1972]; Shashua, Goldschmidt, and Melnik [1973]; Griffin [1977]) cited in Baldwin, Glezen 1992, p. 270. According to Chung, Chen, Lin, Lin, Lin 2015, since the Asian 1997 monetary crises start, numerous well known organizations have generated money related misery. The money related crisis lets financial specialists a chance to lessen certainty. In this way, preventing organization failure is a critical issue in finance and bookkeeping field. Wrong basic leadership in many organizations will bring severe budgetary trouble outcomes. For the most part, directors or financial specialists plan to comprehend working or speculation execution of the organization. Predictions of firm bankruptcy have been broadly contemplated in accounting and finance back in the course of three decades. Keeping in mind to enhance the models, previous researchers put a lot of exertion into empirical studies reviews using conventional statistics techniques as well as recently developed artificial neural system (ANN). In 1966-1980, Beaver (1966), Altman (1968), and Ohlson (1980) were the pioneers of the money related trouble empirical approach. These three papers were the essential references about bankruptcy prediction, however they use distinctive techniques and information. Beaver used univariate analysis to predict crashes of companies. Altman conducted MDA in developing the Z-score model. In addition, Ohlson picked conditional logit analysis to dodge some basic issues related with MDA. Both the MDA display and logit regression model have been generally used as a part of practice and in numerous scholastic reviews. They have been the standard benchmarks for the advance default prediction prob lem. In the present states of economy there is an expanding number of companies that are confronting economic and financial related troubles which may, in some cases, lead to insolvency. The risk of indebtedness, and a rupture of any legally binding obligation, is a signal of financial distress. So as to treat the failure phenomenon, the work done in this area has created models that anticipate all the more precisely the companys financial health (Altman, 1968, 1994; Bardos, 1998; Li and Sun, 2009) cited in Jabeur 2017, p. 197. Since the work of Beaver (1966), many authors have been effective surveyed the risk of corporate failure based on financial analysis. Different tools are accessible to analysts; the most frequently used is the linear segregated analysis and logit model. According to Mohammed 2016, p. 71, for evaluating the budgetary health of a commerce firm, there are loads of systems accessible. Yet, the Altmans Zscore ended up being a solid instrument across the world. This model commits to foresee potential outcomes of insolvency of assembling concerns. There has been evidence that it has 76.9% accurateness in predicting the bankruptcy of the basic specimen (Begley et al. 1996). A study by Altman 1968 (cited in Mohammed 2016, p. 71) characterizes five anticipated variables which can be exercised to test the legitimacy of Multivariate model. The model supports financial ratios. According to Mohammed 2016, p. 71, utilizing financial ratios to foretell liquidation can be correct up to 90%, Chen and Shemerda, 1981). Conclusion To conclude, due to the force of generalization exhibited by the global model, multinational firms really need to emphasize to deal with their own bankruptcy models, applying them to customers, suppliers and the companies in which they have holdings. References Alaminos, D, del Castillo, A, Fernà ¡ndez, Mà  2016, A Global Model for Bankruptcy Prediction, PLoS ONE, vol. 11, no. 11, pp. 1-18. Baldwin, J, Glezen, GW 1992, Bankruptcy Prediction Using Quarterly Financial Statement Data, Journal of Accounting, Auditing Finance, vol. 7, no. 3, pp. 269-285. Ben Jabeur, S 2017, Bankruptcy prediction using Partial Least Squares Logistic Regression, Journal of Retailing Consumer Services, vol. 36, pp. 197-202. BRÃŽNDESCU-OLARIU, D 2016, Assessment of the bankruptcy risk based on the solvency ratio, Theoretical Applied Economics, vol. 23, no. 3, pp. 257-266. Chung, C, Chen, T, Lin, L, Lin, Y, Lin, C 2016, Bankruptcy Prediction Using Cerebellar Model Neural Networks, International Journal of Fuzzy Systems, vol. 18, no. 2, pp. 160-167. Mohammed, S 2016, Bankruptcy Prediction Using the Altman Z-score Model in Oman: A Case Study of Raysut Cement Company SAOG and its subsidiaries, Australasian Accounting Business Finance Journal, vol. 10, no. 4, pp. 70-80.

Advertisements and other sources Essay

1/ To what extent do you believe that individuals are responsible for their own weight (or in the case of children, parents or guardians)? I believe that individuals should be responsible for their own weight. It is true that advertisements and other sources of marketing influences people. However, such sources by no means force people to eat a particular product. It is people who ultimately choose what they are willing to buy and eat. In case of children, it should be the responsibility of parents and guardians to monitor their eating habits. A grown up adult, however, can take the responsibility of his own action. 2/ In your opinion, should the food and restaurant industries be held liable for the rise of obesity, or not? In my opinion, the food and restaurant industries should not be held liable for the rise of obesity. The reason is as I stated in question 1; the individuals are responsible for their own weight. That means if they have obesity, they would be responsible for that themselves. No one forces them to eat, so that they eat foods they like with their own risk. 3/ If you were a manager for a fast food chain or food company, what actions would you take with respect to obesity, if any? If I were a manager for a fast food chain or food company, possible actions I can take include offering healthy food options, fully disclosing the nutritional and caloric content of products to customers, and refraining from advertising directed at children. 4/ What do you think is the best solution to the obesity epidemic? what role can the food and restaurant industries, trial attorneys, government policymakers and regulators, and individual consumers play in a solution, if any? All four have a part to play in any solution. The food and restaurant industry can support initiatives to develop and market healthy food options and to fully disclose the nutritional and caloric content of products to customers. Actions by trial attorneys can have a deterrent effect, prompting companies to take action to reduce their potential legal liability. Government regulatory agencies can provide information on nutrition and health to the public and can establish labeling and information disclosure rules. Another approach is for policymakers to adopt laws shielding producers and retailers of food from lawsuits by obese customersNutritio

Modern Relevance of “The Birthmark”

Modern Relevance of â€Å"The Birthmark† â€Å"The Birthmark† is a fable created by Hawthorne that conveys his viewpoint towards the use of science to contradict the laws of nature. The fable also includes commentary on the depiction of men and women in society, along with their presumed roles. Both of these themes in my opinion are even more relevant today than when the story was written. Hawthorne disapproves of science used as a tool to tamper with living beings, for they are not meant to be perfect.This is illustrated in Georgiana’s death after Aylmer attempts to experiment on her: â€Å"As the last crimson tint of the birthmark–that sole token of human imperfection–faded from her cheek, the parting breath of the now perfect woman passed into the atmosphere†¦Ã¢â‚¬ . The implied moral is that attempting to contradict what is originally intended is unethical and will lead to disastrous results. Hawthorne uses the character Aylmer to exempli fy the people who abuse science as a means to control nature.In modern sciences, â€Å"controlling nature† has become the essence of the medical field, progressing to the extreme of cheating death. Hawthorne’s opinion is echoed in the controversies today regarding methods such as stem cell research or cloning, as common arguments point to its immorality and the eventual disaster. The story is an exaggeration that was intended to be almost humorous, although I believe Hawthorne must have had the notion that his fear would someday become commonly practiced and even encouraged. The Birthmark† at a glance might appear to be supporting the stereotypical gender roles of the era. Hawthorne portrays Aylmer as the pragmatic husband and leader, while Georgiana is his complement as the obedient wife. However I believe Hawthorne is using satire to imply just the opposite. Georgiana is deemed to be Aylmer’s intellectual equal; as she was able to read through his experi ments and understand his successes and failures.She also understands Aylmer’s greatest flaw, which he himself can never comprehend, and that is his doomed strive for perfection: â€Å"With her whole spirit she prayed that, for a single moment, she might satisfy his highest and deepest conception. Longer than one moment she well knew it could not be; for his spirit was ever on the march, ever ascending†¦ requiring something that was beyond the scope of the instant before. † Georgiana’s death in the end is the result of her choice to obey Aylmer, even though she knew of his insane obsession and faulty judgement.I believe Hawthorne is making a statement on the folly of intelligent women bending to the ridiculous whims of their husbands, while they’re perfectly capapble of making decisions themselves. This theme translates easily for many modern readers who continue to resist the residual expectation of women being subordinate to men. The rigid role of a woman that Georgiana fits into is still recognizable to us, but it is the intelligence and the small streak of independence she possesses that we can relate to. In the end we lament that she did not take a greater stand for herself, as many would have done today.