10 misused words that make smart people look stupid

10 misused words that make smart people look stupid10 misused words that make smart people look stupidWere all tempted to use words that were not too familiar with. We throw them around in meetings, e-mails and important documents (such as resumes and client proposals), and they land, like fingernails across a chalkboard, on everyone who has to hear or read them.No matter how talented you are or what youve accomplished, using words incorrectly can change the way people see you and forever cast you in a negative light. You may not think its a big deal, but if your language is driving people up the wall you need to do something about it.Follow Ladders on FlipboardFollow Ladders magazines on Flipboard covering Happiness, Productivity, Job Satisfaction, Neuroscience, and moreIts the words that we think were using correctly that wreak the fruchtwein havoc because we dont even realize how poorly were coming across. After all,TalentSmarthas tested the emotional intelligence of more than a m illion people and found that self-awareness is the area where most people score the lowest.Were all guilty of this from time to time, myself included.When I write, I hire an editor to review my articles before I post them online. Its bad enough to have a roomful of people witness your blunder and something else entirely to stumble in front of 100,000Often, its the words we perceive as being more correct or sophisticated that catch us by surprise when they dont really mean what we think they do. These words have a tendency to make even really smart people stumble.Ironic vs. Coincidental A lot of people get this wrong. If you break your leg the day before a ski trip, thats notironic- itscoincidental(and bad luck).Ironichas several meanings, all of which include some type of reversal of what was expected. Verbal irony is when a part says one thing but clearly means another. Situational irony is when a result is the opposite of what was expected. O. Henry was a master of situational iro ny. In The Gift of the Magi, Jim sells his watch to buy combs for his wifes hair, and she sells her hair to buy a chain for Jims watch. Each character sold something precious to buy a gift for the other, but those gifts were intended for what the other person sold. That is true irony.If you break your leg the day before a ski trip, thatscoincidental.If you drive up to the mountains to ski, and there was more snow back at your house, thatsironic.Affect vs. Effect To make these words even more confusing than they already are, both can be used as either a noun or a verb.Lets start with the verbs.Affectmeans to influence something or someoneeffectmeans to accomplish something. Your job wasaffectedby the organizational restructuring but These changes will beeffectedon Monday.As a noun, aneffectis the result of something The sunny weather had a hugeeffecton sales. Its almost always the right choice because the nounaffectsrefers to an emotional state and is rarely used outside of psycholog ical circles The patientsaffectwas flat.Lie vs. Lay Were all pretty clear on theliethat means an untruth. Its the other usage that trips us up.Liealso means to recline Why dont youliedown and rest?Layrequires an object Laythe book on the table.Lieis something you can do by yourself, but you need an object tolay.Its more confusing in the past tense. The past tense oflieis- you guessed it- lay I lay down for an hour brde night. And the past tense oflayis laid Ilaidthe book on the table.Accept vs. Except These two words sound similar but have very different meanings.Acceptmeans to receive something willingly His momacceptedhis explanation or Sheacceptedthe gift graciously.Exceptsignifies exclusion I can attend every meetingexceptthe one next week.To help you remember, note that bothexceptandexclusionbegin withex.Bring vs. Take Bringandtakeboth describe transporting something or someone from one place to another, but the correct usage depends on the speakers point of view. Somebodybring ssomething to you, but youtakeit to somewhere else Bringme the mail, thentakeyour shoes to your room.Just remember, if the movement is toward you, usebringif the movement is away from you, usetake.Bringing It All TogetherEnglish grammar can be tricky, and, a lot of times, the words that sound right are actually wrong. With words such as those above, you just have to memorize the rules so that when you are about to use them, youll catch yourself in the act and know for certain that youve written or said the right one.What other words do people have trouble with? Please share them (and your thoughts) in the comments section below, as I learn just as much from you as you do from me.This article first appeared on Linkedin.You might also enjoyNew neuroscience reveals 4 rituals that will make you happyStrangers know your social class in the first seven words you say, study finds10 lessons from Benjamin Franklins daily schedule that will double your productivityThe worst mistakes you can m ake in an interview, according to 12 CEOs10 habits of mentally strong people