This is a guide to help learners to communicate easily in both speech and writing through a better understanding of the English language.
Epic
An epic book, poem or film tells a long story about brave actions and exciting events. An epic event continues for a long time and involves brave or exciting actions. By extension it has been applied to a film or novel resembling an epic and now it is used loosely of any play, film or event which is in any way out of the ordinary.
Epigram
An epigram is a witty and pointed saying briefly expressed. The term is also applied to a short poem dealing with a single subject and usually ending with an amusing or ingenious turn of thought.
S.T. Coleridge in the ‘London Morning Post’ wrote:
“What is an epigram? A dwarfish whole,
Its body brevity, and wit its soul.”
Epigraph / epitaph
An epigraph is a short sentence written on a statue or used as an introduction to a book.
An epitaph is a short piece of writing on the stone over someone’s grave.
Robert Emmet at his trial in 1803 said: “Let there be no inscription upon my tomb. Let no man write my epitaph. I am here ready to die. … Let my character and motives repose in obscurity and peace, till other times and other men can do them justice.”
Epithet
An epithet is a word or short phrase used to describe someone, especially when praising them or saying something unpleasant about them. In ‘Richard the Lion-Heart,’ ‘Lion Heart’ is an epithet. Unfortunately, the word has become a synonym for a term of abuse.
Equitable
‘Equitable’ means ‘treating people in a fair and equal way.’ An equitable decision is just and reasonable.
We should have an equitable distribution of food supplies.
Equally
‘Equally’ means ‘to the same degree or amount.’
You must have a good education, but practical training is equally important.
It also means ‘in equal parts or amounts.’
They agreed to divide the money equally among themselves.
A common mistake is to insert an ‘as’ after ‘equally.’
The sentence ‘Her work was equally as good’ should be written as ‘Her work was equally good.’
-Er / -or endings
‘Er’ is added to English verbs to denote one who does something:
Teach > teacher
Sing > singer
Fight > fighter
Buy > buyer
Win > winner
Protest > protester
The Latin ending ‘or’ is added to verbs formed from Latin stems:
Act > actor
Confess > confessor
Credit > creditor
Protect > protector
Some words of Latin, however, end in ‘er’
Desert > deserter
Dispense > dispenser
Digest > digester
Other verbs can end in either ‘er’ or ‘or’ with a slightly different meaning:
Adapt > adapter or adaptor
Conjure > conjurer or conjuror
Resist > resister or resistor
Eruption / irruption
An eruption is a sudden and violent issuing forth, an outburst or a breaking out.
The Government is concerned about the sudden eruption of violence in the country.
An irruption is a ‘breaking in’ or a violent incursion or invasion.