# Words one can get confused **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [September 18, 2022, 8:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-one-can-get-confused/971772 "2022-09-18T20:10:31Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 21
**Author:** ![DPRK](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/4491bb/32.png) [@DPRK](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DPRK)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2023, 3:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-one-can-get-confused/971772/404 "2023-05-28T15:28:00Z")
Sure, but, either way, unlike some of the other examples I did not see this one misused in print; I heard it (correctly) spoken and it occurred to me that the two words are pronounced exactly, or at least almost exactly, the same. ---
**Author:** ![eburacum45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eburacum45/32/8690_2.png) [@eburacum45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eburacum45)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2023, 3:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-one-can-get-confused/971772/405 "2023-05-28T15:52:48Z")
> [@TriPolar](#): > > Vise - A device to hold objects in place > Vice - Immoral or criminal behavior or a device to to hold objects in place Note that both words are spelled ‘vice’ in British English. ---
**Author:** ![Railer13](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/railer13/32/9742_2.png) [@Railer13](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Railer13)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2023, 6:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-one-can-get-confused/971772/406 "2023-05-28T18:20:12Z")
> [@TriPolar](#): > > Vise - A device to hold objects in place > Vice - Immoral or criminal behavior or a device to to hold objects in place If you add ‘ad’ at the beginning of each of these, you get two new words that are similar in meaning, but pronounced differently. ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2023, 8:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-one-can-get-confused/971772/407 "2023-05-28T20:16:18Z")
> [@Railer13](#): > > If you add ‘ad’ at the beginning of each of these, you get two new words that are similar in meaning, but pronounced differently. You are advising appropriate advice. Advise: To suggest useful information Advice: The useful information ---
**Author:** ![DPRK](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/4491bb/32.png) [@DPRK](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DPRK)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2023, 1:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-one-can-get-confused/971772/408 "2023-05-29T13:29:44Z")
**biltong** : dried meat strips **Bintang** : Indonesian beer ---
**Author:** ![Lumpy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lumpy/32/446_2.png) [@Lumpy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lumpy)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2023, 10:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-one-can-get-confused/971772/409 "2023-05-29T22:01:05Z")
I’ve never encountered the second word before, but they don’t look that confusable. ---
**Author:** ![DPRK](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/4491bb/32.png) [@DPRK](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DPRK)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2023, 8:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-one-can-get-confused/971772/410 "2023-06-03T08:54:37Z")
**faun** : a rustic mythological creature **fawn** : a young cervid [**cervid** : a deer / **corvid** : a crow] ---
**Author:** ![DPRK](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/4491bb/32.png) [@DPRK](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DPRK)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2023, 8:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-one-can-get-confused/971772/411 "2023-06-03T08:58:30Z")
**silicon** : a blue-grey element **silicone** : a polymer made of compounds of silicon ---
**Author:** ![markn\_1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f9ae1b/32.png) [@markn\_1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/markn_1)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2023, 5:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-one-can-get-confused/971772/412 "2023-06-03T17:57:08Z")
I am amused when I hear someone talk about “Silicone Valley”. I imagine it’s someplace populated by large-breasted women. ---
**Author:** ![Thudlow\_Boink](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thudlow_boink/32/320_2.png) [@Thudlow\_Boink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thudlow_Boink)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2023, 6:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-one-can-get-confused/971772/413 "2023-06-03T18:51:57Z")
> [@markn\_1](#): > > “Silicone Valley”. I imagine it’s someplace populated by large-breasted women. I’m sure there must be a porno with that title. ---
**Author:** ![bibliophage](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bibliophage/32/7615_2.png) [@bibliophage](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bibliophage)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2023, 7:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-one-can-get-confused/971772/414 "2023-06-03T19:59:32Z")
**apprise** : to inform someone of something **appraise** : to estimate the value of something ---
**Author:** ![Lumpy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lumpy/32/446_2.png) [@Lumpy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lumpy)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2023, 8:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-one-can-get-confused/971772/415 "2023-06-03T20:57:31Z")
> [@Thudlow\_Boink](#): > > > [@markn\_1](#): > > > > “Silicone Valley”. I imagine it’s someplace populated by large-breasted women. > > I’m sure there must be a porno with that title. I’m sure there’s some real-life location that has that nickname. ---
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2023, 9:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-one-can-get-confused/971772/416 "2023-06-03T21:33:45Z")
Given that the US porn industry was historically (AKA pre-internet) centered in the San Fernando Valley area of Southern California, I’m pretty sure “silicone valley” was a moniker in the industry from way back when. Here in coastal SoFL we’re fresh out of valleys, except the preternaturally deep ones between silicone enhancements that often seem more common than the natural kind. We’re Silicone [Something] that’s for sure. Perhaps “Silicone Central”? The Silicone Peninsula? ---
**Author:** ![Lumpy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lumpy/32/446_2.png) [@Lumpy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lumpy)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2023, 9:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-one-can-get-confused/971772/417 "2023-06-03T21:58:50Z")
Pensilicona? ---
**Author:** ![suranyi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e36b37/32.png) [@suranyi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/suranyi)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2023, 10:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-one-can-get-confused/971772/418 "2023-06-03T22:56:08Z")
For years I thought the Debussy piece “Afternoon of a Faun” was about a baby deer. ---
**Author:** ![Briny\_Deep](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/briny_deep/32/17188_2.png) [@Briny\_Deep](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Briny_Deep)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2023, 12:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-one-can-get-confused/971772/419 "2023-06-04T00:07:33Z")
Viola: a stringed musical instrument related to the violin. _Voilà_: from the French, an exclamation meaning “there it is” or “see here.” Pronounced /(v)wɑˈlɑ/, except by me. I always say “viola,” to avoid Frenchified pretention and also to amuse myself. ---
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2023, 12:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-one-can-get-confused/971772/420 "2023-06-04T00:57:45Z")
I always spell the latter as Viola! and pronounce accordingly. IMO if one is to spell the exclamation _Voilà_ as the French do, but one wishes to inject some Yankee irreverence, it should be pronounced like it’s spelled but ignoring those silly accent thingies no real English / 'Murkan speaker would use: “VOE-Ee-luh” or maybe VOE-Eye-luh". ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2023, 5:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-one-can-get-confused/971772/421 "2023-06-05T05:00:35Z")
I use the less confusing form ‘wah-lah’. ---
**Author:** ![Lumpy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lumpy/32/446_2.png) [@Lumpy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lumpy)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2023, 2:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-one-can-get-confused/971772/422 "2023-06-05T14:01:11Z")
French is an attempt to have a language that has no actual consonants or vowels, only a series of accents. 😛 ---
**Author:** ![bibliophage](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bibliophage/32/7615_2.png) [@bibliophage](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bibliophage)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2023, 4:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-one-can-get-confused/971772/423 "2023-06-05T16:45:19Z")
**on route** : along a (particular) path, road, or highway. “There were many motels on Route 66.” **en route** : on the way. “We were en route to Los Angeles on Route 66.” [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-one-can-get-confused/971772.md?page=20) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-one-can-get-confused/971772.md?page=22)