# 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:** 51
**Author:** ![needscoffee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/needscoffee/32/1076_2.png) [@needscoffee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/needscoffee)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2025, 5:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-one-can-get-confused/971772/1004 "2025-05-15T05:09:54Z")
> [@LSLGuy](#): > > There are three San Jose’s Do you know the way to them? ---
**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 15, 2025, 10:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-one-can-get-confused/971772/1005 "2025-05-15T10:07:44Z")
As is the difference between Oakland and Auckland. ---
**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:** [May 15, 2025, 11:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-one-can-get-confused/971772/1006 "2025-05-15T11:38:42Z")
> [@needscoffee](#): > > > [@LSLGuy](#): > > > > There are three San Jose’s > > Do you know the way to them? Yep. Worked to all three. Could probably still find my way there if I had to. 😉 They’re each fun tourist destinations, but very differently so. If you end up in the wrong one, good chance your suitcase isn’t packed for the adventure you’re now going on. ---
**Author:** ![Patx2](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/73ab20/32.png) [@Patx2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Patx2)\ **Post date:** [May 17, 2025, 2:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-one-can-get-confused/971772/1007 "2025-05-17T02:15:50Z")
Interesting because I’m going to have my students do a worksheet on this soon. A few I can remember are: Illicit/elicit Affect/effect Moral/morale ---
**Author:** ![JKellyMap](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jkellymap/32/15880_2.png) [@JKellyMap](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JKellyMap)\ **Post date:** [May 17, 2025, 11:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-one-can-get-confused/971772/1008 "2025-05-17T11:26:08Z")
As a Latin Americanist geographer, I’m embarrassed to ask: what’s the third San José you guys are referring to (besides CA and CR)? ---
**Author:** ![Ignatz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/3be4f8/32.png) [@Ignatz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ignatz)\ **Post date:** [May 17, 2025, 1:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-one-can-get-confused/971772/1009 "2025-05-17T13:57:10Z")
Then there’s the guy who bought a ticket from New York to Oakland (CA) and woke up in Auckland (NZ) ---
**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:** [May 17, 2025, 10:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-one-can-get-confused/971772/1010 "2025-05-17T22:04:57Z")
The city of **[San Jose, California - Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/San_Jose,_California)** has a main airport with the code SJC. The city of **[San José, Costa Rica - Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/San_Jos%C3%A9,_Costa_Rica)** has a main airport with the code SJO. The tricky one is the “county” (roughly) of **[Los Cabos Municipality - Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Los_Cabos_Municipality)** at the southern tip of Baja California. Which “county” has a main airport with the code SJD. The county consists of mostly empty land plus the towns of Cabo San Lucas and San Jose del Cabo and a few small villages. Historically Cabo San Lucas was the main touristy area and most folks called the area “Cabo” or “Cabo San Lucas” and wondered how come the airport code was SJD when there’s no SJ anywhere to be found. The trick is in the other part of that area: the town of San José del Cabo which is the county seat and the town containing the airport. Everyone drives / rides through San José del Cabo to get to the beaches. As time has gone on, more touristy stuff is building in SJDC and it’s now the main growth area for new & trendy everything. ---
**Author:** ![JKellyMap](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jkellymap/32/15880_2.png) [@JKellyMap](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JKellyMap)\ **Post date:** [May 17, 2025, 11:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-one-can-get-confused/971772/1011 "2025-05-17T23:50:33Z")
I see! Thanks. That’s the one part of Mexico I’m not personally familiar with. ---
**Author:** ![AppallingGael](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/b9bd4f/32.png) [@AppallingGael](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AppallingGael)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2025, 1:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-one-can-get-confused/971772/1012 "2025-05-18T01:51:38Z")
> [@DPRK](#): > > **plumb** : vertical; in a vertical direction; a lead weight that indicates a vertical direction > **plum** : a delicious stone fruit > > don’t eat lead… You know what I think is neat? “Plumb” and “gauge” are synonyms, and so, sort of, are “plum” and “gage”. ---
**Author:** ![AppallingGael](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/b9bd4f/32.png) [@AppallingGael](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AppallingGael)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2025, 1:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-one-can-get-confused/971772/1013 "2025-05-18T01:56:37Z")
It was frustrating enough to go to Austria and not find any kangaroos. Then I went to Auckland. ---
**Author:** ![DPRK](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/4491bb/32.png) [@DPRK](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DPRK)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2025, 5:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-one-can-get-confused/971772/1014 "2025-05-18T17:44:50Z")
**special** : exceptional in some quality; exceeding the usual **especial** : exceptionally distinguished; particular ---
**Author:** ![PatrickLondon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/patricklondon/32/4422_2.png) [@PatrickLondon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PatrickLondon)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2025, 1:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-one-can-get-confused/971772/1015 "2025-05-19T13:29:37Z")
Not a common one, I imagine, but I have just seen it in the wild: **inchoate** - (adj.) just begun, not completely formed, or rudimentary instead of **inculcate** - (verb) repetitiously or insistently to urge or force something into someone’s mind, ---
**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:** [May 19, 2025, 11:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-one-can-get-confused/971772/1016 "2025-05-19T23:58:17Z")
**exhausting** : tiring **exhaustive** : comprehensive **bridle** : harness for a horse **bridal** : pertaining to a bride or wedding **career** : (v.) to move rapidly **careen** : to tilt something on its side (especially a ship) or to sway back and forth **carom** : to strike and rebound ---
**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:** [May 20, 2025, 1:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-one-can-get-confused/971772/1017 "2025-05-20T13:29:25Z")
> [@bibliophage](#): > > **career** : (v.) to move rapidly > **careen** : to tilt something on its side (especially a ship) or to sway back and forth > **carom** : to strike and rebound There’s also **Ca-rash** : what happens to a car driver after an excess of careening and caroming. Just don’t make a career of it. 😉 ---
**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:** [May 24, 2025, 12:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-one-can-get-confused/971772/1018 "2025-05-24T12:26:08Z")
**reticent** : inclined not to communicate; taciturn **hesitant** : slow to act; reluctant Yes, I know, most dictionaries also give another newer definition of _reticent_ that makes it a synonym of _hesitant_. But that’s not the original meaning of the word. ---
**Author:** ![RivkahChaya](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rivkahchaya/32/8919_2.png) [@RivkahChaya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RivkahChaya)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2025, 11:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-one-can-get-confused/971772/1019 "2025-05-25T11:52:38Z")
> [@bibliophage](#): > > Yes, I know, most dictionaries also give another newer definition of _reticent_ that makes it a synonym of _hesitant_. But that’s not the original meaning of the word. I care about this, I really do, but I’m to busy fighting to keep the literal meaning of “literal.” ---
**Author:** ![DPRK](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/4491bb/32.png) [@DPRK](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DPRK)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2025, 11:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-one-can-get-confused/971772/1020 "2025-05-25T23:46:02Z")
**gram flour** : made from chickpeas **Graham flour** : made from whole wheat ---
**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:** [May 26, 2025, 3:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-one-can-get-confused/971772/1021 "2025-05-26T15:59:17Z")
**human** : relating to or characteristic of people **humane** : showing consideration for the suffering of others **Africans** , /ˈæf.ɹɪ.kənz/: natives of Africa, or their descendants living elsewhere **Afrikaans** , /ˌæfrɪˈkɑːns/: a language related to Dutch, spoken especially in South Africa and Namibia by a variety of white and non-white ethnic groups **Afrikaners** : white South Africans descended from Dutch settlers who traditionally speak Afrikkaans (or their descendants living in other countries); also called Boers. ---
**Author:** ![RivkahChaya](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rivkahchaya/32/8919_2.png) [@RivkahChaya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RivkahChaya)\ **Post date:** [August 5, 2025, 10:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-one-can-get-confused/971772/1022 "2025-08-05T10:46:00Z")
Because I just saw this in the wild, here’s a pair: mean & average Skip to the end for TL;DR version. Mean is a specific mathematical calculation by which you add up a list of values, and divide by the number of values. A mean can help give you a snapshot of a group of values, but only when a bit of other information is included, like median, mode, and range, because sometimes mean is not very useful when a group has a broad range, or a lot of outliers. Average in common parlance is used interchangeably with mean, but it actually means an estimate of something based on middle values. It comes from a word that used to mean the price paid by shippers for damaged goods, which might be based on a mean of a few similar items, but the key was that the items for the mean were chosen _because they were similar_. You would not take the mean of every item being shipped in that load. You would have many dissimilar items, which would be like statistical outliers. In stats, the mean has to include all outliers, but an average might include only those things two or fewer standard deviations from the mode-- in other words, a mean that excludes outliers. And average therefore involves a bit of opinion, and isn’t mathematical, which is why it isn’t used in stats, but it still is very useful in other ways, and estimating the value of damaged goods is certainly one. **TL;DR** : mean is purely mathematical, used in statistics, and must include all values; average is meant to be a clearer picture in a single word, and looks at all determiners of _typical_ value, partly by excluding outliers. ---
**Author:** ![JKellyMap](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jkellymap/32/15880_2.png) [@JKellyMap](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JKellyMap)\ **Post date:** [August 5, 2025, 11:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-one-can-get-confused/971772/1023 "2025-08-05T11:50:18Z")
> [@RivkahChaya](#): > > It comes from a word that used to mean the price paid by shippers for damaged goods Interesting. Looking it up, I see it’s from an Arabic root (probably). [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-one-can-get-confused/971772.md?page=50) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-one-can-get-confused/971772.md?page=52)