Sunday, August 30, 2015

Hostel & Hostile

Yes, I'm aware that Hostile can be pronounced with the long I sound instead, if you prefer. Either way, I think we all know who ends up with top bunk here.

Sunday, August 23, 2015

Lean & Lien

Our legal friend is back, apparently with some kind of claim against the leaning tower of Pisa. Good luck with that. I don't think this is the last we'll see of him, though.
(edit 8/29/15) Looks like I forgot to include the description of Lean as in "thin." I suppose the fact that the tower is a pretty thin building will have to suffice. Works for me.

Sunday, August 9, 2015

Chile, Chili, Chilly

OK, I'm not trying to be misleading here, but this – like most things – is complicated. Chile, with an E, is what we call a hot pepper. That's the only definition for that spelling. However, chile is an alternate spelling of chili, with an I, which can mean the same thing. But chili with an I is also what we call the meat/beans meal often made with chiles. Make sense? To sum up:
Chile always means pepper.
The meal is always spelled chili.
Chili can also mean pepper. (That's why I decorated the bowl with chilis in the pic.)
Chilly, y'know, just means cold.
And Chile is a country in South America, which I'm not including here because I don't do proper nouns, and half the people I know pronounce it CHEE-lay anyway.