*1. Use words in their proper sense.* Write, not “His apparent guilt justified his friends in disowning him,” but “his evident guilt.”
“Conscious” and “aware,” “unnatural” and “supernatural,” “transpire” and “occur,” “circumstance” and “event,” “reverse” and “converse,” “eliminate” and “elicit,” are often confused together.
This rule forbids the use of the same word in different senses. “It is in my power to refuse your request, and since I have power to do this, I may lawfully do it.”
Here the second “power” is used for “authority.” This rule also forbids the slovenly use of “nice,” “awfully,” “delicious,” “glorious,” &c. See
(2). *2. Avoid exaggerations.* “The boundless plains in the heart of the empire furnished inexhaustible supplies of corn, that would have almost sufficed for twice the population.” Here “inexhaustible” is inconsistent with what follows. The words “unprecedented,” “incalculable,” “very,” and “stupendous” are often used in the same loose way.
*3. Avoid useless circumlocution and “fine writing.”* “Her Majesty here partook of lunch.” Write “lunched.” “Partook of” implies sharing, and is incorrect as well as lengthy.
So, do not use “apex” for “top,” “species” for “kind,” “individual” for “man,” “assist” for “help,” &c. *4. Be careful how you use the following words: “not ... and,” “any,” “only,” “not ... or,” “that.”*[5] *And.* See below, “Or.” *Any.*
“I am not bound to receive any messenger that you send.” Does this mean every, or a single? Use “every” or “a single.” *Not.*
(1) “I do not intend to help you, because you are my enemy &c.” ought to mean (2), “I intend not to help you, and my reason for not helping you is, because you are my enemy.” But it is often wrongly used to mean
(3), “I intend to help you, not because you are my enemy (but because you are poor, blind, &c.).” In the latter case, not ought to be separated from intend.
By distinctly marking the limits to which the influence of not extends, the ambiguity may be removed. *Only* is often used ambiguously for alone.
“The rest help me to revenge myself; you only advise me to wait.” This ought to mean, “you only advise, instead of helping;” but in similar sentences “you only” is often used for “you alone.” But see 21. *Or.*
When “or” is preceded by a negative, as “I do not want butter or honey,” “or” ought not, strictly speaking, to be used like “and,” nor like “nor.”
The strict use of “not ... or” would be as follows: “You say you don't want both butter and honey you want butter or honey; I, on the contrary, do not want butter or honey I want them both.”
