Homophones in any language are challenging. Variant spellings corresponding to similar sounds make writing mastery a tricky process, especially for non-native learners. In English alone, homophones are such a common cause of confusion that I believed it must be the most homophone-heavy language.
However, a few Google searches later, I discovered that while the topic is hotly debated, English is not even in the running. Either way, the point remains that there are plenty of confusing phrases to trip up English writers. Here, we will discuss some common phrases that are often spelled wrong.
As always, correct spellings will be in green and incorrect spellings will be in red.
Bated Breath vs. Baited Breath
The phrase bated breath is used to describe someone holding their breath in apprehension or suspense. However, many people mistakenly write baited breath instead. The phrase doesn’t seem to make much sense (how can breath be used as bait?), but compared to a seeming nonsense word ‘bated’ it might appear justifiable.
The answer lies with famed British playwright William Shakespeare. To maintain poetic rhythm, Shakespeare would often shorten or abbreviate words spoken by his characters. The phrase bated breath was first used in his play ‘The Merchant of Venice’. It is spoken by the character Shylock to Antonio, pointing out the irony that the man he once insulted is now the one he asks for a loan.
Shall I bend low and in a bondman’s key,
With bated breath and whispering humbleness, Say this;
“Fair sir, you spit on me on Wednesday last;
You spurn’d me such a day; another time
You call’d me dog; and for these courtesies
I’ll lend you thus much moneys”?
Here, ‘bated’ is an abbreviated form of ‘abated’, meaning diminished or reduced. In that way, bated breath is fairly direct in its meaning, only filtered through centuries-old prose.
Example:
The patient waited with bated breath for the doctor to deliver the prognosis.
Pique My Interest vs Peak My Interest
When a person refers to something that piques their interest, what they mean is that the subject has captured their interest, typically in a casual or superficial way. So why the strange spelling? Surely it would make sense for interest to ‘peak out’ so to speak at the emergence of something compelling. What is the story behind this odd word?
Unfortunately, this phrase has a mundane history. It is simply a normal case of lesser-known words causing confusion. The verb form of ‘pique’ can mean to stimulate interest or curiosity. Thus, while the phrase is often used without fully comprehending it, the assumed meaning is entirely correct. Furthermore, because the phrase is a grammatically simple application of a regular verb, it can be conjugated to fit any description, not just ‘pique my interest’.
Example:
It piques my interest, and it piques your interest, but their interest may not be piqued.
Expatriate vs. Ex-Patriot
My favorite homophone confusions are the ones where the misspelling seems to make perfect logical sense. This is certainly true with mistaking expatriate for ex-patriot. The word can be either a noun or verb, the verb form meaning ‘to settle outside one’s native country’, and the noun form describing an individual who does that. If someone were to leave their country and move elsewhere, it would appear their patriotic feelings had diminished. Thus, they would be an ex-patriot.
However, knowing the correct ‘expatriate’ does help you to be correct about several other things. For one, using ex-patriot as a verb simply would not make much sense. On top of that, the verb form of expatriate pronounces the second syllable with a hard ‘A’ sound (as in ‘ate’). On a separate note, a common abbreviation of the noun form of expatriate is ‘expat’ rather than ‘ex-pat’, which makes far more sense if it’s shortening a single word.
Example:
While Brazil is a notable destination for American medical tourists, it is not a popular country for expatriates due to safety concerns.
Shoo-in vs. Shoe-in
This last phrase is used to describe an individual, often a candidate for a job, who is perceived to have guaranteed success. ‘Shoo-in’ might make about as much or less sense as ‘shoe-in’ on the surface but learning the history of the phrase makes the usage evident.
The term originated with rigged horse races, when other jockeys would purposely lose to ensure a specific winner. In that way, there was no real competition. Shooing an animal means to drive or frighten it away. In a rigged race, the horse may have well been ‘shooed’ across the finish line because the victor was a foregone conclusion. When applied to humans, it means pretty much the same thing, though in today’s usage the negative connotation of cheating no longer applies.
Example:
With a stellar resume and fantastic recommendation, they were a shoo-in for the position.
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