Difference between revisions of "Disillusion - dissolution"
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| − | Except in careful speech, these are [[homophones]], and so a writer in a hurry can confuse them. (The careful speaker will voice the second ‘ si ’ in '''disillu<u>s</u>ion''', with the same sound as in ‘confu<u>s</u>ion’ | + | Except in careful speech, these are [[homophones]], and so a writer in a hurry can confuse them. (The careful speaker will voice the second ‘ si ’ in '''disillu<u>s</u>ion''', with the same sound as in ‘confu<u>s</u>ion’ {{IPA|Ê’}}. The ‘ ti ’ in '''dissolu<u>t</u>ion''' is unvoiced, like the sound in ‘atten<u>t</u>ion’ {{IPA|ʃ}}.) It may help you to distinguish them to note their etymology. |
| − | * To '''disillusion''' is a [[verb]] meaning ‘to take the illusion away from’. It is built from the [[prefix]] '''dis''' , which has one ‘ s ’, and the [[noun]] '''illusion''', which does not start with ‘ s ’. So '''disillusion''' has only one ‘ s ’ in its first syllable. (The related noun is '''disillusionment'''.) | + | * To '''disillusion''' is a [[verb]] meaning ‘to take the illusion away from’. It is built from the [[prefix]] '''dis-''' , which has one ‘ s ’, and the [[noun]] '''illusion''', which does not start with ‘ s ’. So '''disillusion''' has only one ‘ s ’ in its first syllable. (The related noun is '''disillusionment'''.) |
* '''dissolution''' is a noun from the verb to '''dissolve'''. That in turn is built from '''dis''' (one ‘ s ’) and '''solve''', which starts with ‘ s ’. So '''dissolution''' has two ‘ s ’s in the first syllable. | * '''dissolution''' is a noun from the verb to '''dissolve'''. That in turn is built from '''dis''' (one ‘ s ’) and '''solve''', which starts with ‘ s ’. So '''dissolution''' has two ‘ s ’s in the first syllable. | ||
Revision as of 23:35, 3 April 2008
Except in careful speech, these are homophones, and so a writer in a hurry can confuse them. (The careful speaker will voice the second ‘ si ’ in disillusion, with the same sound as in ‘confusion’ IPA: /ʒ/. The ‘ ti ’ in dissolution is unvoiced, like the sound in ‘attention’ IPA: /ʃ/.) It may help you to distinguish them to note their etymology.
- To disillusion is a verb meaning ‘to take the illusion away from’. It is built from the prefix dis- , which has one ‘ s ’, and the noun illusion, which does not start with ‘ s ’. So disillusion has only one ‘ s ’ in its first syllable. (The related noun is disillusionment.)
- dissolution is a noun from the verb to dissolve. That in turn is built from dis (one ‘ s ’) and solve, which starts with ‘ s ’. So dissolution has two ‘ s ’s in the first syllable.
