Christian writes:
Hi Snarky. I asked my sister to buy me this t-shirt on Zazzle and she said it would make me a walking grammar fail. I asked her why and she told me to look it up.Your sister has saved you from public mockery, so be very grateful.
Where does this t-shirt go wrong? It mixes up eminent and imminent. These words are commonly confused, even by news editors who should know better.
Examples:
From The Washington Post:
- “He was naked and he wasn’t an eminent danger,” she said.
- Isn't the first step a full freedom from fear that necessitates an elimination of the eminent threat of violence?
- Eminent danger: Scientists are looking into ways to destroy large asteroids heading toward Earth.
Definitions:
- eminent (adj.) - outstanding; of very high rank or status
- imminent (adj.) - immediate; impending; soon to happen
Nifty Mnemonics:
- Imminent and immediate both begin with 'imm-.' The flood poses an imminent danger, so the villagers must evacuate immediately.
- 'His Eminence' is the traditional title for cardinals in the Roman Catholic Church. Cardinals have a high ranking in the church, just under the Pope. His Eminence, Timothy Cardinal Dolan was named Archbishop of New York by Pope Benedict XVI on February 23, 2009.
Corrections:
- "He was naked and he wasn't an imminent danger," she said.
- Isn't the first step a full freedom from fear that necessitates an elimination of the imminent threat of violence?
- Imminent danger: Scientists are looking into ways to destroy large asteroids heading toward Earth.
