The great health care debate has cast a spotlight on egregious horrors that millions of Americans face everyday. I am, of course, referring to improper word choice. Nothing says “please silently judge me” like interchanging the words insure, ensure and assure.
Sure, the insure/ensure/assure triumvirate is one of those quirks of the English language that have ESL-ers lamenting what a difficult language it is to learn. That’s no excuse! I’ve seen insure, ensure, and assure interchanged in BOOKS! Honest to goodness BOOKS! Produced by publishers, with editors! And not your Danielle Steele fare, quality books that should know better! So here it is America. A primer. Because it’s good for you and good for the country.
Insure: Is only used when there is a financial agreement. Did you sign a paper offering a payout to your friends when you insured them that Up In the Air was completely overrated? No? You didn’t? Then you didn’t insure them.
Ensure: Is kind of like a promise but you know, without all the legal hassles that go along with it if things don’t actually work out the way you say they would. For example, airlines say they are doing everything they can to ensure that their extra fees are helping them provide you with better service and avoid bankruptcy. Boy are they ever!
Assure: Is used then you’re actually telling someone something…it’s essentially a one-word way of saying “I want you to feel good about and totally believe whatever it is I’m about to tell you” as in “I assure you I won’t lay a hand on your daughter because I know you are trained in the martial arts.”
English! Love it or mangle it to pieces!
Tags: BUSTED!