Working with words that sound alike requires special care. A colleague of mine once made a mistake when she used the word carrot rather than caret [...] We all know homonyms and homophones create confusion, error, and misunderstanding. Even those of us who decades ago mastered there, their, and they're, and to, two, and too, and the ever-fatal its and it's will at times confuse them during hasty and automatic typing. So homonymphobia should extend to experienced writers using sophisticated language. I remember the day I used the word discrete (distinct) when I meant discreet (prudent). At the time, I did not know they were different words […]
