illegal And suggest may sound and look alike, but they have different meanings. illegal is an adjective that describes something that is illegal or not allowed, while suggest is a verb that means “to give a response or response.” suggest can be traced back lacemeans “glamorous”, while illegal related to licensemeans “allowed.”
Say them fast—or even slow—separately, and no one will know what you mean. suggest play and illegal play both rhymes with things like clear And accomplice. But apart from being visually indistinguishable, they are used very differently.
How to use ‘illegal’
illegal is an adjective applied to no-nos. It is used to talk about things that people should not do. Something illegal is not allowed especially because it is illegal:
… Silk Road, a black market where users can buy and sell drugs and other illegal items, often using bitcoin. — reason magazine July 1, 2018
Three years ago, when James joined Ghana’s anti-smuggling task force, his job was to intercept illegal cocoa shipments from neighboring Ivory Coast to protect the high quality of the land’s coffee beans. England. — Joe Bavier, ReutersJuly 28, 2014
The word is also sometimes used to evoke a mood regarding what is not allowed:
… before 1920, women were hesitant to drink in public with men, but the glamorous illegal atmosphere of the talks lifted that taboo. — Celia Wren, common prosperitySeptember 23, 2011
illegal can be useful as an alternative to the word illegal:
He is said to have brought a number of illegal weapons and illegal drugs off the street. —Jason Anderson, Record (Stockton, California)February 23, 2013
But, like its synonym illegal, illegal also describes what may be legal but still not allowed, especially since it falls outside the ethical standards:
As the 1950s began, sex was still an illegal topic in America. —David Halberstam, American HeritageMay/June 1993
It is sometimes used somewhat mischievously:
Just call them Romeo and Zoo-liet: a male zebra jumps over a fence in an Italian animal sanctuary to mate with its seemingly illegitimate lover, a female donkey. Their biological children? One zonkey, of course, that the zoo keepers quickly named Ippo. Alas, her eccentric DNA means she’s infertile, so don’t expect a zonkeydonk. —TimeAugust 12, 2013
How to use ‘Elect’
suggest, on the other hand, is a verb. In modern English, it is used to talk about calling or giving feedback or response from someone:
During the concert (which was amazing), the lead singer made some impromptu speeches about kindness and acceptance, causing the crowd to roar with approval. — Sherri Leimkuhler, Carroll County Times (Maryland)September 15, 2018
Three lost souls with heartbreaking stories find their way to support groups on the Internet, where they gain sympathy from like-minded people. — Denise Grady, New York TimesApril 23, 1998
The original meaning of the word, “to draw or bring out (something latent or potential),” is less common but still current:
In a side experiment, the researchers treated a sample of Merlot with benzothiadiazole—a hormone known to activate plant defenses—which nearly tripled Merlot’s melatonin levels. —Jacob Gaffney, wine drinkerOctober 15, 2006
Origins of ‘Illegal’ and ‘Hint’
The Latin ancestry of this pair is also easy to confuse. suggest from elicitation, illegal from illegality. But going back a little further, we see that suggest trace back elicitation ARRIVE lacemeans “glamorous,” while illegality finally come from license, which means “allowed.” (License there is another English descendant in legalmeans “allowed by law”—reasonably, an antonym of illegal.)
And there we have it: two words that sound the same and look alike, but have very different uses. Remember illegal is an adjective and suggest is a verb and you will be safe. Right? Well, uh, not quite. While we wouldn’t go so far as to say that the language is intentionally confusing, the distinction seems too obvious for English: it turns out that suggest also exists in adjective form, although in archaic adjective form. suggest as an adjective describing an action derived from the will:
Finally, fasting is a virtuous act; it was a clear and proper act of moderation… — Jeremy Taylor, Rule of conscience1828
Induced action is the opposite of forced action, which is ordered rather than chosen.
We understand whether this last piece of information will make our readers sigh and groan, but we don’t accept the blame for the language’s incomprehensibleness.
Categories: Usage Notes
Source: vothisaucamau.edu.vn
