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Grammar Moses: All right, already! Today you get plenty of options

In the spirit of getting to the point, I will launch into an olio of malapropisms, bad abbreviations, similar words that tend to be used interchangeably and words that you won't find in most dictionaries.

Without further ado:

All right, already!

Contrary to what you might see on your TV screen or in the liner notes of your favorite album, "alright" is not a word. "All right" is the phrase you seek.

"Already" is a word, but make sure you don't use it when you mean "all ready."

"Already" means that something has happened.

It's already past my bed time.

"All ready" means something is set to go.

I'm all ready for the concert tonight.

Option vs. alternative

If I am taking I-90 to get to Arlington Heights from Carpentersville (as I do every day) and traffic begins to crawl, I could exit and wend my way to Route 72 or Golf Road or Algonquin Road and take them the rest of the way.

How many options do I have to get to Arlington? FOUR. I-90, Route 72, Golf and Algonquin.

But when traffic backs up on the tollway, how many alternatives do I have?

THREE. An alternative is something other than the option I am taking.

Preform

I often hear people use "preform" to mean they will complete a task or play the guitar.

The word is perform.

To preform something, you form it in advance.

Should of

Who hasn't heard a loved one say, "I should of known" or "I shouldn't of let Grandma walk home from the casino alone."?

You get my point.

It's should have, not should of.

Bartend

There are upstart online dictionaries that include "bartend" as a verb, but the big boys don't. Not yet, anyway.

A bartender tends bar.

Fundraise also is gaining traction as a verb, but Merriam-Webster hasn't accepted it yet.

My personal preference is to say someone is raising funds. And that someone is a fundraiser.

Those constructions are logical.

However, a baby sitter baby-sits. One does not sit babies.

Although it is in conflict with tending bar and raising funds, sitting babies isn't easy to visualize.

I suspect that bartend will come into its own before too long. It seems to be gathering steam.

Infer

The difference between imply and infer is a matter of perspective.

I might imply something to you, but your understanding of what I said is what you infer.

Flaunt

Someone who just inherited Uncle Joe's millions might flaunt his newfound wealth by driving around in a diamond-encrusted Mercedes, but the person who wears a donkey T-shirt to a Tea Party rally is flouting (showing contempt for) the crowd.

Queue

One takes one's cue from the conductor. But if you're waiting in line for the American Eagle at Six Flags, you form a queue.

Write carefully!

• Jim Baumann is assistant vice president/managing editor of the Daily Herald. Write him at jbaumann@dailyherald.com. Put Grammar Moses in the subject line. You also can follow or friend Jim on social media at facebook.com/baumannjim.

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