Page:A Desk-Book of Errors in English.djvu/89

 ; but some people prefer to treat them as elliptical expressions; as, the umbrella is somebody's else (i.e., other than the person previously mentioned)."

embryo: The plural of this word is formed by the adding of "s" not "es" as in potatoes.

emerge, immerge: Discriminate carefully between these terms. To emerge is to come out of; issue or proceed from something; to reappear as in a new state; as, "the butterfly emerges from the chrysalis." To immerge is to plunge into anything, especially a fluid; or to disappear; as, "some heavenly bodies immerge in the light of the sun."

emigrant, immigrant: These words are to be carefully distinguished with regard, not to the person but to the country from which or to which a person comes. The e = ex, out of; the im = in, into. The emigrant from Ireland is an immigrant when he lands in New York.

eminent, imminent: Discriminate carefully between these words. Eminent means distinguished, prominent, conspicuous. Imminent means impending; threatening.

endorse, indorse: From the Latin in, on, and dorsum, back, means to write or place upon the back of. It is therefore pleonastic to say, as is frequently done, "indorse on the back of."

The spelling indorse which follows the medieval Latin is that preferred in law and commerce; 73