BC
Oldies but Goodies
"For all Your goodness I will keep on singing, ten thousand reasons for my heart to find."
Posts: 1,169
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Post by BC on Dec 19, 2014 11:58:13 GMT -5
Okay, so, this is probably an odd question.  Without looking it up, do you know the difference between the words - "Illusive" and "Elusive"? There's no wrong answer, I'm just needed to know so that I can write something in such a way that it's understandable to the majority of folks. I wrote "Illusive" and my editor husband flagged it and said that it's meaning is sometimes unclear b/c not everyone understands that there is a difference between the two words. (Illusive and elusive.) He said that the word "illusive" isn't often used b/c of that misunderstanding. (I guess authors don't want to be misunderstood, so they opt not use the word at all. ?) That was news to me. I use the word all of the time. Anyway, just wondering if the audience that I'm submitting it to for publishing (which is similar to this audience) feels similarly. ? Thank you! :hug: |
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paliz
Oldies but Goodies
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Post by paliz on Dec 19, 2014 12:23:57 GMT -5
Off the top of my head, I don't know the difference. My oldest just stood here and made an educated guess that sounds right. I must say I have never seen illusive in anything I have read.
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Post by kidsandpets on Dec 19, 2014 13:33:07 GMT -5
I don't think I've ever seen the word "illusive" used either. I can make a guess to its meaning but would not know without looking it up - although the context of where you used it would probably help too.
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cshoremom
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“What can you do to promote world peace? Go home and love your family.” ― Mother Teresa
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Post by cshoremom on Dec 19, 2014 13:40:58 GMT -5
Elusive..
well… someone who is hiding something is elusive…the truth can be elusive at times...
Illusive…
I have never actually used that word in conversation, but I associate it with fantasy-like things, like unicorns… unicorns are illusive…
Not sure if any of that is correct… just my understanding
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erinjo
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Post by erinjo on Dec 19, 2014 14:31:50 GMT -5
I assume that "illusive" has the same root as "illusion" and would have the same basic meaning? Illusory?
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jdpudge
Oldies but Goodies
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Post by jdpudge on Dec 19, 2014 15:35:43 GMT -5
I believe elusive is something that is hard to catch/find... illusive is just deceptive.
I think? |
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Laney
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Post by Laney on Dec 19, 2014 18:32:45 GMT -5
Off the top of my head, I don't know the difference.
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Post by countrygrl112 on Dec 19, 2014 20:28:48 GMT -5
I didn't even know "illusive" was a word.
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BC
Oldies but Goodies
"For all Your goodness I will keep on singing, ten thousand reasons for my heart to find."
Posts: 1,169
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Post by BC on Dec 19, 2014 22:30:53 GMT -5
Thanks guys, that is helpful. I'm trying to figure out if I should change it. He tells me to keep it b/c it's my voice. But, he's also the one who warned me that it could be misunderstood.  I don't to write something that isn't understandable/relatable. But, I really don't know another word that fits the same way. There are other words that somewhat fit, but none that fit as perfectly as this word does in this context. What to do, what to do. :hmm: :dunno: I feel like I'm in the twilight zone, b/c I don't *think* that I'm normally this out of touch w/ my demographic. I thought that this was a fairly common word.  Thanks a bunch for sharing - that helps me a lot. Helps me to see that I am out of touch, lol. :hug: |
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erinjo
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Post by erinjo on Dec 20, 2014 0:02:33 GMT -5
Can you just use "illusory"? I do think that's more common, and it's practically the same word.
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BC
Oldies but Goodies
"For all Your goodness I will keep on singing, ten thousand reasons for my heart to find."
Posts: 1,169
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Post by BC on Dec 22, 2014 9:41:10 GMT -5
Can you just use "illusory"? I do think that's more common, and it's practically the same word. Funny, b/c I've never seen/heard illusory before. haha. My husband said something similar though, so you're apparently on the right track, lol. Unfortunately, I can't really change it to illusory though and have it still make sense. I'd have to completely rewrite that whole little paragraph...and that paragraph is paramount to the article. The strange thing is -- for this article, as strange as it may sound...if someone did read/internalize it as "elusive", it would still be fairly accurate. Both apply really. As odd as that sounds. My intent is to say "illusive" (as in an illusion), but if it's taken as "elusive" it wouldn't be confusing, it would still be applicable. I think that I'm probably going to leave it. I need to make a decision already though. haha. |
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