More commonly confused words

Naval/ navel

The adjective naval means having something to do with the navy. The noun navel refers to the place on the abdomen where the umbilical cord was attached before birth. Since these two are sometimes confused in Thai English, it is worth trying to separate words ending with the letters al and those ending with the letters el. The word ending al means having to do with or relating to something, or seeming like something. Some of the most popular examples of words ending with the letters al follow:

• local
• social
• general
• national
• material
• hospital
• individual
• political
• capital
• international
• animal
• central
• final
• official
• personal
• financial
• natural
• professional
• legal
• original
• industrial
• traditional
• physical
• medical
• environmental
• technical

If we remember that naval has things in common with this group of words, then we will be less likely to spell it wrong. Some usage examples:

• To meet its maritime security needs, Indonesia is slowly modernising its naval capabilities.
• First Naval Region sent three ships yesterday to round up 10 Vietnamese fishing trawlers that intruded in Thai waters near Trat’s Koh Kood area early yesterday morning.
• An Indonesian naval patrol vessel found on Monday what the captain said could be the tail of a missing AirAsia jet, the section where the crucial black box voice and flight data recorders are located.
• The naval cooperation is in line with Thailand’s Maritime Security Strategy 2015-2022 completed in October.
• The sea next to the Sattahib Naval Base and the Jook Samed Pier in Chon Buri’s Satahib district is filled with floating jellyfishes.
• Most of us suffer an occasional pain in the abdomen between the breastbone and the navel and in the majority of cases, the cause is indigestion or wind.
• Authorities suspect the elephant died of natural causes because its navel, to which a partial umbilical cord was still attached, was swollen and appeared infected.
• With necklines plunging to the navel, plaid dressed up with pink-splashed fur and bright colours throughout, the collection was entitled “Elsa’s Theatre” in a nod to the Parisian stage of the 1930’s.
• Locals call this spot “Navel of Mekong” and this is the first place where Naga fireballs are seen.
• The final myth is that 14 or 21 doses of rabies vaccine need to be injected around the navels of those bitten by dogs.

In case of continued confusion between two words, if we are certain about the spelling of one of them, then the other one becomes obvious. If we are sure that when something about the navy is being discussed, the correct spelling should be naval, then the spelling of the word associated with the umbilical cord should be clear.

Adopt/ adapt

The verb adopt has many meanings. Among the most popular are to take responsibility for someone or something, from a baby to a pet, and make it part of one’s own family. Adopt can also mean more generally to accept or take on something, as in the phrases to adopt the policy or adopt the view. Another general meaning of the word adopt is to take responsibility for someone or something, without going through the legal procedure of adoption. The word adopt originally derives from two Latin words, ad and optare, meaning to choose. The verb opt, to choose, also has this source, as when people write that they have decided to opt in or opt out of something, or opt not to do it. It means they chose to participate or not. If we keep in mind this common origin, then the spelling of the word adopt should be clear. By contrast, the verb adapt means to fix something to make it fit a certain situation. Something that has been adapted has been changed, as when a novel is adapted into a film. The verb adapt has a different Latin origin than adopt.  Originally adapt derived from the Latin word adaptare, or to fit with something. It is not necessary to remember Latin origins of words. Instead, we may tell ourselves a little story that the words adopt and choose have something in common, the letter o in the middle. That way we may not forget that adopt has something to do with choice. The word adapt may be spelled right if we keep in mind the simple convenience that all international travellers know about, an adapter. An adapter makes it possible to plug in electrical devices in countries where the electrical current is different. This item, which helps to fit or fix the current used by the machine, reminds us of the meaning of the word adapt, and why it is different from adopt. Usage examples:

• Farmers in Cambodia create new tools to adapt to climate change.
• Social media forcing journalists to adapt to changing times.
• Thai firms urged to adapt to e-commerce trend.
• Marketers and brands should adapt their communication strategy to the new reality of the digital and real worlds converging seamlessly with more tech-savvy consumers, according to MRM//McCann.
• Plants adapt to climate change better than many thought: study.
• Magazine publishers must adapt to survive in light of fast-changing media landscape.
• Asian universities adopt strategies to boost rankings.
• Japan must adopt a strategic approach to deal with aggressive Chinese intent.
• Vietnam, which is among the countries most vulnerable to climate change, seems set to adopt green buildings, according to analysts.
• Last week’s conclusion that the network rental service of BFKT (Thailand) to CAT Telecom does not breach the telecom law, and the national telecom watchdog’s plan to issue network rental regulations, are expected to set the stage for other companies, including Advanced Info Service (AIS), to adopt the BFKT model to offer telecom services.
• People in the Mekong region and other parts of Asia will fully benefit from the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) only if the bank adopts proper mechanisms and effectively safeguards social and environmental impacts, experts said.
• Siam Cement Group will adopt US-based Jive Software to transform the way the 100-year-old Thai organisation gets work done.
• Enthusiasts will be able to adopt a large standing, sitting, reclining or hanging panda for Bt1,600, a medium version for Bt1,200 or a small model for Bt800.

(All images courtesy of Wikimedia Commons.)