Avoiding spelling mistakes.

Electronics, Electrical   

All students and ajarns of electrical engineering want to spell the word electrical correctly. Anyone in the Faculty of Engineering needs to know how to spell the word electronics as well, in addition to such words as microelectronics and opto-electronics. Yet in Thai English, the words electronics and electrical are sometimes seen wrongly spelled as electonics and electical. There may be more than one reason for these mistakes. Carelessness is one obvious cause. They may also be caused by a common approach to spelling Thai English, where writers try to reproduce the way they think the word should sound. Since they are not sure of correct pronunciation in standard English, and often leave out consonants when speaking, the resulting word also lacks important consonants. As we know, electronics is the science of controlling electrical energy, using electrons. Electronics deals with electrical circuits. The science of electronics is part of physics and electrical engineering. Note that many of the words mentioned in the previous sentences are based on the same source. Electronics means having to do with electrons. The noun electron was named in the 1890s by Dr. George Johnstone Stoney, an Irish physicist. He defined the term electron as the fundamental unit quantity of electricity. Dr. Stoney invented this term by combining two much older words, the adjective electric and the noun ion. The word electric dates back to the 1640s, to describe substances which attract other substances when they are rubbed. The noun ion describes an atom or molecule in which the total number of electrons is not equal to the total number of protons, giving the atom or molecule a net positive or negative electrical charge. This concept was introduced in the 1830s by the English physicist and chemist Michael Faraday from Greek words meaning to go. Ions go toward the electrode of opposite charge.

A relatively limited number of words in English start with the letters electri. They include:

electric

electrical

electrically

electrician

electricity

By contrast, many words in English begin with the letters electro. Some of the most familiar of these include:

electroacoustic

electroanalysis

electrocardiogram

electrocardiograph

electrochemical

electroconvulsive

electrocute

electrodes

electroencephalogram

electrokinetic

electroluminescence

electrolysis

electrolytes

electromagnetic

electromechanical

electron

electronic

electroscope

electroshock

electrostatic

There are no commonly used words in English that start with the letters electo or electi. This should give us the idea that if we are not certain about how to spell electronics, it is much more likely that it starts with the letters electro, like so many other examples. In the same way, thinking about how to spell the word electrical, we should try not to be tempted to write the word starting with the letters electi. As elsewhere, it may be helpful to think of words as parts of groups which have similarities. If we are certain about one or two of the words in a group, then we can be relatively sure about all of them. If we consider a wrong spelling, as in starting a word with electo or electi, we quickly realize that there are no groups of words that look like this in English. Then we may look for other, more likely spellings. This approach may help us more than just to get an important word right. It can make the difference between being hired for a job after graduation and not being hired. For example, if an electrical engineering student applies for work or an internship at Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd., imagine the impression created if the student spells the words electronics wrong. Given a choice, most employers would select a job candidate who shows care with details. It is difficult to explain why students who are trained specialists in questions about electronics sometimes spell the word incorrectly in English. Sometimes we may believe that we are so familiar with a word, especially in our major field of study, that we no longer think about it and write it carelessly. This is where problems can start. It is always a good method to Google even very familiar terms to make sure we have them spelled right. Here are some examples of correct spelling of the words electronics and electrical in context:

• Samsung Electronics has been ranked sixth on Interbrand’s “Best Global Brands 2017” list with a brand value of US$56.2 billion (Bt1.86 trillion) – one position up and a 9-per-cent increase in value from last year – the South Korean multinational announced on Tuesday.
• Amid a global shift in focus toward communication and information technology, Samsung Electronics is bound to reach a new record in operating profits as Samsung augments its business strategy around the IoT, AI and so on.
• Beijing-based electronics and software firm Xiaomi, which only recently made its debut in the Thai market, will open its first authorised Mi store at Imperial World Samrong in Bangkok on October 8, in partnership with Fanslink Communication.
• The International Trade Promotion Department recently announced a record final overall attendance figure for the “Bangkok Refrigeration, Heating, Ventilation, and Air-Conditioning Fair 2017” (Bangkok RHVAC 2017) and the “Bangkok Electric & Electronics Fair 2017” (Bangkok E&E 2017).
• LG Electronics Inc.’s brand new V30 smartphone will come with a price tag in the mid-900,000 won range in its home market, industry sources as it aims to compete head on with other flagships in the second half of this year.
• Germany’s IFA electronics fair indicates that the future is closer than you might think.
• Chinese Telecom giant Huawei will launch Mate 10 smartphone powered by Kirin 970, a new chipset with built-in artificial-intelligence capabilities, unveiled at IFA, a consumer electronics show in Berlin on Saturday, the Wall Street Journal reported Saturday.
• Thai electrical and electronics exports grew by 7 per cent in the first quarter compared with the same period last year, and are expected to continue to expand during the remainder of the year, a Federation of Thai Industries club said on Tuesday.
• Summit Electronics Components (SEC), a subsidiary of Thai Summit Group, is collaborating with start-up ventures as part of its attempt to enhance its design and branding capability.
• Thailand remains the biggest exporter of electrical appliances and accessories to Vietnam, according to the customs department. The first two months of the year saw US$238.5 million (Bt8.2 billion) worth of electrical appliances and accessories imported into Vietnam, a year-on-year increase of 5.15 per cent.
• Haier Electrical Appliances (Thailand) is set to raise home-appliance production by 20 per cent next year to meet growing demand from domestic and international markets.
• With the markets for electrical appliances in Japan, North America and Europe becoming mature, major audio-visual brands, including Panasonic and Sony, have recognised Asia, particularly Asean, as the new promising market for them.
• The Federation of Thai Industries projects that the electrical-appliances and electronic-goods sector will grow by 4 per cent this year, passing Bt1.9 trillion in value, compared with last year’s Bt1.81 trillion.
• Central Group has expanded its Asean footprint with a new partner, Nguyen Kim, a leading Vietnamese retailer, aimed at strengthening Power Buy’s position as a top retailer of electrical appliances in the region.
• Mitsubishi Electric Kang Yong Watana, manufacturer and distributor of electrical appliances under the Mitsubishi Electric brand, last year fortified its position as Thailand’s No 1 air-conditioning company with sales of Bt12.7 billion.

(All images courtesy of Wikimedia Commons)