Words that are easily confused

Pray/ prey

Sometimes short words can be especially difficult to spell correctly in our academic research projects or theses. Yet when these words have very different meanings, it can be essential that we separate them in our minds as much as possible and avoid confusing them. The verb pray means to communicate with a god, to ask for something or give thanks. The word derives from a Latin term meaning to ask earnestly or request. The insect known as the praying mantis (Mantis religiosa) was given its name because its front legs are bent and held together in a way that looks like the position people hold their hands in when they pray. Because of its religious meaning, pray is a special verb, so it is unfortunate that in Thai English it is sometimes spelled wrong as prey.

The noun prey refers to an animal that is hunted and killed by another for food. The noun prey may also be used to described someone of something that is an easy target. Used as a verb, to prey on something means to hunt and kill it for food, to use it as prey. The term originates from a Latin word meaning an animal hunted for food.

To keep the words pray and prey apart in our minds, we might use the example of the praying mantis to invent some sentences:

• The praying mantis patiently waits for its prey.
• We may pray that the prey escapes the hunter.
• Let us pray for those who prey on others.

Some usage examples:

• Robbers, greedy boat operators prey on flood victims
• Bullies have a psychological problem. They either lack attention from their parents and lash out at others for that attention, or suffer an inferiority complex stemming from their physical ugliness and try to compensate by showing toughness. They are cowards and prey on meek and smaller children who they know will cower in the corner.
• Countries around the world are now rethinking the readily available loans offered by China for infrastructure projects in their countries, after fearing they could fall prey to Beijing’s debt-trap diplomacy.
• “As I am a veteran birdwatcher and have been studying birds in Thailand for more than 40 years, I have noticed a great decline in many bird species that prey on insects. I have found that the vast reduction of insects from the intensive use of pesticides in farmlands is the main reason for the vanishing of many bird species.”
• Too many trees invite birds that prey on his seafood stock. But planting just enough, on a fifth of his 10 hectares, cools the ponds and improves the yield.
• Cheetahs travel widely in search of prey with some home ranges estimated at up to 3,000 square kilometres (1,158 square miles). The study found that 77 per cent of the animal’s remaining habitat falls outside protected areas, leaving it especially vulnerable to human interference. The main risks are humans hunting their prey, habitat loss, illegal trafficking of cheetah parts and the exotic pet trade, according to the study.
• DSI urged to act against foreign scammers who prey on Thai women. BANGKOK: — Three women Friday officially called on the Department of Special Investigation to take action against predators who prey on Thai women through social media.
• A study published Monday has found that at least one arachnid species is capable of winding up its web to store up elastic energy, before releasing its grip and catapulting itself at furious speed toward its unsuspecting prey.
• They may be small and striking, but shrikes are songbirds known for viciously impaling their victims with a razor-sharp bill although experts have long wondered about their ability to subdue much larger prey.
• Now, pray at hospitals with ‘iBantu Solat’ app. ANDAR SERI BEGAWAN – To further improve the existing service on the ‘Khidmat Bantu Solat Pesakit’ project provided by the Ministry of Religious Affairs (MoRA) in performing prayers for patients, a new mobile app named ‘iBantu Solat’ was officially launched yesterday at the Women and Children’s Centre of Raja Isteri Pengiran Anak Saleha (RIPAS) Hospital. The new app, which is created to help patients perform the five time daily prayers including Wudhu (ablution) and Tayammum, can be downloaded via Google Play and App Store. The main features of the application are guidelines on Wudhu, Tayammum and prayer for patients with physical disabilities in the form of audio, visual and text. Other features include prayer time, prayer time alarm, Surah for prayer, Doa and Kiblat direction.
• People pray and make merit at the City Pillar Shrine yesterday in the hope that 2015 will bring better things.
• Eat, pray, exercise: Monks battle weight problems.
• Members of the Wild Boars soccer team who were rescued from a flooded cave pray during a religious ceremony near the Tham Luang cave in Mae Sai, Chiang Rai province, on Monday.
• Pray, Wai, Eat: to heaven the gods must not be hungry
• Eastern religious traditions include a great many ceremonies to show virtue or express gratitude to various deities and spirits, and food is at the centre of most of them… Another form of senwai is performed to ask for an auspicious change to put an end to a period of unhappiness. A person caught in a period of misfortune will often pray to a sacred object to request a change for the better. For Buddhists the sacred object will be a Buddha image, and if his situation changes for the better he may express gratitude to the image by presenting offerings. The appropriateness of any of the items traditionally offered – incense, flowers, candles – is obvious, but there are others that have been used for so long that their original significance has been lost.
• Some like it hot, but others pray for rain.
• Let’s all pray for a better 2018… Revelry is not the only way to welcome the New Year. Instead of joining the noisy countdown gatherings, many people plan to mark the occasion in a solemn way, by praying… The actual prayer, to be led by 10 monks from Wat Pichai Yatikaram, will take place from 10pm and continue to 1am on New Year’s Day. Every participant will be provided with a prayer booklet so there’s no need to worry about having to memorise all the words.

(All images courtesy of Wikimedia Commons)