Commonly Misused Words in Skydiving

Compiled by Gary Peek

As a writer it drives me crazy when I see people misuse and misspell skydiving related words, for example, on the newsgroup rec.skydiving, and on dropzone.com. Here is a list of my favorites, most of which I have seen people misuse. (Definitions are short to benefit the format.)


Misused/misspelled

accept: to receive or agree with
except: exclusion, "other than"

advice: suggestions given to someone
advise: to give a suggestion

affect: to influence
effect: result

brake: to stop or slow
break: to fracture
brakes: toggles, as in "brake lines"

bridle: connects pilot chute to other gear, etc.
bridal: having to do with brides/weddings

could've: could have, not could of
should've: should have, not should of
would've: would have, not would of

cord: as in "pullup cord", or "pull your cord" (ripcord)
chord: a canopy measurement from front to back, a set of musical notes played together

compliment: flattery or praise
complement: to make complete

cypres: model of AAD
cypress: type of tree
Cyprus: a country in the eastern Mediterranean

drogue: stabilization parachute
drouge: no such word

flair: style
flare: to pull down on toggles (parachute) or pull back on yoke (airplane)

farther: refers to actual distance
further: refers to an extension of time or degree

hanger: object for suspending clothes
hangar: place to store airplanes

its: possessive, belonging to "it"
it's: contraction, "it is"

lone: "single"
loan: give to be borrowed

lose: to experience loss
loose: not tight

mistake: error
misteak: no such word

parachute (chute): canopy
parashute (shute): no such word

passed: completed, movement relative to an object, died
past: expression of elapsed time

peace: calmness
piece: part   

plain: simple
plane: airplane

principle: rule or standard
principal: person or to show importance

rogue: transient, vagrant, as in "rogue opening"
rouge: cosmetic, from French for "red"

stare: look at intently
stair: thing with steps

static line: as in static line jump
static: fixed
static: a type of noise

steer: maneuver
steer: male bovine animal
stear: no such word

their: possessive form of "they"
there: opposite of "here"
they're: "they are"

tensile: a type of strength measurement (as in tensile strength)
tinsel: glittery stuff used for decoration

to: preposition
too: adverb, "also"
two: number "2"

Vigil: model of AAD
Virgil: person's name, classical Roman poet

weather: condition of the atmosphere
whether: introduces alternatives, "if"



Malapropisms

Here are some interesting misuses of words or phrases I have heard, often by excited student skydivers.

This one is a true story, said by a radio personality who made his first static line jump while on the air, with a tramsmitter to the radio station.

After his canopy opened: "OK, the slipper is down far enough, let's do a controllability check... Right throttle, left throttle, flange."


Know of any more? peek@pcprg.com