• Skip to main content
  • Skip to header right navigation
  • Skip to site footer
Judy Hagey Editor

Judy Hagey Editor

Write Justified

  • Home
  • About
  • Portfolio
  • Services
  • Blog
  • Contact

You Might Need an Editor If…

June 10, 2013 by Judy

Do you know the difference between alter and altar? This writer (or her copyeditor) either didn’t or hadn’t had enough caffeine to have all his/her senses fully engaged, or this wouldn’t have made it into print:

dictionaryentryDo you know the difference between alter and altar? This writer (or her copyeditor) either didn’t or hadn’t had enough caffeine to have all his/her senses fully engaged, or this wouldn’t have made it into print:

Just as agreements can go sideways between a marriage proposal and the alter, escrows can fall apart after an offer is accepted…

What the writer meant to say, I’m sure, is altar. The altar, in the context of marriage, is the “structure that serves as the center of worship or ritual.”  And while it’s true that brides and grooms can change or alter their minds between the engagement and the ceremony, that doesn’t alter the fact that traditional Christian marriage ceremonies most often take place before an altar. Should either the bride or groom alter their intentions as late as the wedding day, without notifying one or the other, you could expect a small altercation or noisy controversy to ensue, if not among the wedding party, among the guests.

Another writer was confused about phase and  faze when he wrote: But his reluctance didn’t seriously phase his employees. A phase is a stage or portion of a process.  Faze, on the other hand, means to disturb one’s composure or cause a disruption. Perhaps the employees understood that the bosses reluctance was just a phase in the process of his coming to a full understanding of the situation. But they weren’t concerned about that; they were unfazed.

Confused about how two  homophones can be spelled so differently? Welcome to the idosyncrasies of the English language.

Category: Writing
Previous Post:Word of the Week – savory
Next Post:Word of the Week – niggle

Reader Interactions

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Sidebar

Recent Posts

  • Anticipation is a Gift
  • Beware the Zombies
  • When You Need an Editor
  • Creativity is Passion–Not Perfection
  • An Interview with Mary Potter Kenyon

Categories:

  • Book Reviews
  • Editing
  • Etymology
  • Grammar
  • Punctuation
  • Seasonal
  • Word of the Week
  • Writing
  • Writing Tips

Sign Up for Judy’s Newsletter

Get updates and news sent directly to your inbox. You may unsubscribe at any time.

Please Wait

Thank you for sign up!

Quick Links:

  • Home
  • About
  • Portfolio
  • Services
  • Blog
  • Contact

Services:

  • Line Editing
  • Copy Editing
  • Proofreading

Ready to Get Started?

Get in Touch

Privacy Policy | Terms & Conditions

Copyright © 2025 · Judy Hagey Editor · All Rights Reserved