Word Choice Allusion vs. Illusion

Word Choice Allusion vs. Illusion Word Choice: Allusion vs. Illusion â€Å"Allusion† and â€Å"illusion† are both fairly rare words. They also sound similar, making it is easy to confuse them if you’ve never seen them written down. But these terms have very different meanings, so make sure your work is error free by checking out our guide to how they should be used. Allusion (Indirect Reference) An â€Å"allusion† is an indirect reference to something. For example, the title of David Foster Wallace’s novel Infinite Jest is taken from a line in Hamlet. This is an â€Å"allusion† to Shakespeare – rather than a direct reference – because Wallace does not mention Shakespeare or Hamlet in the novel. And while â€Å"allusion† is a noun, the verb form of this word is â€Å"allude†: The title of the novel alludes to Act 5, Scene 1 of Hamlet. Again, the key here is the idea of referencing something indirectly. Illusion (Mistaken Perception or Belief) The word â€Å"illusion† usually refers to a mistaken sense perception, such as a mirage. As such, we could say something like: He saw the hazy outline of an oasis, but he knew it was an illusion. This idea of seeing or sensing something that isn’t really there is also why we say magic tricks are â€Å"illusions,† as well as why we call trick images optical illusions. But we can also use â€Å"illusion† to describe a false belief: I was laboring under an illusion to think I could run a marathon. Here, â€Å"laboring under an illusion† means acting on a mistaken belief. Summary: Allusion or Illusion These words have many letters in common, but they differ in meaning: An allusion is an indirect reference to something. An illusion is a mistaken sense perception or belief. One trick to remembering this difference is the phrase â€Å"Optical illusions will make you ill.† This can remind you that â€Å"illusion† starts will an â€Å"i,† like the word â€Å"ill.† But if you’d like to make extra sure your writing is always error free, you can always ask a proofreader.

Ludicrous vs Ridiculous

Ludicrous vs Ridiculous Ludicrous vs Ridiculous Ludicrous vs Ridiculous By Maeve Maddox I read a celebrity quotation that asserted that a rumor being circulated about her was â€Å"ludicrously silly.† The statement struck me as ridiculous. Silly is a synonym for ludicrous; using one to intensify the other is overkill. In recent years, ludicrous has become celebrity-speak for plain old ridiculous. As a result, a subtle difference between the two is being lost. Rapper Christopher Bridges, known as Ludacris, told an MTV interviewer that he based his stage name on his â€Å"split personality,† which he described as being â€Å"ridiculous and ludicrous.† Bridges apparently perceives a difference between the words, (what that is, he doesn’t say), but other celebrities seem to have latched onto ludicrous as if it were merely a classier word than the more familiar ridiculous. For example, If being an attractive woman got you attention for directing, then the entire best director category would be comprised of models. To me, that is just the most ludicrous connection that you could make. Diablo Cody Actors will never be replaced. The thought that somehow a computer version of a character is going to be something people prefer to look at is a ludicrous idea. Peter Jackson Dictators are ludicrous characters, and, you know, in my career and in my life, Ive always enjoyed sort of inhabiting these ludicrous, larger-than-life characters that somehow exist in the real world. Sacha Baron Cohen The curtains would open and it would be just her standing in some ludicrous pose, like Aphrodite. Lesley-Anne Down It seems to me that in each of the above quotations, the speaker was reaching for ridiculous or perhaps a word with some other connotation that would be more appropriate in the context. Connotation: The signifying in addition; inclusion of something in the meaning of a word besides what it primarily denotes; implication. Ridiculous seems to me to be less judgmental than ludicrous. Something ridiculous provokes laughter because it is incongruous. For example, a man wearing a lampshade for a hat presents a ridiculous sight. Something ludicrous is both incongruous and contemptible. For example, a nineteen-year-old with the full use of his legs riding on the shoulders of his bodyguards while touring the Great Wall of China presents a ludicrous sight. Each of the following synonyms is a word for a dwelling: house, palace, shack, hut, hovel, mansion. They may be synonyms, but each conveys a different feeling to the reader or listener. English possesses numerous adjectives used to convey the meaning ludicrous, most of which are synonyms, but each of which carries some difference in connotation. Here are some: absurd asinine comical farcical foolish idiotic laughable preposterous risible Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Expressions category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:Writing a Reference Letter (With Examples)The Letter "Z" Will Be Removed from the English AlphabetApostrophe with Plural Possessive Nouns