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Subject:RE: the old insure ensure assure From:"Al Geist" <al -dot- geist -at- geistassociates -dot- com> To:"'TECHWR-L'" <techwr-l -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com> Date:Mon, 24 Nov 2008 17:51:18 -0500
Andrew Warren wrote:
>>
Check your (American English) dictionary; many allow "insure" to be used as
a synonym for "ensure".<<
That may be, but insure and ensure do have different meanings. Here's the
way I learned when to use assure/ensure/insure.
Use "assure" when you want to declare that something is true. "I assure you
I'm always right."
Use "ensure" when you want to express an idea about how something is to be
made certain. "What can I do to ensure you that I am always right?"
Use "insure" when you are referring to financial matters, especially if loss
or harm results. "You better insure yourself for believing that I am always
right."
Now, don't get me started on use/utilize.......
Al Geist
Technical Communicator, Help, Web Design, Video, Photography
Office/Msg: 802-872-9190
Cell: 802-578-3964
E-mail: al -dot- geist -at- geistassociates -dot- com
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"...I walked to work, quit my job, and kept walking. Better to be a pilgrim
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-----Original Message-----
From: techwr-l-bounces+al -dot- geist=geistassociates -dot- com -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com
[mailto:techwr-l-bounces+al -dot- geist=geistassociates -dot- com -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com] On
Behalf Of Andrew Warren
Sent: Monday, November 24, 2008 5:31 PM
To: 'Rob Hudson'; TECHWR-L
Subject: RE: the old insure ensure assure
Rob Hudson wrote:
> From a law firm's email signature:
>
> "To insure compliance with requirements imposed by the U.S. Internal
> Revenue Service ..."
>
> Shouldn't it be "ensure"?
Rob:
Check your (American English) dictionary; many allow "insure" to be used as
a synonym for "ensure".
-Andrew
=== Andrew Warren - awarren -at- synaptics -dot- com
=== Synaptics, Inc - Santa Clara, CA
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
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