Monday, March 9, 2020
Word Choice Made vs. Maid
Word Choice Made vs. Maid Word Choice: Made vs. Maid The title of the 2002 Jennifer Lopez romcom Maid in Manhattan is a pun. Not a very funny pun, but then it wasnââ¬â¢t a very funny movie either. So at least itââ¬â¢s consistent on that level. And ââ¬Å"madeâ⬠and ââ¬Å"maidâ⬠do indeed sound the same while having different meanings, so it is, undeniably, a pun. JLo is pictured here trying to think of a better title.(Poster/Film: Columbia Pictures) However, if youââ¬â¢ve not seen the movie and à donââ¬â¢t get the joke ââ¬â or if youââ¬â¢re simply worried about mixing up the words ââ¬Å"madeâ⬠and ââ¬Å"maidâ⬠in your writing ââ¬â check out our guide to how these terms work below. Made (Past Tense of Make) The word ââ¬Å"madeâ⬠is the simple past tense and past participle form of the verb ââ¬Å"make.â⬠As such, we use it when something has been ââ¬Å"produced,â⬠ââ¬Å"constructed,â⬠ââ¬Å"achieved,â⬠or ââ¬Å"carried out.â⬠For example: The horn made an unpleasant sound when he blew it. They made the tower from glass and steel. We have made great progress in the last week. I made the phone call first thing this morning. We also see this term used adjectivally sometimes. Usually, this will refer to how something was made, such as in the terms ââ¬Å"handmadeâ⬠(i.e., made by hand) or ââ¬Å"self-madeâ⬠(i.e., made without help). Even in these cases, though, ââ¬Å"madeâ⬠refers to the idea of being produced or constructed. Maid (A Female Domestic Servant) The noun ââ¬Å"maidâ⬠is a name for a female domestic servant, typically in a house or hotel. For instance, you might hear someone say: The maid comes in once a day to clean the room. Youââ¬â¢ll see it used alone and combined with various other terms, depending on the work done by the woman or girl in question Common examples include ââ¬Å"chambermaid,â⬠ââ¬Å"milkmaid,â⬠and ââ¬Å"handmaid.â⬠This is because, in the past, people used ââ¬Å"maidâ⬠as a general term for an unmarried or virginal woman, so it had a wide application. However, this is not true in modern English, so you are unlikely to see it used so widely now. Summary: Made or Maid? These words have very different meanings, so you wonââ¬â¢t want to mix them up in your writing. Remember the following distinction: Made is the simple past tense and past participle of the verb ââ¬Å"make.â⬠Typically, then, it means something like ââ¬Å"producedâ⬠or ââ¬Å"carried out.â⬠Maid is a noun meaning ââ¬Å"a woman or girl who works as a domestic servant.â⬠If you struggle to tell these words apart, keep in mind that ââ¬Å"madeâ⬠is only one letter away from ââ¬Å"make.â⬠So if you can remember ââ¬Å"make,â⬠you should be able to remember what ââ¬Å"madeâ⬠means, too. And if you need any more help with the spelling in a document, weââ¬â¢re always here to help.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
No comments:
Post a Comment
Note: Only a member of this blog may post a comment.