I’ll mention one more error. The odds are that I’ll then shut up, but who knows? There are very many of these errors that have cropped up within the last few years. They all bother me. I invested in learning proper grammar. I hate to see my capital assets depreciate; but the main thing is that these errors grate.

One error that bothers me is the use of reticent instead of reluctant.

Here’s reticent used wrongly: Obama is reticent to attack Clinton directly. The correct sentence is that Obama is reluctant to attack Clinton directly.

Are the candidates reticent to reform Social Security? Nope. They are reluctant to do so.

Reticent is an adjective that means reserved in one’s expression or keeping silent. Silent Cal is reticent. That’s it. End of sentence. Silent Cal is reluctant to provoke voters.

Bush is not reluctant to criticize Iran. Would anyone be so ignorant as to say that Bush is not reticent to criticize Iran? Yes. I am sure we can find such an improper use of words. I am even sure that we can find a newsperson for a major broadcaster who says something like that.

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