Furthering your language skills

JUNE CASAGRANDE

A handsome gentleman we’ll call Ted asked me about the difference

between “premier” and “premiere.” With smug satisfaction, I was

already preparing the answer in my head before he had even finished

the question.

A “premiere” is the first performance or showing of something -- a

movie, a play, a television show. “Premier,” besides its meaning as

prime minister, is an adjective meaning first, foremost or most

important: “JMC Co. is the premier provider of tax accounting

software for hobbits.”

But by the time he finished his question, I realized that I didn’t

have quite the grasp of this word pair that I though I did. Ted, who

works in the entertainment industry, wanted to know which spelling to

use for the verb.

There was a time when I could answer, “Uh ... I dunno,” to such

questions. Since I began writing this column, those days are gone.

Now people expect more of me and I feel obligated to deliver. So I

looked it up.

The Associated Press Stylebook doesn’t discuss “premier” or

“premiere” as a verb. Neither does the Los Angeles Times Stylebook.

The only answer I was able to glean came from Webster’s New World

College Dictionary. “Premier” doesn’t have a verb form, only

“premiere” does: “to exhibit (a play, movie, etc.) for the first

time.”

So there you go.

Just the day before, another gentleman (whom I would also call

handsome if I it weren’t the case that I only have eyes for Ted)

asked about the difference between “further” and “farther.” Again, I

was thinking “piece of cake” before I realized that I didn’t

understand the issue as well as I thought I did. Here’s what I knew

before I looked it up just now: Farther refers only to physical

distances. Though you often hear, “make your money go further,” or

“that couldn’t be further from the truth,” in both cases one should

say “farther” because you’re talking about distances.

I told this other gentleman -- let’s call him Dave -- that

“further” is a transitive verb. That is, that it requires an object.

“Arnold Schwarzenegger wants to further his agenda of changing the

official pronunciation of the word ‘California.’”

While my answer was correct, it doesn’t help someone like poor

Dave understand whether he should look further or farther into this

conundrum. The Associated Press Stylebook rescued me on this one.

“‘Further’ refers to an extension of time or degree. ‘She will look

further into the mystery.’”

Therefore, there really is a simple, fool-proof way to choose

between “further” and “farther.” Use “farther” only for physical

distances and “further” all other times.

Other words that get messed up a lot include “pique” vs. “peak,”

“phase” vs. “faze” and “compose” vs. “comprise.” The first two are

easy. They just require simple awareness. Something piques your

curiosity. Criticism doesn’t faze you. Any questions.

But compose/comprise is a little tricky. I think of them as almost

opposites -- the Daily Pilot staff is composed of journalists and

business people” but “journalists and business people comprise the

Daily Pilot staff.” The real issue here is active vs. passive

constructions, but that’s kind of academic. A good guideline is to

remember that one thing is composed of many, but that many things

comprise one. Even easier to remember: The word “of” should never

follow “comprised.” It should only follow “composed.”

Oh, and “advisor” vs. “adviser”? Don’t sweat that one at all. The

Associated Press is just about the only American source that still

clings to the ER spelling. Most large newspapers including the Los

Angeles Times openly defy AP style on that one and use “advisor.”

So, Ted and Dave, aren’t you glad you have access to the premier

column for furthering your grammar knowledge that piques your

curiosity and helps you compose better business correspondence?

* JUNE CASAGRANDE covers Newport Beach and John Wayne Airport. She

may be reached at (949) 574-4232 or by e-mail at

june.casagrande@latimes.com.