A Written Error

By Annette Rey

The errors I report are genuine examples of misuse of the English language. When I discuss an error, I do not give the source. I do not mention the name of the television program or the name of the celebrity speaking, etc. The point in exposing these errors is to be educational to writers and lovers of the English language. I do not discuss these errors to further embarrass the sources: producers, celebrities, attorneys, and others.

It is in that vein that I present the next error I found in a military document. It shall remain nameless.

The government has its own language, and sometimes its own spelling rules. For instance, the military uses the spelling materiel to refer to equipment and supplies. It is a legitimate word, but I have often thought material would serve the same purpose as both words refer to solid, tangible, in-the-world items. Materiel is ingrained in the English language from the French and quantifies the equipment and supplies as used by an organization or institution – a fine line between the two words – and does denote a specific difference.

The error I found does not fall in the category of group terminology. It is outright and simply an error. The phrase used is:

Dissoulution of entities

If the writer tried to use the correct spelling of dissolution (meaning dissolving, disintegration, termination, destruction and more), he failed. I find it interesting that his error inserts the word soul, as dissolution can also mean death.

I am not taking it upon myself to translate what the writer was trying to convey.

Please, be careful with your words.

Write well.