5 ms·

"Insure" can also take the latter meaning; I think it's an American/British thing. The New Yorker uses "insure" for both meanings, and it trips me up every time

"Insure" can also take the latter meaning; I think it's an American/British thing. The New Yorker uses "insure" for both meanings, and it trips me up every time.

rogerbinns 14y ago
Americans don't use "ensure" and use "insure" for both meanings. As a Brit living in the US it really winds me up!
- justauser 14y ago
  What part of the US are you living in where ensure is not used? As an American living in the US, this would wind me up too! But for all "intensive purposes" some just don't know any better and don't have the "gaul" to "care less."
  - rogerbinns 14y ago
    California. I even corrected Malcolm Gladwell once (which he thanked me for!) I think I have found an explanation in http://articles.latimes.com/1998/jun/17/food/fo-60599 http://articles.latimes.com/1998/jun/17/food/fo-60599 "and forget the fact that "insure" was nearly always spelled "ensure" in the 18th century." It is probably one of these things where Americans swung one way and Brits the other. Another example is http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aluminium#Etymology http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aluminium#Etymology where Americans use the original British spelling and the Brits use the original American spelling! But insure and ensure mean different things - they can't be interchanged!
    - Arelius 14y ago
      Interestingly enough, as a California native, I got hung up on "insure" as well. I'm not sure I've ever used that spelling. Not sure if it's something unique to my upbringing however.
gruseom 14y ago
The New Yorker uses "insure" for both meanings, and it trips me up every time. Holy mackerel, you're right: https://www.google.com/#q=site:newyorker.com+insure https://www.google.com/#q=site:newyorker.com+insure At first I thought, "Well, but the New Yorker does have a few quirks" - but the analogous search for the NYT shows that they do it too. I always assumed "insure" for "ensure" was a sign of illiteracy. What's that thing called in psychology where the brain edits out incongruent things and just doesn't see them? I must have been doing that with "insure" for years.
MichaelApproved 14y ago
They use both "insure" and "ensure" on the site "https://mysocialcloud.com/aboutus https://mysocialcloud.com/aboutus In addition, our site utilizes advanced encryption to ensure your information is always secure"

"Insure" can also take the latter meaning; I think it's an American/British thing. The New Yorker uses "insure" for both meanings, and it trips me up every time.

rogerbinns 14y ago

Americans don't use "ensure" and use "insure" for both meanings. As a Brit living in the US it really winds me up!

justauser 14y ago
What part of the US are you living in where ensure is not used? As an American living in the US, this would wind me up too! But for all "intensive purposes" some just don't know any better and don't have the "gaul" to "care less."
- rogerbinns 14y ago
  California. I even corrected Malcolm Gladwell once (which he thanked me for!) I think I have found an explanation in http://articles.latimes.com/1998/jun/17/food/fo-60599 http://articles.latimes.com/1998/jun/17/food/fo-60599 "and forget the fact that "insure" was nearly always spelled "ensure" in the 18th century." It is probably one of these things where Americans swung one way and Brits the other. Another example is http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aluminium#Etymology http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aluminium#Etymology where Americans use the original British spelling and the Brits use the original American spelling! But insure and ensure mean different things - they can't be interchanged!
  - Arelius 14y ago
    Interestingly enough, as a California native, I got hung up on "insure" as well. I'm not sure I've ever used that spelling. Not sure if it's something unique to my upbringing however.

gruseom 14y ago

The New Yorker uses "insure" for both meanings, and it trips me up every time. Holy mackerel, you're right: https://www.google.com/#q=site:newyorker.com+insure https://www.google.com/#q=site:newyorker.com+insure At first I thought, "Well, but the New Yorker does have a few quirks" - but the analogous search for the NYT shows that they do it too. I always assumed "insure" for "ensure" was a sign of illiteracy. What's that thing called in psychology where the brain edits out incongruent things and just doesn't see them? I must have been doing that with "insure" for years.

MichaelApproved 14y ago

They use both "insure" and "ensure" on the site "https://mysocialcloud.com/aboutus https://mysocialcloud.com/aboutus In addition, our site utilizes advanced encryption to ensure your information is always secure"