Another in the class of homophone, or sound alike expressions, “cause” and “course,” writers, especially for learners of the language, should be wary of. To the average user of the vocabulary, it’s no big deal separating the two words which sound the same, but different in spelling, and or meaning, Chambers 21st Century Dictionary explains. But not so, because I have come across instances where the nouns, “cause,” and “course” are mixed up; wrongly interpreted in the course of going through students class work or assignments, to be specific.
This is not to indict them, but that beyond these assignments, there are many readers out there making similar mistakes, passing the one-syllable words, “cause” and “course” as correct, or acceptable, in whichever manner they are used to tell the story or form an opinion. The fact is, the standard English is often bastardised with the wrong notion that people are at liberty to choose or even manufacture words the way they like it, so long as the message is understood. The language purists and masters have nothing against this bizarre school of thought as propagated by a respected academia, professor of English in one of Nigeria’s Ivory Towers.
However, the fear is that if this assumption by the respected scholar goes unchallenged it could, in the long run, adversely affect the teaching of the subject in schools and collages. The standard, put simply; the rules of the game must be left intact, no compromises, to lower the standard, even as the language evolves, there could be changes here and there in the course of history. But let it come from the right quarters; the English lexicographers, composers of the dictionary, for example. Turning to the big lesson of this piece, remember the fact that one can define or place the two words separately, use them in the right context; there are several others who make use of the language, beginners in particular, who are still struggling with the “cause” and “course” statements, how to effectively and efficiently engage the two, to sufficiently, and unambiguously explain their thoughts in the public domain.
To such persons, I dedicate my weekly column, and ask them to continue learning. Surprises awaits them as they may discover fresh angles of the language; the plethora of synonyms one might just tap into, for instance, to avoid sounding repetitive. Let’s refer to the dictionary, Chambers 21st Century Dictionary, to get the picture clearer. The noun “cause,” in the explanation of the reference book, “is something which produces an effect; the person or thing through which something happens. A reason or justification.” One can therefore, correctly write or speak, “There is no cause for alarm, I am in control.”
A pilot or the cab driver assures his passengers, even as they panic, owing to bad weather, or potholes on our roads. “Cause” could also be someone who dedicated his or her life to fight injustice in the society. The noun “causation – cause and effect; caused, causing, the verbs, to produce as an effect; to bring about something; to the adjective, “causational,” making something to happen.” The dictionary, emphasises. You can leverage on a few of the synonyms, “breed, create, originate, produce, effect, etc. On the other hand, “course,” the dictionary unambiguously explains that it is the path in which anyone or anything moves.
A direction taken or planned. For example, to go off the course; the passage of a period of time, channel of a river, the normal progress of something, series of lessons, curriculum. Work covered in a series of lessons, for instance. It could also be a ground in which a game is played. As we have it in golf course. The verb “coursed,” “causing.” One can correctly write or speak; “Stay the course,” that is, to endure to the end.” The reference book, writes You can as well savour the synonyms to sound differently; “chase, follow, hunt, pursue, race, run, etc.”
