LEXICAL MISCONCEPTIONS

English for Today by Ganiu Abisoye Bamgbose (Dr GAB)

LEXICAL MISCONCEPTIONS

There are many ~touts~ in the neighbourhood (nonstandard).
There are many louts in the neighbourhood (standard). A young man who behaves in a very rude, offensive, and sometimes violent way is a lout while a tout is a person who buys up tickets for an event to resell them at a profit.

The gift was so ~bogus~ (nonstandard).
The gift was so huge (standard). To be bogus means to be untrue or ungenuine. Example: The company promised a bogus insurance claim.

Funmi would like to marry a ~lanky~ young man (nonstandard).
Funmi would like to marry a burly/brawny/buff young man (standard). To be lanky is to be ungracefully thin and tall while burly, brawny and buff describe a large, strong and heavily built person.
GAB

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