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icon, iconic
words that are in danger of losing all meaning – avoid.
ie
no full points
iMac, iPod, iTunes
immigrate
arrive in a country; emigrate leave one
immune to
not immune from
impact
a noun, not a verb
Imperial College London
no commas
impinge, impinging
impostor
not imposter
impracticable
impossible; it cannot be done
impractical
possible in theory; but not workable at the moment
impressionism, impressionist
in or on?
in the team not the US version "on the team"
in Deane Road etc not "on Deane Road"
index
plural indexes, except for scientific and economic: indices
indie
music, films, etc; Indy short for the Independent, a newspaper
infinite
without limit; does not mean very large
inflammable
means the same as flammable; the negative is non-flammable
initials
no spaces or points, whether businesses or individuals eg WH Smith, PCR Tufnell
innuendo
plural innuendoes
inoculate
not innoculate
inpatient, outpatient
inquiry
use enquiry
install, instalment
instil, instilled, instilling
followed by into
insure
against risk; ensure life; make certain
internet, net, website, web, world wide web
all lc
into
but on to
in-tray, out-tray
hyphenated
Inuit
not Eskimos; an individual is an Inuk
invalid
means not valid or of no worth; do not use to refer to disabled or ill people
invariable, invariably
unchanging; it is often used wrongly to mean hardly ever changing
Irish Travellers
uc, recognised as a distinct ethnic group under race relations legislation
ise
not -ize at end of word, eg maximise, synthesise (exception: capsize)
Islam
(means "submission to the will of God")
Muslims should never be referred to as 'Mohammedans', as 19th-century writers did. It causes serious offence because they insist that they worship God, not the prophet Muhammad.
'Allah' is simply Arabic for 'God'. Both words refer to the same concept: there is no major difference between God in the Old Testament and Allah in Islam. Therefore it makes sense to talk about "God" in an Islamic context and to use 'Allah' in quotations or for literary effect.
The holy book of Islam is the Qur'an (not Koran)
Islamist
an advocate or supporter of Islamic fundamentalism – do not confuse with Islamic
Islamophobia
italics
Use roman for titles of books, films etc; Recall the advice of George Bernard Shaw:
'1 I was reading The Merchant of Venice.
2 I was reading 'The Merchant of Venice'.
3 I was reading The Merchant of Venice.
The man who cannot see that No 1 is the best looking, as well as the sufficient and sensible form, should print or write nothing but advertisements for lost dogs or ironmongers' catalogues: literature is not for him to meddle with.'
However, titles of academic papers and lectures are italicised where it adds clarity. Eg Dr June Smith (University of Manchester) My Life in Hell's Kitchen, 4pm, Z3, Eagle House, Deane Campus
it's
shortened form of it is or it has: it's a big dog; it's been ages
its
possessive form of it: the dog is eating its bone