2022-03-26
ศัพท์ น่าสับสน - Set – F - flair & flare
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Dictionary.com:
ออกเสียง flair & flare = “FLAIR”
Dictionary of Problem Words and Expressions:
flair & flare
Flair means “natural talent,”
“aptitude,”
“bent,”
“knack,” or
“keep perception”:
“This mechanic has a flair for spotting engine troubles.”
“She lived in Europe for many years, developing her flair for
languages.”
Flare applies to a sudden burst of flame or the act of flaming:
“His quick temper flared at the insult.”
“The guide used a flare to show me the way to our camp.”
Dictionary.com:
ORIGIN OF FLAIR
First recorded before 1350–1400; Middle English, from French,
Old French: “scent,” noun derivative of flairier “to reek,”
ultimately from unattested Vulgar Latin flāgrāre,
dissimilated variant of Latin frāgrāre; see origin at fragrant
ORIGIN OF FLARE
1540–50; original meaning: spread out,
said of hair, a ship's sides, etc.;
compare Old English flǣre
either of the spreading sides at the end of the nose
Merriam-Webster Dictionary:
History and Etymology for flair
French, literally, sense of smell, from Old French, odor,
from flairier to give off an odor, from Late Latin flagrare,
alteration of Latin fragrare
Merriam-Webster Dictionary:
Flair
Did you know?
In the 14th century,
if someone told you that you had flair
(or flayre as it was then commonly spelled),
you might very well take offense.
This is because in Middle English flayre meant "an odor."
The word is derived from the Old French verb flairier
("to give off an odor"), which came, in turn,
from Late Latin flagrare, itself an alteration of fragrare.
(The English words fragrant and fragrance also derive from fragrare.)
The "odor" sense of flair fell out of use,
but in the 19th century, English speakers once again
borrowed flair from the French
—this time (influenced by the Modern French
use of the word for the sense of smell)
to indicate a discriminating sense or instinctive discernment.
Dictionary.com: & Merriam-Webster Dictionary:
Usage Notes
Snuffing Out Confusion Between 'Flare' and 'Flair'
Sorting through their misspellings with style.
What to Know
Flair is only used as a noun
referring to a natural ability,
an inclination toward something, or
an attractive or stylish quality.
Meanwhile, flare can be used as both a noun and verb.
As a noun, it refers to fire or light,
something that bursts outward (such as anger), or
something that widens.
The verb usage corresponds to the noun
meaning "to produce light or fire"
as well as "to burst or spread out."
The incorrect use of a homophone
—a word that is pronounced like another word
but different in meaning or spelling
—is always seen, never heard.
A troublesome pair of homophones
for some writers is flare and flair.
Here are some examples of homophonic confusion:
While the 49ers tried to keep the distractions to a minimum,
there was a slight flair up between two of the team's biggest stars….
— The Monterey County (California) Herald, 29 Jan. 2020
[Jimmy] Stewart shows a definite flare for comedy in
Frank Capra's smash hit film version of the very successful,
Pulitzer Prize-winning Broadway play by George S. Kaufman and Moss Hart.
— The News Review (Ridgecrest, California), 28 Feb. 2020
After retiring from pro baseball…, Williams turned his longtime hobby
for music into a career that's included performances at jazz festivals and
composing works with a Latino flare that pay homage
to his Puerto Rican heritage.
— Newsday (New York), 12 Jan. 2014
This confusion is understandable (but will be noticed in writing)
—the words sound alike.
On paper and screen, they are distinct,
and a way to avoid misspelling them
is to connect meaning with word formation.
That being the case,
we welcome the opportunity to speak with you
—writers who experience occasional uncertainty
on which spelling to use and you, logophiles,
looking for some lexicographical trivia
—on the words flare and flair
and their unique histories (or lack thereof) and usage.
The Meaning of 'Flair'
In regard to meaning,
flair has not flared out like flare.
It is used solely as a noun
(note: flare is the only word used as a verb in this pair)
and has a few basic meanings
referring to a natural ability to do something,
an inclination toward something,
or an attractive quality.
She has a flair for storytelling.
He has a flair for the dramatic.
The restaurant has a European flair.
The server served our food with flair.
This basic word has an unexpected history.
In Middle English, flayre (as flair was then commonly spelled)
was used to refer to odor.
(The word derives from the Old French verb flairer, "to give off an odor.")
In short time, this sense fell into disuse; however,
in the 19th century, English picked up flair again from French
—this time (influenced by modern French use of the word
for the sense of smell)
to indicate a discriminating sense or instinctive discernment.
The Meaning of 'Flare'
Flare, on the other hand, has multiple meanings.
It is used as a noun in reference to a light that
shines brightly and briefly ("the sudden flare of a match").
Flare also specifies
a very bright lightto signal, illuminate, or attract attention,
as well as a device that produces such a light;
the latter is familiar in contexts involving an emergency,
as in
"The rescue team shot a flare into the sky to signal that they found the lost hikers."
The word also designates a place or part that spreads outward,
such as the widening bottom of a vase.
Plural flares is the name for pants with legs
that become wider at the bottom
like the bottom of a bell (a.k.a bell-bottoms).
Figuratively, the word is commonly
applied to sudden emotional outbursts
("the flare of tempers in the courtroom").
There are other uses of this noun, but you get the gist:
flare, bursting into 19th-century English from an unknown source,
has meaning indicating fire or light,
the act of suddenly spreading or bursting outward,
or something that widens.
Verbal use of flare comes to light earlier
than the first known use of the noun,
but the two have corresponding meanings.
Examples of the verb are:
A match flared (up) in the darkness.
Tempers flared during the debate.
She flared up at the rude remarks.
The dancer's skirt flared (out) as she twirled.
His nostrils flared as he breathed in and out.
Another sense (often used in medicine) is
"to become suddenly worse or more painful"
—for example, "His eczema flared up again."
This, too, has a related noun use
but one that more commonly occurs as flare-up.
The flare of this article on flare and flair is weakening
—thus, we conclude.
Only flare functions as a verb, and its present participle flaring
("flaring nostrils")
and past participle flared ("flared jeans") serve as adjectives.
Flare, as a noun, refers to fire or light and spreading or widening;
it can also indicate a sudden occurrence
(alluding to things uncontrollably going up in flames).
Flair, on the other hand, is not a verb, only a noun
that is usually followed by for
and that refers to talent, inclination, tendency, or style.
The flair for distinguishing flare (light/outwardness)
from flair (ability/style) has been sparked as ours has come to an end
Abused, Confused, & Misused Words by Mary Embree:
Flare = a bright light:
in case of emergency, light a flare;
= an outburst; to burst out in sudden, fierce activity and
passion:
Violence flared up in the ghetto after the verdict.
Not to be confused with:
Flair = skill; aptitude; a natural talent or ability;
= bent; knack:
a flair for writing comedy.
Dictionary of Military and Associated Terms.
US Department of Defense 2005.
flare
The change in the flight path of an aircraft
so as to reduce the rate of descent for touchdown.