Forum: Editors/Reviewers Hangout

Writing peeve: tack vs. tact

Quasirandom 🚫

Okay, I've been seeing this mistake a lot and it's starting to tick me off, which means I need to get this off my chest so I can forget about it and move the fuck on.

There's a word that appears in phrases like "try a different tack" or "using another tack." I've been seeing writers use "tact" instead, which is wrong. It's not short for tactic or referring to being tactful -- it's from sailing. When the boat or ship is heading upwind, with the wind coming over a bow, you are on one of two possible tacks, depending on whether it's the starboard or port bow. When you turn the vessel to head the other way upwind, so the wind's over the other bow, you are taking the other tack.

Not "the other tact."

Replies: Dominions Son joyR irvmull Grey Wolf richardshagrin

Dominions Son 🚫

@Quasirandom

it's from sailing. When the boat or ship is heading upwind, with the wind coming over a bow, you are on one of two possible tacks

It's more complicated than that. Depending on the design of the sail system, several different angles to the wind may be usable.

Replies: Quasirandom

Quasirandom 🚫

@Dominions Son

Fair enough — I was simplifying for ease of explaining.

joyR 🚫

@Quasirandom

There is a growing number of such errors, so bitching about it is akin to peeing up a rope. Or to be more nautical;

Able seaman Hales,
was expert at pissing in gales.
He could piss in a jar,
from the topgallant spar.
Without even wetting the sails.

Replies: Dominions Son

Dominions Son 🚫
Updated:

@joyR

There is a growing number of such errors,

In this case, probably not so much.

https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/tact

Do you change tack or tact?

Although some believe the word tact is short for tactics in phrases like "change tact" or "try a different tact," the correct word in such contexts is tack.

Tack in "change tack" and "try a different tack" means "a course or method of action especially when sharply divergent from that previously followed."

Tack developed this meaning from its nautical applications. In sailing, tack can refer to the direction that a ship or boat is sailing in as it moves at an angle to the direction of the wind; or to a change from one direction to another direction; or to the distance traveled while sailing in a particular direction.

Tack developed the "course or method of action" meaning near the end of the 17th century; within 100 or so years, the phrase "change tack" was being used with the figurative meaning it has today.

While there is also a long history of people using tact where tack belongs, the use is widely shunned by usage guides, which means you might want to avoid it.

Though your advice as to response is spot on. This is probably a fight that can't be won.

irvmull 🚫
Updated:

@Quasirandom

This is "defiantly" a problem.

Note that using defiantly instead of definitely is, I believe, the most glaring and one of the most frequent problems I see here and everywhere else on the net.

Right after there, their, and they're (which is sort of understandable, since they do sound the same).

Defiantly definitely doesn't.

Hope my lack of tact hasn't offended anyone.

Replies: Dominions Son Grey Wolf Switch Blayde

Dominions Son 🚫

@irvmull

You need a tack in there somewhere, but be careful not to sit on it. :)

Grey Wolf 🚫

@irvmull

It's only defiantly a problem if someone is insisting on using tact despite all of the criticism :)

Switch Blayde 🚫

@irvmull

This is "defiantly" a problem.

Reminds me of an old joke:

The teacher asked the class to give her a sentence using the word "definitely."

Little Johnny raised his hand but, knowing him, she was afraid to call on him. So she chose another student with his hand up and said, "Billy, give me a sentence using 'definitely.'"

Billy said, "The boy crossed his arms and said 'no,' looking at his mother definitely."

The teacher said, "Sorry, Billy, but that should be 'defiantly.'"

She looked at the class and asked for another answer. Little Johnny stretched his arm up and waved his hand. The teacher looked at him but scanned the class. No one else raised their hand so she looked back at Little Johnny.

The teacher sighed and said, "Okay, Johnny, give me a sentence using the word 'definitely.'"

Little Johnny said, "First, I have to ask you a question."

"Okay, Johnny, what is it?"

"Do farts have lumps?"

The teacher turned red but held her temper. "No, Johnny, they do not."

Little Johnny smiled and said, "Then I definitely shit my pants."

Grey Wolf 🚫

@Quasirandom

Not "the other tact."

Now I want to write a pun on tack vs tact. Somewhere. Sometime.

Replies: Dominions Son

Dominions Son 🚫

@Grey Wolf

Now I want to write a pun on tack vs tact. Somewhere. Sometime.

Bobby put a tact on his sister's chair. :)

richardshagrin 🚫
Updated:

@Quasirandom

contact with a tack. By a convict so it was a con contact with tact. A polite Con so he had tact. He was a gent so he was a pun gent.

"Definition of pungent
1: sharply painful
2: having a stiff and sharp point
pungent leaves
3a: marked by a sharp incisive quality : CAUSTIC
a pungent critic
pungent language
b: being sharp and to the point
4a: causing a sharp or irritating sensation
especially : ACRID
b: having an intense flavor or odor
a pungent chili"

A pun gent smells.

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Writing peeve: tack vs. tact

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