Question for you. Would you like to have a mug of coffee or
a cup of coffee? Have you brought a mushroom or a toadstool
from the forest? Did you have a macaron or a macaroon with
lunch yesterday? Oh, here’s another: would you rather have
that Mug of coffee, or have to take a Mug Shot? Heh heh. You've probably guessed that I'm going to
talk about certain words that make thousands of people confused and annoyed. And no wonder! Sometimes, just one vowel can entirely change
the meaning of the whole word. So, let's figure out whether you dance samba
or sambo! 1. Emojis vs. Emoticons
Did you get the emoji I just sent you? Oh, wait... Maybe it was an emoticon? Easy-peasy! Emojis are real pictures. They can be faces, animals, and literally
anything from broccoli to a thunderstorm. And emoticons are faces you create by typing
different characters on your keyboard. 2. Shrimps vs. Prawns
These two critters have always been the cause of endless confusion. Some people claim that shrimp are a blown-up
version of the prawn. Others are sure that "prawn" is what British
people call American "shrimp." But, in fact, prawns are way bigger and have
more claws than shrimp. 3. Silicon vs. Silicone
What distinguishes these words is just one letter, but this letter makes a world of difference! Solid and brittle, silicon is a chemical element
with a pretty blue-grey metallic shine. And silicone is a substance where silicon
atoms are mixed with oxygen, hydrogen, carbon, and whatnot. Silicone is typically either rubber-like or
liquid, and it's used in many different spheres. 4. Cement vs. Concrete
Concrete is a strong building material that's made up of gravel, sand, and crushed stones. All these components are held together by
a paste which consists of water and - surprise surprise! - special dry powder, also known
as cement! And while no concrete can exist without cement,
these two things are just not the same. 5. Mugs vs. Cups
Mugs are thicker, bigger, and made to be cradled in your hands while you're sitting on the
windowsill and looking out at the rain. Ahem. Sorry. As for cups, they’re usually smaller and
daintier. People are supposed to drink coffee and hot
chocolate from mugs and tea from cups, but, honestly, it doesn't really matter much these
days. 6. Pills vs. Tablets
The pill is a more general term for medicines presented in small rounded shapes. As for the tablet, it's powdered herbs or
chemicals that are pressed together to create a flat, solid shape. Tablets are mostly round, although if you
try, you may find lots of unusual forms, let's say, a triangle. 7. Sambo vs. Samba
Sambo is a kind of modern martial art that appeared in the former Soviet Union. The name stands for "self-defense without
weapons." And if you want to move your body, you can
dance samba, which is a fast, vibrant dance from Brazil. 8. Venomous vs. Poisonous
Just remember two things: if some dangerous substance is forced into your bloodstream,
it's venom. That's why we call snakes "venomous." And to get poisoned, a person has to eat,
inhale, or contact something "poisonous," for example a mushroom, a berry, or a chemical. Or that red apple from the wicked witch. 9. Jealousy vs. Envy
Oh, these two emotions have caused countless conflicts and broken zillions of relationships,
and still, some people mistake one for the other! Jealousy is when you have an ice-cream and
are afraid that someone will take it from you. As for envy, you feel it when another person
is enjoying their ice-cream on a hot day, but there's no cold treat for you! 10. Stalactites vs. Stalagmites
You’ll be able to tell these long-pointed pieces of rock apart at first sight if you
remember this: stalagmites grow upward from the floor of a cave. And stalactites grow downward from the ceiling
of a cave. Or remember like this: it takes “might”
to pull a stalagmite up from the floor. And you better hold “tight” to a stalactite,
else you might fall down. Once again, stalagmites up, stalactites down. Get it? Got it. Good! 11. Jam vs. Jelly
This issue bothers millions of people all over the world, "What did I have for breakfast,
jam or jelly?" Look at the sweet stuff in front of you. Can you see pieces of fruit and berries inside? Then it's jam. Jelly only contains juice, and it's also more
translucent. Remember that and you’ll get out of this
jam every time! 12. Macarons vs. Macaroons
People have been arguing about the correct spelling of these two desserts and their meaning
for ages. But here's the most widely-accepted explanation:
a macaron is a kind of cookie made from egg whites, sugar, and almond powder. It's also French, very pretty, and totally
instagrammable. And macaroons come from Italy. They’re small cookies made from ground almonds,
coconuts, and other nuts. They’re white on the inside but toasted
to look beautifully golden. Man, no problem -- I’ll eat ‘em both! 13. Boats vs. Ships
The difference between these two kinds of nautical transport is pretty apparent, right? And still, some people manage to mix these
terms, and captains get awfully offended. So, let's clarify: ships are big vessels,
weighing more than 500 tons and sturdy enough to sail the oceans. At the same time, boats are way more compact
and breakable. That's why they typically stick closer to
the shore or sail across smaller bodies of water. Another way to tell the difference? You can put a boat on a ship, but not the
other way around. Otherwise, you’ll crush it. 14. America vs. the US
People may misunderstand you if you announce that you're setting off on a journey to America. So, don't be surprised if they begin to ask
for clarifications. The thing is that the name "America" means
the continents of North and South America combined. But if you're planning to see the Grand Canyon
and the lights of Las Vegas, tell your friends that you're going to the United States of
America, or the U.S.A. 15. Great Britain vs. the UK
You'll be able to distinguish Great Britain from the UK with ease if you remember just
one thing: Great Britain is one island. But the United Kingdom also includes the north-eastern
part of Ireland, as well as numerous small islands. 16. Mushrooms vs. Toadstools
"Um, you've brought quite a lot of toadstools from your mushroom hunting trip..." Don't get your hopes up, that's not a compliment. It's true that by saying "mushrooms," people
usually refer to an edible type of fungi. It means that you can munch on it without
any risk of getting ill. Toadstools are a different story; they are
poisonous, and some of these fungi are quite dangerous, so only eat these for your last
meal. 17. Huskies vs. Malamutes
While these two breeds get constantly mistaken for each other, a husky and a malamute are
two very different dogs that come from different parts of the world! Huskies are pooches from Siberia, where they
were specifically bred to be fast. They’re sleek, kind, and hardworking, and
often have two different colored eyes. As for malamutes, they're Alaskan dogs, just
as lovely as huskies, but a bit slower and more massive. 18. Alpacas vs. Llamas
Come on, both of these cuties have fluffy faces, long necks, and four legs; how on Earth
am I supposed to tell them apart? It turns out there is a way! First of all, look at the animal's ears. If they're long and banana-shaped, that's
a llama. Alpacas have shorter, spear-shaped ears. Also, alpacas' faces are blunter, and it gives
them a slightly "smooshed in" look. These animals are also smaller than llamas. While the average alpaca weighs about 150
pounds, an adult llama can be as heavy as 400 pounds. And if you confuse the two in front of the
llama, he might spit in your face. Happened to me once. 19. Crocodiles vs. Alligators
Imagine that one day, you meet one of these, let's admit it, quite terrifying creatures,
and freeze in confusion: is it a crocodile or an alligator? First of all, take a look at the animal's
snout. Alligators' snouts are wider and have an apparent
U-shape, and crocodiles' front part is V-shaped and pointed. Also, if an alligator's mouth is closed, you’ll
never see its teeth. As for crocodiles, no matter if they keep
their mouths shut or not, one tooth on each side of their lower jaw will stick out anyway. But the most significant difference is that
crocodiles' home base is saltwater reservoirs, and alligators hang out in freshwater lakes
and marshes. Frankly, I wouldn’t even take the time to
figure it out, I’d just run and sort it out later… 20. Sphinx vs. Sphynx
You can see the most famous Sphinx in the world in Egypt, on the West Bank of the Nile
river. It's a mythical creature with the head of
a human and the body of a lion. Sphynx, in turn, has nothing to do with mysteries,
legends, and mixed body parts. It's a breed of hairless cats, velvety and
hot to the touch, that appeared in Ontario, Canada, in 1966. (By the way, yes, that was a tongue-twister. Hey, you try saying “Famous Sphinx’ a
few times…. But later.. I’m not done yet. 21. Crows vs. Ravens
Well, I'm pretty sure that one of these species safeguards the Tower of London. But if you showed me a picture of a bird and
asked if it was a crow or a raven, I wouldn't be able to tell one from the other. So, here’s the tutorial! Crows are smaller, with thinner and longer
beaks. If you hear shrill cawing that grates on your
ears, that's a crow! Scientists also claim that the average crow
is as smart as a 7-year-old child. As for ravens, they’re way larger than crows,
with longer tails and thicker bills. They often travel in pairs and communicate
through low croaking sounds. Finally here’s a bonus: Oreo vs. Oreo. One is a famous yummy cookie, and the other
is from the Wizard of Oz. It’s the song the Wicked Witch’s guards
are singing as they march around her castle. Don’t believe me? Check it out. How about you? Do you know any other things people often
confuse? Let me know down in the comments! If you learned something new today, then give
this video a like and share it with a friend. But – hey! – don't go off eating crow
just yet! We have over 2,000 cool videos for you to
check out. All you have to do is pick the left or right
video, click on it, and enjoy! Stay on the Bright Side of life!
