Bryson•s Dictionary for Writers and Editors

56
Cameroon/Cameroun / candelabrum (or candelabra)
Cameroon/Cameroun. The first is the English spelling; the second is
the French (and local) spelling for the West African republic formerly
called the Cameroons. Its capital is Yaoundé.
Camisards. French Calvinists disaffected by the revocation of the
Edict of Nantes (1703).
camisole.
Camorra. Mafia-type secret society of Naples.
Campagna di Roma. Countryside around Rome.
campanile. Bell tower.
can, may. Can applies to what is possible and may to what is permis -
sible. You can drive your car the wrong way down a one-way
street, but you may not. Despite the simplicity of the rule, errors
are common, even among experts. Here is William Safire writing
in the New York Times on the pronunciation of junta:“The
worst mistake is to mix languages. You cannot say ‘joonta’ and
you cannot say ‘hunta.’ ” But you can, and quite easily. What Mr.
Safire meant was that you may not or should not or ought not.
Canada is a dominion, comprising ten provinces (Alberta, British
Columbia, Manitoba, New Brunswick, Newfoundland and
Labrador, Nova Scotia, Ontario, Prince Edward Island, Quebec,
and Saskatchewan) and three territories (Yukon, Northwest, and
Nunavut); capital Ottawa.
Canaletto. (1697–1768) Venetian artist, real name Giovanni Antonio
Canal.
Canandaigua Lake, New York.
canard. A ridiculous story or rumor. “Gross canard” is a cliché. The
French satirical magazine is Le Canard Enchaîné.
Canary Islands. Island group off northwest Africa; they are not a
colony but are part of Spain; in Spanish, Islas Canarias.
Cancún. Mexican resort.
candelabrum (or candelabra), pl. candelabra (or candelabras). Note
not candle-.