Animwaa Anim-Addo: Kojo, you have missed me.

Kojo Yankson: Er... if you insist

Animwaa Anim-Addo: I do. And I've got a gift for you. Two, in fact.

Kojo Yankson: Two gifts? Then I just might have missed you after all. What are these two gifts of which you speak?

Animwaa Anim-Addo: Two words that have different meanings, but are often mistaken for one another.

Kojo Yankson: Oh right. Which words are those?

Animwaa Anim-Addo: Adopt and adapt

Kojo Yankson: Of course! I do often hear people say adapt when they mean adopt.

Animwaa Anim-Addo: Yes, Adopt means to legally take and bring up another's child. it also means to accept something for general use - like a set of rules or statutes.

Kojo Yankson: So you could say "the committee shall adopt the proposed standing orders with immediate effect".

Animwaa Anim-Addo: Correct. You would not say "the committee shall adapt the proposed standing orders with immediate effect". Adopt means something else entirely.

Kojo Yankson: That's right. Adapt means to alter something to make it suitable for a different use or a new purpose. It can also mean to adjust to new circumstances or conditions

Animwaa Anim-Addo: So you could say "the bereaved family had to adapt to life without their breadwinner"

Kojo Yankson: Perfect. Now, we can all say it right.