While reading this blog post, I had a vague recollection of my high school English teacher making a very clear distinction between flounder and founder. But for the life of me, I couldn’t remember what it was. Then, on the way to a meeting in Colfax this morning, CK casually used flounder in a sentence*—no doubt referring to my career—so I made a mental note to look into the difference between the two words.
Naturally, Paul Brians has the answer:
As a verb, “founder” means “to fill with water and sink.” It is also used metaphorically of various kinds of equally catastrophic failures. In contrast, to flounder is to thrash about in the water (like a flounder), struggling to stay alive. “Flounder” is also often used metaphorically to indicate various sorts of desperate struggle. If you’re sunk, you’ve foundered. If you’re still struggling, you’re floundering.
Typical brilliance: describe the difference, then give us a way to remember it. Do yourself a favor and buy his book, would you?
*Yes, he used it correctly.
