So today at work I had to attend an all day training with some of the big-wigs from our region. I was so bugged the whole day. For some reason today I was hyper-aware of everyone misusing words or just making up words whenever it suited them. It was driving me crazy.
The biggest big-wig kept saying he was going to "assimilate" information to all the managers when what he meant was "disseminate". He also kept throwing "whom" around probably thinking it made him sound smarter, but it had the opposite effect since he didn't know how to use it. Some other girl kept saying she was "fustrated" instead of "frustrated" and I'm pretty sure at one point she said "for all intensive purposes." what?
I have a whole list of words that I notice people constantly use incorrectly. Sorry to be a grammar-Nazi, but here are some frequent offenders:
Peruse-to examine carefully, study thoroughly, scrutinize, inspect (thank you thesaurus). People always use this to mean they're going to quickly read or lightly skim over something. This word is used incorrectly so often that some dictionaries have added a 2nd definition that is pretty much the opposite of the real definition. I guess it's easier just to change a dictionary than to re-educate the entire population.
Irregardless is not a word. Regardless is a word.
'There's' instead of 'there are'- such as 'there's drinks in the fridge.' I realized how guilty I am of that one when I learned to speak a foreign language.
Off of-There is no need to ever follow the word "Off" with "of." Also "could of" should be "could have."
Pacific/specific-one of these is an ocean. Try to guess which one.
My English is far from perfect (as Craig so delicately pointed out) but those are a few of my peeves. What are yours? Are there words that drive you crazy when you hear people use them?
11 comments:
I've been told I pronounce my "e" like an "i" and the word "always" funny. Katie even wrote a little poem about it. I don't hear it. As far as grammar mistakes I notice these:
#1- supposibly instead of supposedly
#2- dethaw- why the de?
heat, those were the ones i thought of. supposably.
do you remember the poem?
i wanted to be an english major so i could learn how to speak correctly. instead i was required to find the deeper meaning of novels.
i do think we should be able to say "amn't" as in i amn't going to do it anymore. chloe says this and i don't correct her because it makes sense to me.
dan always says 'bring' when i would say 'take'. like, 'let's bring that trash to the dump.' his whole family does it.
the word "moist" should never be used correctly or incorrectly.
and flustrated.
k80- the poem is in the back of a book you gave me. I'll try and find it.
When I was in elementary my dad would send back letters from my teachers with red corrections all over the paper. It used to embarrass me but now I think it's really funny.
heat that's sweet about your dad correcting your teachers letters. as i was writing this post i was thinking everyone was going to find a million errors in grammar, punctuation, spelling and i would look like a complete arse. oh well.
i've noticed i totally give IQ points for spelling and take them away for misspelling. it's a problem. i have a friend that is totally smart, was always in honors classes, Dean's list, all that sort of stuff-but whenever she emails me i start wondering if really she is stupid, but a very talented cheater to get through school. because she's a horrible speller. Does that make me a Spellist?
I'd just "assume" never again hear someone say "I could care less". Doesn't that mean you care a lot?
Is that you Shayne? I remember Shayne doesn't like that phrase.
I love proper English but I was raised in Utah & therefor doomed.
I also say supposably.
My biggest proununciation error is "fer". I always say it instead of "for"
LOL at Danika. Man, you hate that word don't you? Haha!
the anonymous comment was danika. dan is a computer guy--he can track down ip addresses. it was definitely danika!
ok, i've been noticing i say:
fer=for
yer=your
tuh=to
uht=at
but only in the middle of sentences.
i also say there's for there are. i'm such a hick!
Do any of you Wuhll instead of Well? I start out every sentence with "Wuhll.."
Dan, you a bad-ass ip tracker-downer, you. Now I know never to leave evil anonymous comments.
tal=towell
ang, i don't know if you are still checking comments on this one, but this is my favorite blog so far. you crack me up. and right now we have a "standard greeting" on my cell phone that says, "the wireless customer you have called, 'sarah and michael', IS not available... oh it drives me crazy! also, what's up with putting 'R' sounds into words in southern utah? like, "i'm from waRshington?"
anywho. great blog.
Post a Comment