Funny/annoying grammatical mistakes and odd neologisms

[CuppaJoe]

I had a friend who studied zoology, that is the only reason I can pronounce it correctly.

So, so you pronounce flaccid as flaksid?

-
Never had a problem with the pronunciation of zoology as one of my first jobs was in a zoology dept. But it haunts me because sometimes when I'm really tired and go to pick up the phone, I almost say, "zoology."

Isn't flaxseed a cure for flaksid?

 

[travelover]

My favorite was an old boss whose lawn mower would run fast and slow - he described it as running erotically.

 

[ladelfina]

travelover, that is hysterical!

Just came across the reign/rein pair, as in "reign in spending.."

Dudester, thanks for that link to the great "eggcorn" site; it's joining my bookmark list, and I am going to try and contribute "deathknell"=>"deathnail".

Another one of my pedantic grammar fetishes is an old-fashioned love for semi-colons and hyphens. Years ago I would get into arguments with tech copywriters* who insisted on describing their "real time customer based high throughput" thingamabob. There were longer examples.. just looked like disjointed strings of nouns and adjectives to me, and hard to parse. (What's a time-customer? What's a customer-based-high?) I think commas are also under-rated.

*another I saw today: "copywright"

 

[ERD50]

Last Wednesday I heard a bartender say that she was studying zoology in college. That is, Zoo - ology. She couldn't pronounce the name of her major. I have heard it pronounced this way many times.
http://www.amazon.com/There-No-Zoo-...=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1222096414&sr=8-1

Since it was a bartender, perhaps you misheard (yes, I had to look that up!), and she was saying "zymurgy" - the science of fermentation. Several of the CA state schools have zymurgy programs.


-ERD50

 

[Khan]

Several years ago I was reading a newspaper article, and ran across: 'perineal garden'.

 

[FinanceDude]

Several years ago I was reading a newspaper article, and ran across: 'perineal garden'.

 

[lazygood4nothinbum]

... I hate you

ya, ain't i a bitch?

I keep seeing "its" in place of "it's" (in emails, etc.) - it drives me crazy.

never mind when i do it: its just a typo.

One mnemonic trick for those might be to think that "a" comes before "e"

but i thought it was "i" before "e".

 

[Khan]

ya, ain't i a bitch?



never mind when i do it: its just a typo.



but i thought it was "i" before "e".

"I" before "E"
Except after "C"
And when sounded as "A"
(As in neighbor and weigh)
Neither
Leisure
Foreigner
Seize
Weird
Height
-----------------------------
The stuff one remembers.

 

[lazygood4nothinbum]

we always said "in the neighborly weigh". which explains why i always mispelled way. come to think of it. i mispell misspell quite a bit too. what aardvark invented this language anyway?

everyone here has a right & left ear, but nobody here has an aardvark.

 

[Dudester]

One of my favorite eggcorns is "Silicone Valley." It leads to all kinds of questions:

1) Is Silicone Valley in Southern California rather than the Bay Area?

2) What does Silicone Valley look like?

Years ago, I used to see lots of references to this geographical location but haven't seen too many lately.

 

[Khan]

Spotted on a blog: 'escape goat'.

Seen in various venues: 'turned 360 degrees'
(after all, 360 is bigger than 180; so it must be a bigger shift in position/opinion).

 

[lazygood4nothinbum]

My pet peeve, in addition to the already mentioned "I could care less" is "irregardless". Unfortunately, I think it is becoming more acceptable, but it makes my skin crawl.

When I see (or hear) that abomination, my brain turns off and I stop reading (or listening). It's a double negative.

per webster, it may not be prefurd, but itsa wurd:

Main Entry: ir·re·gard·less Pronunciation: \ˌir-i-ˈgärd-ləs\ Function: adverb Etymology: probably blend of irrespective and regardless Date: circa 1912 nonstandard : regardless
usage Irregardless originated in dialectal American speech in the early 20th century. Its fairly widespread use in speech called it to the attention of usage commentators as early as 1927. The most frequently repeated remark about it is that “there is no such word.” There is such a word, however. It is still used primarily in speech, although it can be found from time to time in edited prose. Its reputation has not risen over the years, and it is still a long way from general acceptance. Use regardless instead.

that's one of the joys of english: it changes with time & usage. even some grammar has changed a bit since chomsky (ya gotta wonder if he texts). placement of periods and quotation marks change even with the whim of what looks balanced & fashionable at the time. is it ." or ". today? this language like these people is not static but vibrant and alive.

 

[cantlogin]

Youse guys!

 

[tgotch]

I had a guy tell me about his "Cadillac converter" when trying to explain his "catalytic converter."

 

[Khan]

all y'alls

At work, an email was sent to all saying that someone was going to be out on sick leave because of surgery for 'carpool tunnel' problems.

 

[Notmuchlonger]

People who worry about this crap Ya'all best get er done n proper and complain some mores

 

[MikeD]

I am irritated by any use of the useless word various.

Also, .10 cents. Really? So if I got ten the price would be a penny? Oh.

Mike D.

 

[HFWR]

 

[HFWR]

 

[MichaelB]

One of my favorite eggcorns is "Silicone Valley." It leads to all kinds of questions:


2) What does Silicone Valley look like?

Silicon Valley looks like the original - but bigger, firmer with more robust peaks. No fun to hike on - the ground is too hard. An then, depending on your perspective, some think the peaks look a bit off center...

 

[lazygood4nothinbum]

I am irritated by any use of the useless word various.

how about statovarius?

you must have a heart attack whenever you see so many various and sundry miscellaneous items being strewn about.

 

[TromboneAl]

In a slightly different vein, I am mourning the loss of the adverbial form from modern American English. Apple's motto of "Think different" is the most prominent example I can think of. I always want it to be "Think differently".

2Cor521

That's the most prevalent mistake. Heard on on NBC nightly news last night -- they should know better.

 

[CuppaJoe]

Silicon Valley looks like the original - but bigger, firmer with more robust peaks. No fun to hike on - the ground is too hard. An then, depending on your perspective, some think the peaks look a bit off center...

-
Yo, dude, ya mean Mt. Tam?

 

[lazygood4nothinbum]

That's the most prevalent mistake. Heard on on NBC nightly news last night -- they should know better.

what's the, um, difference? webster shows different or differently as adverbially similar.

Main Entry: dif·fer·ent·ly Pronunciation: \ˈdi-fərnt-lē, ˈdi-f(ə-)rənt-\ Function: adverb Date: 14th century 1 : in a different manner


Main Entry: 2different Function: adverb Date: 1744 : differently

 

[ladelfina]

The "turning 360 degrees" comment made me think of another I heard long ago and may have already posted elsewhere here: a radio ad for a circa 1980 discotheque with a "SUPERSONIC SOUND SYSTEM". (hmm.. so it's inaudible?)