What words are commonly used wrong that drive you insane?
I'm seeing the word "radical" used a lot more often in recent years, and often in reference to attitudes or policies that actually mean "reactionary." The "Radical Right" in politics isn't radical at all, it's reactionary.
What words do you recognize people are using wrong?
8 years ago by spaceghoti
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Using 'wrong' when it should be 'incorrectly'... ;)
I see what you did there....
So did I.To for too..Drives me up the wall.
responsive/adaptive
I'd like to say that the use of the word epic in any way, shape, or form other than discussing Gilgamesh should be met with a firm punch to the junk. Wayyyy overused.
I hear you - 'epic' has been cheapened through overuse . The word 'epic' in the modern idiom is merely 'quite good '. My personal bugbear is 'defiantly ' meaning 'definitely'. The two words have different meanings. Oh, and 'bae' . Why is it necessary to lose one letter from 'babe' ? Isn't that just the height of laziness ? The word 'babe' is already slang, but even so... anyways, so I'm pedantic, but please. Predictive text is making people lazy. Rant over. K, bye
bae = before anyone else; used to knockout the whole premature 'I love you' issue with something that is easy to say and conveys a strong bond. I'm not a fan of it, I just say I love someone, but that sentiment extends to a large number of people. Not everyone quite gets it. bae fixes that.
Okay - it's an acronym. I didn't get that ! Thanks !
Epic just makes me think of the color purple. I blame my many years of World of Warcraft for this.
People using the word 'literally' incorrectly makes me want to figuratively kill my self.
Literally has been used to provide emphasis since as far back as the 18th century, by many great writer, from Jane Austen to Mark Twain.
That's true, languages change and evolve all the time. But that doesn't stop this example from pissing me off, which was the point of the question.
Dictionaries have now actually changed the definition of 'literally'. So those people are now using it correctly.
They've also removed the word gullible.
lose and loose
it's not really the same thing but i have several friends who go "blah blah blah blah.com"
"oh that's so annoying.com"
Take a long Fuck off off a short pier
affect and effect
a / an
Authorities seem to disagree. Where do you come down on the age-old “an hospital” problem?
Then they're all idiots and should listen to me.
If the H is pronounced, it should be "a". "a hospital", "a honey bee", "a horrific tragedy".
If the H is silent, then it should be "an". "an honour", "an hour", "̶a̶n̶ ̶u̶n̶f̶o̶u̶n̶d̶ ̶t̶h̶i̶r̶d̶ ̶e̶x̶a̶m̶p̶l̶e̶"̶, "an heir"!
Lol "an unfound third example"
Having three examples looks and sounds better. When I find a third example of an English word that starts with a silent H, I'll edit that example to include it.
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Thank you, but no. Where I am, the H in herb is pronounced. I was hoping for words that have the same H sound in all accents (except cockney, they pronounce nothing.)
Only in American English, in UK it's pronounced ;)
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HI caliphiliac, I was laughing with you, not at you. I thought is was really funny how you put the last example in the way you did-.Sometimes things don't always come across as intended. I apologise if you took this as me making fun of you :)
I wasn't sure, so I decided to play it safe :)
YES!
an hotel, a hospital. an hors d'oeuvres :)
pacific for specific. could/should/would of instead of have. less and fewer. was when it should be were. off and from.
That's so "random"- to describe something that is entirely predictable and frequently occurring. I must also add- seen instead of saw, as in "I seen it over there" and then there is done instead of did "I done it really well". Lastly there are the people who "aks" questions rather than ask.
I have a friend who aks all the time. I think it may be more of a very mild speech impediment. She also can't say quite a few other words entirely correctly, we share a laugh about it.
Fair enough. It's the lazy aks that gets me!
Equally with surreal , to describe something that is not fantastical at all
"Irregardless". That word is just wrong, and no, just no, don't use it.
I can't stand it when people say "soz" instead of sorry. It instantly makes me think the person is an idiot.
People actually say this? I just can't imagine keeping a straight face if someone used this word in a conversation with me. "I'm very SOZ about that." "Ha ha"
I hear it very often. Usually if someone accidentally bumps into you etc.
There, Their, They're. Get it right, it's not that hard!
who and whom are pretty high up on my list as well.