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Pedants' corner

unique

(69 Posts)
Christinefrance Mon 02-Jan-17 17:35:21

Watched George Clarke in Amazing Spaces, he said of a house in Canada " It's very unique "
No George it's either unique or it isn't, there are no shades of this.

Wobblybits Tue 03-Jan-17 16:33:30

I must be the most hated person on Gn, as I make all the mistakes mentioned in complete ignorance. English never was a subject i enjoyed or was competent in. Give me maths any day.

Phoebes Tue 03-Jan-17 16:26:27

The one that really grates is "Me and my friend were going down the street...." I can't stand it when people use the object pronoun when it should be the subject pronoun (ie My friend and I...."My Mum always taught me that you always put the other person first, not yourself, as it is polite.

rockgran Tue 03-Jan-17 16:07:43

Yes, the "for free" one drives me mad (free or for nothing) although it didn't bother me until someone pointed it out. Now I hear it all the time! AARRGGG!

Using " ......and I" when it should really be "......and me" also annoys. It may sound posher but it isn't always right! (Subject and object. .....)

Legs55 Tue 03-Jan-17 16:02:00

use of apostrophes - my pet hate, incorrect use of there instead of they're. One that really annoys me is "do the Math", don't know about the rest of you but I studied Maths at School. Lots more things annoy me but I'm going to leave it at that.grin

Christinefrance Tue 03-Jan-17 15:43:52

I hate that advert as well Violette it is annoying in so many ways.
The 110 % thing seems to be creeping in everywhere, why ?
One of my other pet hates is ' more easier ' or more wetter '
It's more easy or easier etc. Must stop now I'm getting hot under the collar. angry

joannewton46 Tue 03-Jan-17 15:12:37

My other pet hate is the misuse of plurals, as if simply adding "s" to the word always makes it plural. For example, the plural of stadium is stadia NOT stadiums. The BBC news is just as bad an anyone else in this regard.
The lack of the letter t in Essex schools - yes my kids are as guilty as anyone else but I did at least try to correct them when they were younger. I am sure all regions have their language idiosyncracies but some are REALLY annoying!

joannewton46 Tue 03-Jan-17 15:03:19

I have a favourite TV channel and the presenters often say "very unique" or "extremely unique". It drives me nuts! As you say, something is either unique or it isn't, there are no degrees of uniqueness. Another example of dumbing down the English language?

Mauriherb Tue 03-Jan-17 14:47:27

Another one is when people say something is "for free". It's either free or for nothing.

JackieBee1 Tue 03-Jan-17 14:44:51

"I was sat at the table"?angry

VIOLETTE Tue 03-Jan-17 14:43:51

I HATE that appeal on tv for a cancer charity (forget which one sadly) where the woman intones ....'every day someone gets the NOOOOOS'...grrrr ! the word is NEWS not NOOOOS ...it is a pity because the charity is a worthy one...I have to turn off the sound !

sarahellenwhitney Tue 03-Jan-17 14:25:41

Christinefrance I laughed when I saw your comment as it reminded me of myself and is how I would have reacted.

For me it is 'well they 'might' have said it'
There is no might have , they either did say it or they didn't say it..

DanniRae Tue 03-Jan-17 14:08:31

I too REALLY can't stand people saying "haitch" - PLEASE STOP DOING IT if you are guilty!!!!!!!!!!!

Thank You!

Llamedos13 Tue 03-Jan-17 14:06:51

When leaving for the airport and people tell you to "fly safe "!!!!

Mauriherb Tue 03-Jan-17 14:04:14

My pet hate is the use of a "k" instead of "ing" as in anythink, nothink, somethink etc grrrr

sufuller Tue 03-Jan-17 13:57:58

Just add misuse of apostrophes and you've covered everything that drives me nuts. Oh yes, mustn't forget 'your or you're'.

Morghew70 Tue 03-Jan-17 13:34:22

I've stopped telling my son to 'Drive carefully' since he said 'Thank goodness you said that - I had been intending to drive like a maniac.'

Lilylilo Tue 03-Jan-17 13:22:54

Ooh i do sooooo hate 'haitch'

Mia9Poppy3 Tue 03-Jan-17 13:09:39

I hate haitch instead of aitch

sue01 Tue 03-Jan-17 13:02:11

My absolute hate is ... arrrgggh I don't know if I can even bring myself to write it.... OK, here goes.....

"wrap up warm "

I simply cannot bear it !

It's an adverb for goodness sake! And the main culprits are the weather men and women on the BBC !!

Madmartha Tue 03-Jan-17 13:01:37

shtudents gets me going every time, and it's not even people with lisps

marionk Tue 03-Jan-17 12:27:33

110% anybody??? Percent indicates 100 surely so any number above this is rubbish, rant rant

Marnie Tue 03-Jan-17 12:24:29

My bugbear is Almost Exactly. It is either exactly or not

Lincsblue Tue 03-Jan-17 12:04:10

I get annoyed at 'This is my best friend, and this is my other best friend'

grandMattie Tue 03-Jan-17 11:20:37

And - fairly sterile [for germs]
Discrete and discreet?
"Each one to be identical" [to what???]
Grrr....

Tudorrose Tue 03-Jan-17 11:19:48

This is my all time pet hate. I am surprised how many, presumably well educated, TV presenters qualify unique.My DH says he wishes that was the only thing on TV which annoys him. He likes about 1% of programmes