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Pedants' corner

incorrect use of words

(98 Posts)
BradfordLass72 Thu 03-Jan-19 07:28:12

Pedants Corner is just the right place for me because I get so cross when in almost every book I read, some by leading authors, I hear words used incorrectly.

Prodigal does NOT mean 'returning' but profligate, spendthrift, throwing your money about like a man with no arms. (and how does that work btw?) smile

Brackish water is a mixture of salt and fresh, as in an estuary for instance, but is so often used as if it means dirty.

And so many more.
I know language changes and there are many words we use now which have reversed their meaning, 'sophisticated' for instance, but ti still make me wild.
Anyone else got a pet peeve word?

sodapop Thu 07-Feb-19 11:45:40

Maybe Pedants Corner is not the place for you then Sussexborn.
I do agree that its bad form to correct the perceived errors of others.

NanaLu Thu 07-Feb-19 11:29:17

When ordering in a restaurant or bar, when I hear, “can I get a ....”

I’ve often wanted to hear the response, “No, you can’t, that’s my job!”. Or even, “Yes, of course, it’s over there, help yourself”.

I blame American TV.

Brahumbug Mon 04-Feb-19 07:19:04

Several of the Sharpe and Uhtred books!

Sussexborn Sun 03-Feb-19 09:13:30

Oh dear! Some people have very dull lives if they get het up so easily! Chill or you’ll make yourself ill.

Purely a matter of when you were born, where you were educated and how snobbish and stuck up you are.

Correcting and commenting on other people’s so called errors is far worse than the error itself IMHO. So rude!

MawBroon Sun 03-Feb-19 09:12:55

I wonder which book you are referring to?
Bernard Cornwall should know better, but to be fair

A charnel house is a vault or building where human skeletal remains are stored. They are often built near churches for depositing bones that are unearthed while digging graves
The term can also be used more generally as a description of a place filled with death and destruction

Brahumbug Sun 03-Feb-19 08:59:24

Mom is used in many parts of the UK. Bernard Cornwell in his novels, obviously doesn't know what a charnel house is. He thinks it means a gory mess!

Daysy Sat 26-Jan-19 03:35:29

Holi for Mothering Sunday I even saw mugs and cards on sale using "Mom".

grandtanteJE65 to me "disinterested" is someone unbiased, with no pecuniary or other interest in an entity or the outcome of something, so that for instance the arbitration of a conflict between two parties would be by a disinterested third party.

BradfordLass72 Fri 25-Jan-19 21:12:29

I think I've got, received, experienced more fun and laughter from this thread (or threat) than any other I have participate in - to split an infinitive. smile

BradfordLass72 Fri 25-Jan-19 21:05:26

holdingontometeeth you corrected me with... "When reading I see words being used incorrectly."

I only wish I could see to read but sadly, it's a long time since I could see the text in books, magazines or newspapers.
Books were my life, not just as an author but as a researcher - and just for pleasure.

Only by the magic of technology can I participate here...and of course I was referring to audio books when I wrote the OP.

FarNorth Fri 25-Jan-19 16:19:07

Thanks, BradfordLass72, I did not know that. I am envious of your knowledge. smile

BradfordLass72 Fri 25-Jan-19 03:28:27

I don't like 'insightful' when there's a perfectly good word 'perceptive'.

And I cringe when I hear, 'You've got a new dress, I'm so jealous.'
Being jealous is when you have something and want to keep it: 'He guarded his money jealously.'
'I was so jealous when my boyfriend started flirting with my friend.'

Envy is when you want something someone else has.
It seems to me that only 1 in 10,000 seems to know this, so clearly it's not important to anyone except me.

Marydoll Mon 14-Jan-19 18:55:36

Today, whilst watching BBC News this morning, the tickertape at the bottom of the screen, mentioned Theresa May's AFFECTIVE policy.
One would expect the BBC to get it correct.

MaizieD Sun 13-Jan-19 23:18:09

Battling as a verb. No,no,no, 'fighting' please.

Impacting, when what is really meant is 'affecting'.

Though I swear this one is because people don't know the difference between 'affect' (usually a verb, though I know it is used as a noun in psychology) and 'effect', noun (though I know it can be used as a verb e.g to effect a change). 'Impacting' always makes me think of impacted wisdom teeth (or bowels...)

In this area 'drownding' is very commonly used for 'drowning'.

What always puzzles me is how these words come to be universally misused in such a short time. Do people think they sound more intellectual than the common old word they're replacing?

BradfordLass72 Sun 13-Jan-19 21:25:33

Of course I should be complaining about the nonsensical use of, "Now then" from my native Yorkshire but that would be unpatriotic smile

BradfordLass72 Sun 13-Jan-19 21:20:12

Heard on audio books:
purposely instead of purposefully (or vice versa)
depreciate rather than deprecate
demure when its demur
nuculear for nuclear - what's so difficult about Nu-Clear?
jewllery for jewelry

And of course, "So I was like...' for 'I said..' <sigh>

But I'm afraid, Sparkelfizz that I too am guilty of, 'No problem.'
When I first came back here after 6 years in the UK I adamantly refused to use it, my thinking was exactly like yours. I must have been the only person in the country not to use it 20 times a day.

But like the ubiquitous 'OK', which I also deplore, preferring 'all right', it snuck under my guard and I find myself occasionally using it.

I smile when I hear it in radio or TV dramas set well before the nasty little acronym was invented.

BBbevan Sun 13-Jan-19 19:14:15

And in Wales it is Mam also

Suki70 Sun 13-Jan-19 18:00:01

Sorry Holi but if you live in the Black Country you do call your mother Mom, just as in some northern counties she is called Mam.

mcem Sun 13-Jan-19 17:49:19

PECS would you be happy to receive an abrupt pm pointing out a (wrongly-perceived) mistake?
I really don't think that's reasonable, especially when involving a thread to which the pm writer didn't contribute!
Odd motivation.
I'd prefer to have nothing to do with such secretive, devious nit-picking

mcem Sun 13-Jan-19 17:41:42

Yes indeed. Are they circling our wagons?
If so, they need some target practice!
Wha' daur meddle wi' me? Right enough!!!

MawBroon Sun 13-Jan-19 16:24:33

So that was another one!

mcem Sun 13-Jan-19 16:17:15

No maw not apostrophes.
(Frankly, unless it's a blatant error I can almost ignore them these days because predictive text so often changes correct to incorrect!)

Without going into details I was accused of using a word as an adjective and that was unacceptable.
Posting a few examples to prove that I was in fact using it correctly did conclude the discussion!

FarNorth Sun 13-Jan-19 16:01:23

grin

PECS Sun 13-Jan-19 15:59:25

The answer is of course, 'No, it's OK I will get your skinny frigging latte. You stay just where you are!'

FarNorth Sun 13-Jan-19 15:55:21

"could I get a skinny frigging latte."

If I was the counter assistant, I don't think "get" is the word I would take exception to, there.

PECS Sun 13-Jan-19 15:45:22

Itz awl abowt kommunicashun. If u understand and kan kommunicate cleerly how important izit?