'The word pedants' top 10 | It's specific, not Pacific...' blog discussion.

zeeksquirrel

I think most of my pet hates have already been mentioned, but here are a few more:

Pronouncing "vulnerable" as "vunnerable" and East Anglia as "East Angular" - both to be heard regularly on TV news and radio!

"One foul swoop" instead of "one fell swoop"

koru

samizdat wrote: »

It was I (sic!) who was writing about the use of "refute" on the BBC. As I pointed out, the BBC's own style guide discusses the differences in meaning of the words refute, rebut, and deny.

Also, I think the test of acceptable _style_ should be that it does not impoverish the language. Style is every bit as important, if not more so, than correct usage. For example, the use of "literally" as an intensifier completely undermines the power of the word in its original sense.

The thing is, you, and I, and the BBC all seem to be out of date on this point. As the OED says:

"The core meaning of refute is ‘prove a statement or theory to be wrong’, as in attempts to refute Einstein‘s theory. In the second half of the 20th century a more general sense developed, meaning simply’ deny ', as in I absolutely refute the charges made against me. Traditionalists object to this newer use as an unacceptable degradation of the language, but it is widely encountered."

Although I am in the camp that considers this unacceptable degradation, the misuse seems to have become sufficiently commonplace that it is no longer misuse.

It would now be categorically wrong to spell an adder (the snake) as a nadder, but it is well known that the name of the creature used to be nadder. So many people misheard a nadder as an adder that the spelling has now changed. By the same process the word napron has lost its first letter over time. No doubt there was a point when the change in spelling had not become fully accepted and purists would scoff at people who referred to an adder and an apron. If so, they were wasting their time, because, like it or not, these changes are going to happen and the misuse is going to end up being entirely correct.

I agree that many of these evolving changes are regrettable, but many of them have reached the stage where they are not actually “wrong".

JillS_2

JayD wrote: »

I am someone who is irritated when hearing 'should of' instead of 'should have' but I can see how easily people can get into that trap. The contracted version 'should've' sounds very like like a poorly pronounced 'should of' - poor pronunciation seeming to be quite normal these days.

I also dislike hearing people say 'haitch' instead of 'aitch' - although I agree it may seem strange that the name of this letter doesn't start with its sound.

see, eff, ell, em, en, are, ess, you, double you, ecks, why

gordikin

pls be nice to all money savers....gr8 I understand...pls?..pot/kettle Martin!

spandit

JillS wrote: »

see, eff, ell, em, en, are, ess, you, double you, ecks, why

don't you mean:
cee, eff, ell, em, en, ar, es, you, double you, ex, why
(ar and es are commonly used in Scrabble).

gordikin

I'm a bit disappointed the Boss hasn't commented so far. Maybe it's because it's a rip-off of another thread?

LydiaJ

I frequent the "Debate house prices" board and sometimes the "House buying, renting etc" board. I am frequently irritated by a confusion between 'rent' and 'let'. Landlords let properties when they charge people money to live in them. Tenants rent properties when they pay to have a home. We don't have this confusion between 'buy' and 'sell', so why do people find it so difficult?

MrGumby

kneelbeforezod wrote: »

Invariably, unless you (or your tutors) are conscientious enough to check written references you can easily fall into the trap of "saying it like it sounds".

Presumably you meant "Almost invariably"?! Invariably means 'never varies' or 'always' despite its colloquial use 'almost always'

MrGumby

gordikin wrote: »

I've just saw an advert in Morrisons small ad. board.

For Sale: Dinning table and chairs. Is it a loud colour I wonder?

I saw one offering a Lada Fridge...

MrGumby

zeeksquirrel wrote: »

Pronouncing "vulnerable" as "vunnerable" and East Anglia as "East Angular" - both to be heard regularly on TV news and radio!

"One foul swoop" instead of "one fell swoop"

And pronouncing consumer as 'conshoomer', tissue as 'tishoo', etc. Dom Littlewood is one of the worst offenders - I have to change channel as soon as he appears, can't help myself.

And saying "Off his own back" instead "off his own bat".