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

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  • ShaneUK
    ShaneUK Posts: 1,094
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    I don't understand what Martin means on number 7 - "Basically". Am hoping that the reason I don't understand isn't that it is something that I think is correct!

    I think the problem with "should of" comes via "should've".

    Basically, what Martin is getting at is people who, basically, use the word basically too much - especially at the start of a sentance.
    (Martin et all - I don't normally - my comment there was (basically) tongue in cheek!)
  • Also when people say arks instead of asked makes me want to throw something at the tv.
  • MC_Emily_2
    MC_Emily_2 Posts: 52 Forumite
    Loosing and losing......aaaarrrrgggghhhhhhhhh. How hard can it be????
  • Simon_c_2
    Simon_c_2 Posts: 49 Forumite
    "New books in our Library for you to loan".

    Seen at my daughter's primary school. And the worst bit was, when I pointed out the mistake to her teacher, she didn't get the problem at first, and even when I explained it, didn't see the need to change the sign.
  • Niksan
    Niksan Posts: 309 Forumite
    Don't think I've heard arks before, sure this isn't the upper class arsk?
  • KimYeovil
    KimYeovil Posts: 6,156
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    Can I just say, its nice to be agreed with for once!! :D
    "May I just say it's nice to be agreed with for once!", surely? Or have I dumbly missed the deliberate sarcasm?
  • beesleg
    beesleg Posts: 6 Forumite
    My favorite is the incorrect use of the word tact when someone actually means tack. As in "we are changin tack" i.e. changing our approach or method.

    Also people who say that they came sickth in a race when surely they came sixth. The word has a n 'x' in it.
    More than £2000 in interest earned this year, directly attributable to advice from MSE
  • KimYeovil
    KimYeovil Posts: 6,156
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    beesleg wrote: »
    My favorite is the incorrect use of the word tact when someone actually means tack. As in "we are changin tack" i.e. changing our approach or method.

    Also people who say that they came sickth in a race when surely they came sixth. The word has a n 'x' in it.

    Oi, we're here moaning about British English. 90%* of the decimation is caused by you Yanks so swan off to your own board.

    (Uhm, :), btw)

    *(Ha ha! Had to type '90%' because I could not remember off the top of my head whether it should be 'percent', 'per cent' or 'per-cent'. :rotfl:)
  • One that seems to come from the same language mangle as "arkse" is "ditten" meaning "didn't"

    And my absolute hate: "tooth-comb" when what is meant is "fine-toothed comb"
  • Graham03
    Graham03 Posts: 20 Forumite
    thebigbosh wrote: »
    My pet hate, and the BBC frequently annoys the hell out of me by doing it, is when someone says "...an Historical moment." It should said either "an 'istorical moment" (as if you were French) or "a historical moment".

    The BBC are only doing what I was taught at school. It's "a history of World War 2" but it's "an historical account of World War 2" - in other words it's "a" when the stress is on the first syllable of the h-word, and "an" when it's not. I hadn't heard that this rule had been changed...?

    But a pet hate of mine that I don't think has been mentioned yet is shop assistants asking "Are you all right there?" Apparently it means "How can I help you, sir?" but it's hard to understand WHY it means that!
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