Asterisk....Not asterick
almost exactly the same....it can't be almost AND exactly
(Topic ID: 300942)
St Joseph, MI
Quoted from bluespin:A lot of Yankees say
Is it 1853 where you live? 
I have always loved “throw-up” when used as a noun. As in “ugg, I had to clean the throw-up off the car seat”. It always makes me giggle like a kid.
Ironic is often used instead of coincidence.
My favorite story revolves around dinning vs dining.
In reviewing plans I would often see the label “dinning room” instead of “dining room”. I would mark up the page in red ink and explain to the drafter “dining room” has one ‘n’.
After going through this exercise several times on multiple plans with multiple drafters, I had an idea.
The next time I saw the error, I walked into the drafting area with plans and slammed the plans down on the review table causing the whole office to shake. Everyone turned in shock.
I then said “dinning” is a loud noise and has 2 ‘n’s . “Dining” has one ‘n’.
Problem solved. 
Kalgan
Quoted from DanQverymuch:I'll tell you. It is definitely "defiantly."
Now, I realize that it is due to spell checkers (and lazy people) but I searched Pinside and the word "defiantly" appears in 640+ posts, and I gave up trying to find posts where it was not used incorrectly in place of "definitely." I would wager that it is used incorrectly 100 times for every time it is used correctly. That's crazy!
The root word of "defiantly" is "defy," a verb. "Defiant" is an adjective built on that, and "defiantly" is an adverb built on that!
Whereas "definitely" the adverb is based on "definite" the adjective.
Now, cannot everyone see that "definite" is not the same word as "defiant?" It would seem so; when I searched for "defiant" I didn't see anyone using that word incorrectly.
So what's so confusing about adding an "ly" to the correct word?
Again, yes, we have spell check to thank for this phenomenon. Start a word with "defi," goof up the middle, add "ly," and spell check will ever so helpfully suggest "defiantly." Which is great, if that's the word you were after. But, for the love of all that is good and holy, don't accept the suggestion when it isn't!
Running this into the ground, it's probably the misspelling "definatly" that is the main culprit. Swap the "n" and "a" and there's "defiantly," which explains the spell check suggestion. Just remember, there is definitely no "a" in "definitely!"
I'm still astounded that anyone would say "ok, yeah, I meant defiantly" when they didn't!
DE_FI_ ANT_ LY
DE_ FIN_ ITE_ LY
I guess all I'm asking is for people to pay better attention. Rant over!
The word what!
Your title should have read-
Which word is used incorrectly the most.
Quoted from pinballcorpse:Ironic is often used instead of coincidence.
My favorite story revolves around dinning vs dining.
In reviewing plans I would often see the label “dinning room” instead of “dining room”. I would mark up the page in red ink and explain to the drafter “dining room” has one ‘n’.
After going through this exercise several times on multiple plans with multiple drafters, I had an idea.
The next time I saw the error, I walked into the drafting area with plans and slammed the plans down on the review table causing the whole office to shake. Everyone turned in shock.
I then said “dinning” is a loud noise and has 2 ‘n’s . “Dining” has one ‘n’.
Problem solved.
George Carlin rants on this in one of his standup sketches.
As a result, my wife and I constantly check each other on the use of either word.
Thanks George!
Quoted from SBrothers:George Carlin rants on this in one of his standup sketches.
As a result, my wife and I constantly check each other on the use of either word.
Thanks George!
Oh wow, I had no idea. I’ll have to check that out. Thanks !
Quoted from Hayfarmer:Prolly. Because it's not a word!
I think most people use that spelling as a visual slang for the proper word.
Another slang spelling (and annoying) is “aboot” for “about”
Quoted from Bud:I think most people use that spelling as a visual slang for the proper word.
Another slang spelling (and annoying) is “aboot” for “about”
What's the dilly with that? 
Quoted from bluespin:Y’all
A lot of Yankees say Y’all to mean “You all.” In southern slang Y’all means you as in talking to one other person. All Y’all means all of you plural. You can catch a lot of yankee transplants trying to be hipsters and saying Y’all when speaking to one person.
Full disclosure: I’m a yankee that moved to Atlanta 15 years ago. 90% of my neighbors in the northern suburbs moved here in the last 10 years. I’m practically a local.
I think whoever told you this when you moved south is f'ing with you so everyone can tell you're not from the south, though your accent may still give it away or not. Y'all means more than one person, usually 2-5 but it's flexible. All Y'all means a large group of people.
Walk into a party or bar to meet a few friends: "how Y'all doing?", talking to someone about a larger group they belong to, let's say sitting around a bon fire drinking a bunch of homemade moonshine: "All Y'all are crazy, you're going to be sicker than a dog".
One that bugs me is when people use "jealous" when they mean "envious." They're sort of opposites and not interchangeable.
Envious is when you want something that someone else has.
"I'm so envious of his mint-condition Fish Tales."
Jealous is when you're insecure and protective about the things you already have.
"I'm jealous of my mint-condition Fish Tales and don't want anyone else playing it."
I get that definitions are changing over time with repeated misuse but, strictly speaking, they're very different.
"What's the ask" makes my blood boil. People love to use it in my company - they think it makes 'em sound smart.
"I seen" also drives me insane. Saw. Why is it so hard people.
Kids these days love legit. "That's legit". "I legit don't care".
Quoted from RCA1:Is it 1853 where you live?
//<![CDATA[
window.__mirage2 = {petok:"8f43450c307d47ca37f48670db2a0e78cf5c8236-1632500930-1800"};
//]]>
I was born, raised, and still live in Texas. I have been told more than once (by fellow Texans) that everyone living north of Austin is a Yankee. 
A little bit different slant, but my vote is for "stuck switch" when they really mean misadjusted switch.
The only times I have actually seen a "stuck switch" were when a star rollover or a button rollover were gummed up and actually stuck in the down position.
When people use "hysterical" as if it has the same meaning as "hilarious". It doesn't.
People often use the word "complacent" when they actually mean "complaisant".
A Pinside-particular peeve, only because I've never seen it anywhere else - "needs shopped" and "needs cleaned" in the marketplace. What's so difficult about adding two little words, so it's "needs to be shopped" and "needs to be cleaned"? They're just two little words that "needs added" to your ads.
I wrote a paper in grad school about the word "disinterested". After a lot of research (& a period of denial), I learned when enough people use a word incorrectly in multiple formats over a long period of time, incorrect use becomes correct. In roughly 30% of documented uses, the author used "disinterested" to mean "uninterested." Therefore, it became a secondary definition. Once it's listed as one of the accepted definitions in the OED, we're all screwed. Language is unstable, sorry guys...
https://www.oxfordlearnersdictionaries.com/us/definition/english/disinterested
https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/disinterested-is-a-more-flexible-word-than-many-think-l06rtcgv7
https://www.merriam-webster.com/words-at-play/misuse-of-literally
Quoted from Aeolus7:I wrote a paper in grad school about the word "disinterested". After a lot of research (& a period of denial), I learned when enough people use a word incorrectly in multiple formats over a long period of time, incorrect use becomes correct. In roughly 30% of documented uses, the author used "disinterested" to mean "uninterested." Therefore, it became a secondary definition. Once it's listed as one of the accepted definitions in the OED, we're all screwed. Language is unstable, sorry guys...
https://www.oxfordlearnersdictionaries.com/us/definition/english/disinterested
https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/disinterested-is-a-more-flexible-word-than-many-think-l06rtcgv7
https://www.merriam-webster.com/words-at-play/misuse-of-literally
There was a scene in the Warren Beatty movie "Bugsy" about this very thing.
Quoted from Aeolus7:I wrote a paper in grad school about the word "disinterested". After a lot of research (& a period of denial), I learned when enough people use a word incorrectly in multiple formats over a long period of time, incorrect use becomes correct. In roughly 30% of documented uses, the author used "disinterested" to mean "uninterested." Therefore, it became a secondary definition. Once it's listed as one of the accepted definitions in the OED, we're all screwed. Language is unstable, sorry guys...
I've read that this is considered to be the case with the dreaded "I could care less." Yes, it technically means the exact opposite of the intended thought. But enough people have said it over the years that it's accepted. Whether sticklers want to accept it or not is another story.
https://www.merriam-webster.com/words-at-play/could-couldnt-care-less
Quoted from Aeolus7:I wrote a paper in grad school about the word "disinterested". After a lot of research (& a period of denial), I learned when enough people use a word incorrectly in multiple formats over a long period of time, incorrect use becomes correct. In roughly 30% of documented uses, the author used "disinterested" to mean "uninterested." Therefore, it became a secondary definition. Once it's listed as one of the accepted definitions in the OED, we're all screwed. Language is unstable, sorry guys...
https://www.oxfordlearnersdictionaries.com/us/definition/english/disinterested
https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/disinterested-is-a-more-flexible-word-than-many-think-l06rtcgv7
https://www.merriam-webster.com/words-at-play/misuse-of-literally
That's what grinds my gear about irregardless/regardless. Both words now mean the same thing and are officially acknowledged and recognized by merriam-webster and OED.
I think that bothers me more than the people using the word irregardless. You're letting them win!
Worksop
"That"
The term is "copy" and not "copy that". Likewise the correct usage is "roger" and not "roger that".
I hear this so much on TV and in movies and just shake my head.
The one that bugs me the most is the over use of 'multiple' in the media;
'multiple people injured' rather than 'several people injured' or (egad) even an
actual number which they usually have.
The media seems to invent words and phrases that unfortunatly make their
way into common speech. Sad.
Lately I have noticed most of my friends say “exspecially” instead of the correct “especially”. I am not bothered by slang or incorrect usages of your/you’re, or there/they’re/their, but I wonder how exspecial has crept into people’s vocabulary.
The word does not roll off the tongue as nice as especially, I almost have to put effort into saying expecially.
The latest report I have is of Tony Romo using it incorrectly many times last Sunday.
Quoted from Indusguys:Lately I have noticed most of my friends say “exspecially” instead of the correct “especially”. I am not bothered by slang or incorrect usages of your/you’re, or there/they’re/their, but I wonder how exspecial has crept into people’s vocabulary.
The word does not roll off the tongue as nice as especially, I almost have to put effort into saying expecially.
The latest report I have is of Tony Romo using it incorrectly many times last Sunday.
Reminds me of when I'm at a coffee shop and someone orders "expresso."
Mi fa sempre impazzire!
Reply
Wanna join the discussion? Please sign in to reply to this topic.
Hey there! Welcome to Pinside!
Donate to PinsideGreat to see you're enjoying Pinside! Did you know Pinside is able to run without any 3rd-party banners or ads, thanks to the support from our visitors? Please consider a donation to Pinside and get anext to your username to show for it! Or better yet, subscribe to Pinside+!
