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She meant that people are using "yeah" to mean "yay." On Fb the tone doesn't come through. But I know people who say "yeah" to mean "yay" (and I probably do too), but it's said more forcefully, and with excitement, so it means both. "Yeah!" as in "Yes!"

 

I'm sorry...I understood that. I wasn't trying to argue with her. I was just sharing my current frustration with those two words and the lack of context/verbal tone in texting that causes misunderstanding when I text with this particular friend. Thanks for trying to clarify though. :)

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Back when I used to read only books, only correct examples would soak into my mind. Now that I also read the Internet, I'm constantly bombarded by carp like this and I'm terrified that I'm starting to absorb some of it. Every time I read one of these wrong words or phrases, I literally avert my eyes and spell the word correctly in my mind in hope of the good pictures outweighing the bad pictures in my mind. Or is that that outwaying?

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Back when I used to read only books, only correct examples would soak into my mind. Now that I also read the Internet, I'm constantly bombarded by carp like this and I'm terrified that I'm starting to absorb some of it. Every time I read one of these wrong words or phrases, I literally avert my eyes and spell the word correctly in my mind in hope of the good pictures outweighing the bad pictures in my mind. Or is that that outwaying?

 

You can't even depend on books anymore, unfortunately.

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We have a business in town with a sign that says, "Locally World Famous!" How does this work exactly?

 

 

Others:

I had a history teacher who would say "nuKUler" instead of nuCLEAR.

 

"We need to get orientated with the procedure."

"Pronunciate your words correctly."

"I need to loose some weight."

 

Also, use object pronouns for prepositional and direct objects! (use ME, not I)

 

I love this thread!

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People, please, don't ever nip anything in the butt.

:smilielol5:

 

 

 

Nuke-yu-lerr power. (Not even really sure how to spell that one!)

 

 

Jimmy Carter never could get that one right.

 

http://phoenix.craigslist.org/nph/bab/2914924455.html Oh my...as if a fast "expresso" crib isn't bad enough, now people are selling baby bedding with holes in it?? Good grief! :D

 

No, no, no, you don't get it. They're selling the sheets, the bumper, a lamp, and a set of holes (the hole set). Who wouldn't think $500 for all of that is a bargain? :lol:

 

Someone should start a thread exclusively for horrible jargon from the business world. My husband is in upper management, and he drags home the ugliest "new" vocabulary words. "Incentivize" and "ideate" and "on-boarding" spring to mind. Makes me want to wash out his mouth with soap!!!!

 

I have seen many memos from dh's bosses that use methology for methodology. :tongue_smilie:

 

 

And another one is "WestminIster" instead of "Westminster" (no extra syllable).

 

 

And Wimbleton for Wimbledon.

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Could/would/should of is so common I almost don't notice it now.

I see defiantly almost as much as I see definately, which at least is an understandable misspelling. But defiantly?!?

 

I'm pretty sure "defiant" comes from auto-correct. People misspell "definite" as "definate" and the algorithm somehow ends up with "defiant" as the closest match. It happens so often, I'm surprised nobody has reprogrammed the auto-correct algorithm for that word.

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Jimmy Carter never could get that one right.

 

I didn't know there was a whole subgroup of people who pronounce "nucular." Check this out

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nucular

Fascinating that four presidents have said it this way!

 

"Nunberg argues that this pronunciation by weapons specialists and by politicians such as Bush – who are aware of the more accepted pronunciation – may be a "deliberate choice". He suggests that the reasons for this choice are to "assert authority" or to sound folksy."

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I didn't know there was a whole subgroup of people who pronounce "nucular." Check this out

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nucular

Fascinating that four presidents have said it this way!

 

"Nunberg argues that this pronunciation by weapons specialists and by politicians such as Bush – who are aware of the more accepted pronunciation – may be a "deliberate choice". He suggests that the reasons for this choice are to "assert authority" or to sound folksy."

 

Ah. Bush. I used to hate listening to that man talk. He tried too hard to sound like "one of the masses". Uneducated and average is not something anyone should want from a president!! Why would you want to think the president was just an average guy? It's kind of an important job...

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I can't find the posts I wanted to quote, but lately I've been hearing scary instead of scared. Based on the usage I think it means "easily scared". Maybe a baby is afraid of a dog, and the mom will say, "Oh, she's really scary," referring to the baby. :confused:

 

This morning I read something on the Washington Post's site (not sight!) about the Saints getting their "just desserts" for the bounty scandal, but they've fixed it already.

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Ah. Bush. I used to hate listening to that man talk. He tried too hard to sound like "one of the masses". Uneducated and average is not something anyone should want from a president!! Why would you want to think the president was just an average guy? It's kind of an important job...

 

I am fascinated by this as well. I wonder if we want a president who appears normal and somewhat stupid (not too smarty pants or well educated) as a way to feel better about ourselves!

 

I have seen interviews with Bush where he talks in a completely different way, none of the cowboy swagger -- fascinating.

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Something doesn't peak your interest; it piques your interest.

 

Also, "just bare with me" doesn't mean what you think it does.

 

I received an email this morning from our local Classical Conversations group leader inviting me to an informational meeting. In the email she says, "If this peaks your interest...". A classical education group is asking if their program "peaks" my interest? :svengo:

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Back when I used to read only books, only correct examples would soak into my mind. Now that I also read the Internet, I'm constantly bombarded by carp like this and I'm terrified that I'm starting to absorb some of it. Every time I read one of these wrong words or phrases, I literally avert my eyes and spell the word correctly in my mind in hope of the good pictures outweighing the bad pictures in my mind. Or is that that outwaying?

 

I worry about this too. I had to reread the peek/peak example in the beginning of the thread. Every single error used to jump out at me, and now I find my eyes drifting over them on occasion. I think it's a combination of overexposure and exhaustion from parenting a houseful of small children.

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There isn't a myriad of. There are myriad. Myriad means "many."

 

Tara

 

 

According to my OED, when myriad is used as a noun meaning "a very great number," it can be coupled with the word of. When used as an adjective it is not correct to couple it with of.

 

Here is their example of how myriad is used as a noun:

 

networks connecting a myriad of computers

 

and as an adjective:

 

the myriad lights of the city

 

Honestly, I still find it confusing.

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Let it go.

Ticklish, rude, and inappropriate.

 

Are you a moderator by any chance? If you are, I'll gladly let it go.

 

If not, it would behoove you to use the magic word when making such a request.

Edited by Negin in Grenada
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"We need to get orientated with the procedure."

 

Orientated when one means orient is one of my dh's biggest pet peeves.

 

"orientate to orient.....

orientation the act of orienting or orientating....

oriented, orientated directed (towards)"

 

Chambers Dictionary, 1983

 

Laura

 

So, a different definition than is usually intended?

 

Orient:

v.tr.1. To locate or place in a particular relation to the points of the compass: orient the swimming pool north and south.

2. a. To locate or position so as to face the east.

b. To build (a church) with the nave laid out in an east-west direction and the main altar usually at the eastern end.

 

3. To align or position with respect to a point or system of reference: oriented the telescope toward the moon; oriented her interests toward health care.

4. To determine the bearings of.

5. To make familiar with or adjusted to facts, principles, or a situation.

6. To focus (the content of a story or film, for example) toward the concerns and interests of a specific group.

 

v.intr.1. To turn toward the east.

2. To become adjusted or aligned.

So, if you are making someone familiar with a procedure or a map, then it should be orient.
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Orientated when one means orient is one of my dh's biggest pet peeves.

 

 

 

So, a different definition than is usually intended?

 

Orient:

So, if you are making someone familiar with a procedure or a map, then it should be orient.

 

I am wrong in thinking "orientated" isn't a word at all. However, Mrs Mungo sums up well the reason it bugs me! I always see it misused.

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You're pregnant, not pregnate.

 

Unless you're Proserpina, maybe...

 

Last weekend, my brother-in-law was telling me all about his efforts to incent his employees to meet their sales goals. I couldn't decide whether that was better or worse than incentivize.

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On the topic of business jargon, impactful appears in some dictionaries but still makes me cringe. I delete it or change it to something like effective when it shows up in something I'm copyediting.

 

Hmmm.... I cannot hear that term without wondering which bodily parts or systems are impacted...kwim? :lol: Not really the visual image I'd want to leave with a prospective client or business associate!

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Would you like to buy a sectioanal couch? (craigslist)

 

Did you brung your children with you? (Yes, I have heard this sentence in real life. As well as "I ain't brung no cash.")

 

Hey, did you catch my illusion to Shakespeare?

 

For all intensive purposes.

 

Suppose to, anyways, could of

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Oh, I just remembered another one!

 

Dh & I were waiting in line at Wal-Mart years ago. This woman had a few kids with here. Two were acting up, one was not. She pointed at the calm one and said to the others "Act like him. He's being have." (pronounced with a long "a")

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Oh, I just remembered another one!

 

Dh & I were waiting in line at Wal-Mart years ago. This woman had a few kids with here. Two were acting up, one was not. She pointed at the calm one and said to the others "Act like him. He's being have." (pronounced with a long "a")

 

OK, I am thoroughly charmed by that!

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My BIL says that naked means you have on no clothes. Nekkid is when you have on no clothes and are up to something. ;)

 

I had a professor at my art college tell me that same thing, with the addition of "nude" being when you have no clothes on, but it's okay because you're being artistic.

 

Okay, what am I suppose to say instead of "suppose to?"

 

It's "supposed to". But don't beat yourself up over it, we all have linguistic blind spots.

 

Oh, I just remembered another one!

 

Dh & I were waiting in line at Wal-Mart years ago. This woman had a few kids with here. Two were acting up, one was not. She pointed at the calm one and said to the others "Act like him. He's being have." (pronounced with a long "a")

 

I've actually been known to say that, but because I think it's funny, not because I think it's correct. The little linguistic 'jolt' will sometimes bump my very precise son into a giggle and out of a 'mood'.

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Oh, this one drives me crazy. Nobody seems to know it's voila!

 

I also love/hate to hear somebody talking about whelping in pain, which makes a kind of funny sense, when they mean yelping.

 

I have seen this spelled viola. What? It goes something like this. "And then, you pop it in the oven and viola! You have a beautiful cake."

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Here's one I received in an email from dd's dance teacher this very morning:

 

Hello tireless dancers but very tiresome parents,

 

Since everyone runs out following our performances to get home for other obligations, I have not been able to tell you how proud I am of all of you. Not only am I proud of your dancing but even more important--- your behavior and your positive attitudes.....

 

 

 

A little background: The girls and boys have been practicing hard for our Irish March Madness. Last week and this week, they have danced over 15 venues. They still have two more to go.

 

Definitely, a case of "I do not think it means what you think it means."

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