Please state in which country your phrase tends to be used, what the phrase is, and what it should be.
Example:
In America, recently came across “back-petal”, instead of back-pedal. Also, still hearing “for all intensive purposes” instead of “for all intents and purposes”.
Americans saying “I could care less” instead of “I couldn’t care less”.
I’ve seen so many attempts at justification for that one online but I can’t help but think that those people just don’t want to admit that they’re wrong.
I care a tiny bit. I could care less, but not easily.
“Could of…”
It’s “could have”!
Edit: I’m referring to text based things, like text and email. I can pretty much ignore the mispronouncing.
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It’s definitely a mistake, but I think it has slipped by because spell check wouldn’t have a reason to mark it, and not everyone uses grammar check, so they think it’s correct to spell it out by the sound of the contraction.
English/US - seeing “would of” instead of “would’ve”or “would have”. This one bugs me the most.
The thing is that, at least in the UK, many people also say “of”. You might say that in quick speech it’s not possible to tell between “would’ve” and “would of” which is probably where this misspelling came from, but I once was talking to my English friend and after he said something quickly, I asked if he just said that “she would see it?”, to which he replied “she would OF seen it” putting a lot of emphasis on that “of”, making it clear that he wasn’t aware that it should be “have”.
Idiots misspelling lose as loose drives me up the wall. Even had someone defend themselves claiming it’s just the common spelling now and to accept it. There, their, and they’re get honorable mention. Nip it in the butt as opposed to correctly nipping it in the bud.
double oo for loose so not tight, lose for the one that has lost one.
I
couldcouldn’t care lessHold
downthe fortThe proof
is in the puddingof the pudding is in the eatingelon muskTwatDiscreet vs Discrete used to crack me up on dating sites. All those guys looking for discrete hookups - which kind of makes sense but I am sure is not what they meant.
I literally ground my teeth today because I got an email from a customer service person saying “You’re package was returned to us”. Not a phishing email with an intentional misspelling, a legitimate email for a real order I made. If it is your JOB to send messages like this they ought not have misspellings.
So the context matters to me. I am more tolerant of spelling errors and mis-phrasing in everyday life than in a professional communication.
they ought not have misspellings
Wouldn’t it be “ought not to”?
Why no! In the negative (ought not) you don’t need the to.
Neat. That gives me old British author vibes
Also, the vanishing use of countable quantities: they are all amounts nowadays.
We can make it a word though :)
Yeah, words aren’t determined by dictionary committees or English teachers. They are determined by people using and understanding them.
All languages (other than ones designed deliberately, like Esperanto, Klingon, and Tolkien’s elvish) started from the same root and diverged when populations reduced regular contact and all words and grammars were made up along the way.
I don’t generally correct people’s spelling or pronunciation but something I’ve noticed occurring more and more lately is people using “loose” when they mean “lose” and it gets under my skin for unknown reasons
It’s because your skin is too lose, it’s easy to get under it.
Don’t forget that sale/sell constantly get mixed up.
Irregardless
This is literally a restaurant near me. Quite good one too
This one never gets me anywhere, but “begging the question” is actually a logical fallacy where you assume the result and use that as the basis of your argument. Otherwise, it raises the question.
Irregardless
“Most best”
“You can’t have your cake and eat it” The older form was flipped: “you can’t eat your cake and have it” They both can mean about the same, but the older form makes it much clearer - if you’ve eaten your cake, you no longer have it. But you could have your cake, then eat it.
Mr Kaczynski? I thought you were dead?
On accident, it is by accident. 🤬
Oh my goodness, someone pointed this out on Tumblr years ago, but it desperately needs repeating:
Dear English Language Fanfic Writers,
-
Wanton: an unrestrained desire, usually of a sexual nature.
-
Wonton: a type of dumpling found in Chinese and East Asian cuisine.
I wanton for wontons
-
It’s always going to be the “of” people. Its “would have”, “should have” etc and not “would of”.
Also, if you wish you had done something differently then it’s “wish I had” not “wish I would have”.
Wished’I’d’ve
Would’ve
No. Just use your words and enunciate.
