tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1990338437877873686.post6445277254730678495..comments2024-03-28T16:47:51.948-04:00Comments on Murder is Everywhere: Mistakes What I Have Tried: the words that confuse us the most Ovidia Yuhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05749549092493567689noreply@blogger.comBlogger14125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1990338437877873686.post-4729533756322590622017-07-07T01:04:11.008-04:002017-07-07T01:04:11.008-04:00Very good and funny, too.
Then there is migrant/im...Very good and funny, too.<br />Then there is migrant/immigrant and shone/shined.<br /><br />I think in the U.S. some words are used more liberally like "around" which is used constantly: He's hanging around the park or she has a scarf around her neck.<br /><br />But never use "pled"; it's always "pleaded." That's taboo in my AP style book.<br /><br />People also use who and whom incorrectly. And something that makes my teeth hurt: A lot of people still say "the dog was wearing it's collar," putting in an apostrophe as a possessive, rather than realizing it's an abbreviation for "it is."<br /><br />Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1990338437877873686.post-62556700728982126432017-07-02T15:24:12.807-04:002017-07-02T15:24:12.807-04:00My head is spinning. All of this reminds me of Str...My head is spinning. All of this reminds me of Strunk & White's "The Elements of Style" section on misused words. But this discussion is much more fun. It leaves me hunging for more. Jeffrey Sigerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00718317707555064653noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1990338437877873686.post-51423712484162393642017-07-02T11:08:03.498-04:002017-07-02T11:08:03.498-04:00And if I have one more patient with issues with hi...And if I have one more patient with issues with his prostrate gland......I suppose a prostrate problem keeps you flat on your back....<br /> Caro Ramsayhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08499318515241879831noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1990338437877873686.post-46480444280743730992017-07-02T10:42:51.298-04:002017-07-02T10:42:51.298-04:00Great stuff, Zoë. But... shouldn't it be &quo...Great stuff, Zoë. But... shouldn't it be "I can imply something WITH [not FROM] what I say, and you can infer from it"??? One is 'giving' while the other is 'taking', n'est ce pa?<br /><br />From an American pov, you would walk around the golf course while playing a round of golf.<br /><br />Of course (not golf), many of these are due to the collapsing literacy of (at least) the American public. Or has it always been this way and that's why English is mutating at such a hi/high rate of speed (to be somewhat redundant).<br /><br />As for destroyed/decimated, you're absolutely correct on all points. However, modern usage in the States assigns almost identical meaning to both words, alas. In fact, a lot of folks prefer to use decimated to mean completely destroyed, but with special vengeance. Sad.<br /><br />You skipped farther/further, cruel/crool, and one that I see constantly is site/sight: people visit a web SITE where they may read its contents with their SIGHT.Everett Kaserhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12371555243187874414noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1990338437877873686.post-62427876469577000302017-07-02T10:34:51.172-04:002017-07-02T10:34:51.172-04:00Much like flammable / inflammable, there's no ...Much like flammable / inflammable, there's no difference between regardless and irregardless, except irregardless is almost a double negative. But, it's been around since the 19th century, and therefore has a habit of sticking.Zoë Sharphttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14065427744062846167noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1990338437877873686.post-20333230398970547932017-07-02T10:32:42.459-04:002017-07-02T10:32:42.459-04:00Hi Stan. You have to wonder if Beach Rallyball wou...Hi Stan. You have to wonder if Beach Rallyball would make it to the Olympics, don't you? And would an Ensurance Company force customers to do something they really didn't want to do ...?Zoë Sharphttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14065427744062846167noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1990338437877873686.post-25280827283667957332017-07-02T10:30:21.377-04:002017-07-02T10:30:21.377-04:00Yes, Annamaria, peaks and piques are often misused...Yes, Annamaria, peaks and piques are often misused, as are demure and demur, and affect and effect.<br /><br />I remember hearing an Australian comedian who found it highly amusing that the motorway signs in Britain advised: "do not use phone whilst driving".<br /><br />Don't know what prompted your laptop to apply for Brit nationality, but next time you're in Word, if you go into the Tools>Languages menu, it will let you re-select US English default spellings.<br /><br />I was once asked to sign a partition against something rather than a petition. <br /><br />Love the SCROTUS definition. Nice one, Stanley!Zoë Sharphttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14065427744062846167noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1990338437877873686.post-46604530189752565822017-07-02T10:18:41.317-04:002017-07-02T10:18:41.317-04:00LOL on Maria Callous -- sounds like she did the pu...LOL on Maria Callous -- sounds like she did the punk opera versions.<br /><br />I could imagine Charlie Fox putting her foot on the break ... but only if she'd caused the bone to break in the first place, and she really wanted information out of the victim quickly ...Zoë Sharphttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14065427744062846167noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1990338437877873686.post-80632175971231043822017-07-02T10:17:00.388-04:002017-07-02T10:17:00.388-04:00Good questions, Michael! There is a subtle differe...Good questions, Michael! There is a subtle difference between specially and especially. Specially is something outstanding, but especially invites comparison, implying whatever is being described is better than something else. 'A specially trained soldier' or 'the team played especially well in the second half.'<br /><br />Emigrate / Immigrate depends on your viewpoint. You would emigrate to another country from your home country, but when you arrived there, you would immigrate into the new country.<br /><br />And phased / fazed is another one I've come across a LOT, so don't feel too bad about it slipping through :-)Zoë Sharphttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14065427744062846167noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1990338437877873686.post-86318264844848151562017-07-02T09:38:31.703-04:002017-07-02T09:38:31.703-04:00Then there is the issue of "irregardless.&quo...Then there is the issue of "irregardless." Regardless of which, I rally my confidence and you remain my go-to guy when it comes to British usage. Annamaria Alfierihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12311596277267789834noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1990338437877873686.post-90969606513516034942017-07-02T09:08:12.995-04:002017-07-02T09:08:12.995-04:00In the US, insure is used irregardless of whether ...In the US, insure is used irregardless of whether it means to make sure or to provide protection. I hardly ever see or hear enquire on this side of the pond. Another favorite: 'Let's go to the tennis court and volley." Volley instead of rally-unless, of course, they were going to hit every ball before it bounced. Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1990338437877873686.post-42088353288482743832017-07-02T08:48:11.685-04:002017-07-02T08:48:11.685-04:00Zowie, Zoe, this post peaks/piques/peeks my intere...Zowie, Zoe, this post peaks/piques/peeks my interest.<br /><br />Especially when it comes to less/fewer, you wouldn't believe the number/amount of people who mix them up.<br /><br />Whilst/While we're on the subject of Britglish vs Amerglish, I took/brought my laptop to Italy last winter. Finding itself across the pond, it began to harbour a predilection for British spelling. I brought/took it home, but its autocorrect seems to have permanently emigrated/immigrated.<br /><br />I infer from the subject raised, but not discussed above, that you meant to imply there are other such pairs/pares/pears we might take up.<br /><br />My voice once appeared on National Public Radio in the US. I corrected one their commentators for mixing up "incredible" and "incredulous." This very morning a different commentator made exactly the same mistake. She finds it "incredulous" that the President of the US--dubbed the SCROTUS by our pal Stan--sent his last Tweet volley. The situation is incredible. I remain incredulous, but unphased/unfazed.Annamaria Alfierihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12311596277267789834noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1990338437877873686.post-37528380897127763782017-07-02T07:36:11.185-04:002017-07-02T07:36:11.185-04:00I once employed a podiatrist who thought Maria Cal...I once employed a podiatrist who thought Maria Callous was an opera singer...... And I did have a character put his foot on the break....and that got past everybody!Caro Ramsayhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08499318515241879831noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1990338437877873686.post-65205290948085235882017-07-02T04:48:50.695-04:002017-07-02T04:48:50.695-04:00Thanks, Zoe. Interesting and fun. How about specia...Thanks, Zoe. Interesting and fun. How about specially and especially? Another one that causes lots of discussion is emigrate and immigrate. Thoughts?<br /><br />And here's a howler that managed to get past me, Stanley, our editor and our copy editor: 'He wasn't phased by the problem.' Can't believe we did that!Michael Sears (of Michael Stanley)https://www.blogger.com/profile/09886295534214542834noreply@blogger.com