Commonly misused words and phrases

245

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  • Reply 21 of 91
    addaboxaddabox Posts: 12,665member
    For example:









    Clearly, the owners have killed and eaten their dog and are now playing some kind of sick game.
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  • Reply 22 of 91
    icfireballicfireball Posts: 2,594member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Mr_E View Post


    "irregardless" - Man, I hate that one..



    Irregardless is correct albeit informal... it means the same thing as regardless.



    ORIGIN early 20th cent.: probably a blend of irrespective and regardless.
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  • Reply 23 of 91
    jimdreamworxjimdreamworx Posts: 1,097member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by tilt View Post


    ... "Between you and I" - that drives me absolutely nuts. It's "between you and ME" (note the use of the apostrophe in "It's")...



    I thought it was "between you and myself."



    It seems that using the word "me" shows how you're not very edumacated because "myself" has twice as many syllables! Therefore, it has to be correct... uh, I mean absolutely correct.



    Using "absolutely" as an answer is one way to demonstrate you can use four times as many syllables as someone who would merely say "yes."
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  • Reply 24 of 91
    shawnjshawnj Posts: 6,656member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by JimDreamworx View Post


    Using "absolutely" as an answer is one way to demonstrate you can use four times as many syllables as someone who would merely say "yes."



    Maybe in some contexts...



    ...but whenever I use "absolutely," it's to imply a great degree of certainty than just a tepid "yes."
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  • Reply 25 of 91
    shawnjshawnj Posts: 6,656member
    Mature.



    It can be pronounced "ma-toor" or "ma-chur."



    But doesn't "ma-toor" sound pretty fucking stupid? Does anyone actually say "ma-toority" or "ma-toored"
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  • Reply 26 of 91
    trumptmantrumptman Posts: 16,464member
    When I listen to sports broadcasters they keep using the phrase "as good as anybody in the league" to highlight excellence when it highlights mediocrity.



    "That Kobe Bryant can break down a man using a crossover as good as anybody in the league. That is why he is the MVP."



    He is the average. That is why he is excellent.
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  • Reply 27 of 91
    mydomydo Posts: 1,888member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Mr_E View Post


    "irregardless" - Man, I hate that one..



    I worked with a guy that said that all the time and it was so funny I say now just to make fun of him. Unfortunately I'm the only one in on the joke.



    One woman I work with says "pacifically" all the time. It's gotten so bad I have to keep for laughing when she says it.





    I always get a chuckle when people say "that gives me heebie jeebies" without knowing what it really means.





    I like to use "jerry-rigged" to which I always add "no offense to the germans".
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  • Reply 28 of 91
    shawnjshawnj Posts: 6,656member
    "Highest grossing film of all time."



    I loved The Dark Knight. Saw it once in a regular movie theatre and once in IMAX. But all these news articles saying TDK is the "third highest grossing film of all time" don't make sense because the articles don't adjust for ticket-price inflation. And I'm not sure why that's not the standard measure. It's only #49 by that measure.
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  • Reply 29 of 91
    icfireballicfireball Posts: 2,594member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by ShawnJ View Post


    "Highest grossing film of all time."



    I loved The Dark Knight. Saw it once in a regular movie theatre and once in IMAX. But all these news articles saying TDK is the "third highest grossing film of all time" don't make sense because the articles don't adjust for ticket-price inflation. And I'm not sure why that's not the standard measure. It's only #49 by that measure.



    Whether it makes sense or not, "highest grossing film of all time" is correct terminology, and that is a figure that is kept record of.
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  • Reply 30 of 91
    icfireballicfireball Posts: 2,594member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by trumptman View Post


    When I listen to sports broadcasters they keep using the phrase "as good as anybody in the league" to highlight excellence when it highlights mediocrity.



    "That Kobe Bryant can break down a man using a crossover as good as anybody in the league. That is why he is the MVP."



    He is the average. That is why he is excellent.



    It's a bit counter intuitive, but it does make sense, if you think about it. If you can do something as good as anybody, you are at the very least tied for the best, if not the best. People say, "as good as anybody in the league" to indicate they might not be the absolute best, but they're pretty much tied for the top spot.
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  • Reply 31 of 91
    shawnjshawnj Posts: 6,656member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by icfireball View Post


    Whether it makes sense or not, "highest grossing film of all time" is correct terminology, and that is a figure that is kept record of.



    Actually, both figures are available.
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  • Reply 32 of 91
    icfireballicfireball Posts: 2,594member
    Quote:

    One woman I work with says "pacifically" all the time. It's gotten so bad I have to keep for laughing when she says it.



    Haha, that reminds me of "supposeably."



    Quote:

    I always get a chuckle when people say "that gives me heebie jeebies" without knowing what it really means.



    Which means "A feeling of anxiety, apprehension or illness." How are these people using it when they use it incorrectly?



    Quote:

    I like to use "jerry-rigged" to which I always add "no offense to the germans".



    Why would that be offense to germans? Origins of the word are British:



    Quote:

    Jerry-built, meaning to temporary or shoddy construction, dates to 1869. The OED2 hazards a guess that it may derive from the name of a builder who was notorious for poor construction. An 1884 source (unconfirmed) says that the phrase is in reference to a particular construction project on the Mersey River in Britain.



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  • Reply 33 of 91
    icfireballicfireball Posts: 2,594member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by ShawnJ View Post


    Actually, both figures are available.



    Really? I didn't know that!



    I said that it was "a" (not "the") figure that is kept record of. True story.
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  • Reply 34 of 91
    shawnjshawnj Posts: 6,656member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by icfireball View Post


    Really? I didn't know that!



    I said that it was "a" (not "the") figure that is kept record of. True story.



    Quote:

    Whether it makes sense or not, "highest grossing film of all time" is correct terminology, and that is a figure that is kept record of.



    Calm down.



    It wasn't clear at all that the inflation-adjusted figure was what you were referring to in that bolded part.
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  • Reply 35 of 91
    icfireballicfireball Posts: 2,594member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by ShawnJ View Post


    Calm down.



    It wasn't clear at all that the inflation-adjusted figure was what you were referring to in that bolded part.



    I'm pretty calm. The sarcasm was just for added affect, I'm not actually angry or anything.
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  • Reply 36 of 91
    addaboxaddabox Posts: 12,665member
    I am. I'm angry enough for everyone. It makes me powerful.
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  • Reply 37 of 91
    kickahakickaha Posts: 8,760member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by icfireball View Post


    Why would that be offense to germans? Origins of the word are British:



    Because during WWII, the Germans were referred to as 'Gerries' or 'Jerries' as a cultural slur, like calling the Japanese 'Japs' or 'Nips'. It's coincidentally similar, but some take offense at anything remotely close. (I've gotten screamed at for using the word 'niggardly', which has got jack-all to do with the N word. Oh, and apologies to any Jacks out there.)



    And from a previous discussion on this term, it apparently also can be traced back to sailing: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jury_rig
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  • Reply 38 of 91
    mydomydo Posts: 1,888member
    Did you hear about that guy that got fired from the DC government for using using the word niggardly? He was asked how he would manage the budget for some department. He said, "very niggardly". By the time people were educated about the word it was concluded that he should have known that people would misconstrue his intention and so he was fired.
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  • Reply 39 of 91
    addaboxaddabox Posts: 12,665member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by mydo View Post


    Did you hear about that guy that got fired from the DC government for using using the word niggardly? He was asked how he would manage the budget for some department. He said, "very niggardly". By the time people were educated about the word it was concluded that he should have known that people would misconstrue his intention and so he was fired.



    I remember that. It struck me as a depressing example of mass stupidity. Once of those occasions where you keep waiting for the grownups to show up to explain things, and they never do.
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  • Reply 40 of 91
    Even dictionary.com does the word dirty.



    When giving an example of using it in a sentence, it quotes "He left the waiter a niggardly tip."
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