Phrases that you are using incorrectly...

I'll assume "begs the question" is on there--even if I haven't looked at it yet. I always hear that misused. I think at some point we'll just have to accept that the meaning has changed over time.
 

Well I was wrong :lmao: This was about actually saying the incorrect words in an attempt to say the correct phrase.

I don't misspeak in any of the ways mentioned. I am a little surprised if many people do :confused3
 
Hmmm. I don't think I say any of them, at least not regularly.

I might have said "on accident" when I was younger but I say "by accident" now. I am guilty of saying "you guys" on occasion, but I don't think I'd try to use it in the possessive. And if you're speaking, I don't know how anyone could tell the difference between "Scott free" and "Scot free." Obviously, there'd be a difference if you wrote them, but I don't think I've ever written either one (nor do I use it regularly), so I'm giving myself a pass on that one! If I'd really thought about it (which I hadn't until this morning), I probably would have assumed Scot was the correct way to go.
 
The only one I didn't know was that you "home in" on something. I don't think I've ever actually said it, but I always thought that "hone in" was the correct term.
 
Well I was wrong :lmao: This was about actually saying the incorrect words in an attempt to say the correct phrase.

I don't misspeak in any of the ways mentioned. I am a little surprised if many people do :confused3

I'm with you. I thought it would be things like "decimate" to mean "annihilate".
 
I'm an English snob (just ask my DDs or DH), so I think I use these phrases correctly. I'm sure I'm guilty of other mistakes, but the author of this article hasn't caught me yet.

One phrase she didn't mention that is like nails on a chalkboard to me is "It's a mute point." Mute means not speaking. The phrase is "It's a MOOT point" meaning that it isn't relevant or it doesn't matter. I'm sure there are more complete definitions, but this covers it in a nutshell.

Stepping down from my soapbox now. :)

Queen Colleen
 
I'm an English snob (just ask my DDs or DH), so I think I use these phrases correctly. I'm sure I'm guilty of other mistakes, but the author of this article hasn't caught me yet.

One phrase she didn't mention that is like nails on a chalkboard to me is "It's a mute point." Mute means not speaking. The phrase is "It's a MOOT point" meaning that it isn't relevant or it doesn't matter. I'm sure there are more complete definitions, but this covers it in a nutshell.

Stepping down from my soapbox now. :)

Queen Colleen

I would add Tow the Line vs. Toe the Line to that as well. Where are you going to take that line? :lmao:
 
HUH......I say, "You've got another thing coming!"

I had no idea it should be think.
 
Here's the whole article;


5 Common Phrases That You’re Saying Wrong
July 10 by Dominique Jackson in Communication

Being a freelance writer, I often find myself messing up common phrases. When I’m unsure, I do a quick Google search to make sure that what I’m writing is actually what I’m trying to say. This inspired me to come up with a list of common phrases that people frequently get wrong. Some of them aren’t completely our fault because the incorrect way of saying them has actually become the “norm”. But we’re still wrong.

Here’s my list of common phrases that you might be saying incorrectly. Don’t be embarrassed if you notice you use the incorrect phrase; we all do it.

The phrases on the left are incorrect, the ones on the right are correct.

1: Nip it in the butt vs. Nip it in the bud

Nipping something in the bud means that you’re putting an end to it before it has a chance to grow or start. Nipping something in the butt means you’re biting its behind.

2: I could care less vs. I couldn’t care less

Saying that you could care less about a topic implies that you do care about it at least a little. What you usually mean is that you don’t care about the topic at all, hence “I couldn’t care less”.

3: One in the same vs.One and the same

When you really sit and think about it, “one in the same” doesn’t mean anything at all. The correct phrase “one and the same” means that two things are the same.

4: You’ve got another thing coming vs. You’ve got another think coming

This is one of those phrases where the incorrect usage actually does make sense and has become its own phrase. But it’s still technically wrong. In fact, most people don’t even know the correct phrase unless they look it up (I sure didn’t). The correct version really only makes sense if you use the entire sentence “if that’s what you think, you’ve got another think coming.”

5: Each one worse than the next vs. Each one worse than the last

Unless you can foresee the future, “each one worse than the next” doesn’t make sense.The problem with this phrase is that it isn’t logical. For example, you can’t compare two bicycles until you’ve tested them both. So logically, you would compare the current bicycle to the last bike you tested.

6: On accident vs. By accident

Sometimes I feel very sorry for people attempting to learn English. With phrases like this, it must be awful. You can do something on purpose, but not on accident. Prepositions are a killer.

7: Statue of limitations vs. Statute of limitations

Whenever I think of these two phrases, I get reminded of one of the best Seinfeld episodes ever.

8: For all intensive purposes vs. For all intents and purposes

You may feel very strongly and intense about your purpose, but that doesn’t make the phrase correct. Another common incorrect use of the phrase is switching the words “for” and “with”. The correct phrase means that you are covering all possibilities and circumstances.

9: He did good vs. He did well

The phrases good and well get interchanged so much that some people think they are actually interchangeable words. They’re not. If you’re ever confused about which to use, here’s a tip: Use “well” as an adverb (words used to describe verbs) and “good” as an adjective (words used to describe nouns). For example:

The dog runs well
He is a good dog

10: Extract revenge vs. Exact revenge

When you extract something, you’re taking it out of something else. When you exact onto something, you’re dishing it out. Therefore, extracting revenge on someone would mean you’re taking out that person’s revenge. Exacting revenge onto them means that you’re taking your revenge out on them.

11: Old timer’s disease vs. Alzheimer’s Disease

This one is just kind of silly. It’s really a mistake that we make when we’re younger. As we get older and actually learn about what Alzheimer’s Disease is, we have the sense to say the word correctly.

12: I’m giving you leadway vs. I’m giving you leeway

Leadway actually isn’t even a word. Leeway means extra space and freedom.

13: Aks vs. Ask

You don’t aks/axe for things. You ask for them. I’m now sure when the “s” and “k” got switched but it happens all the time when people talk.

14: What’s your guyses opinion? vs. What’s your opinion, guys?

I’ll leave this explanation to the Urban Dictionary:

completely and utterly useless phrase people up north use in the place of ya’ll. it means you guys, but they just have to be stupid and (besides not using the much simpler phrase ya’ll) add -es to the phrase “you guys”. As I have said many times with great wisdomosity, ya’ll is much simplier to say.

15: Expresso vs. Espresso

I’m sure those of you who work at coffee shops have had people order an expresso before. There’s no such drink. The drink you’re trying to order is an espresso.

16: Momento vs. Memento

Momento isn’t a word. A memento is a keepsake.

17: Irregardless vs. Regardless

Regardless means without regard. Throwing on “IR” to the beginning makes the word a double negative. I think we can all agree that “without without regard” doesn’t make sense.

18: Sorta vs. Sort of

The phrase “sort of” was too long so someone decided to shorten it up and turn it into sorta. I think its just sorta lazy.

19: Conversating vs. Conversing

Drop the “on” and add an “ng” and you have yourself a new verb right? Wrong. Conversating is an unofficial word that a lot of people use in place of the correct term, conversing.

20: Scotch free and Scott free vs. Scot free

I’ve seen so many explanations of the origins of the phrase “Scot free” that I really don’t know where it came from. But what I do know is that Scotch free and Scott free are incorrect.

21: I made a complete 360 degree change in my life vs. I made a complete 180 degree change in my life

People say they’ve made a complete 360 degree change in their life to imply that they’ve completely changed from the way they used to be. However, going 360 degrees means that you’ve returned to the exact same place you started. Which would mean you didn’t change at all. A 180 degree change would mean that you are the complete opposite which is what most people are trying to say.

22: Curl up in the feeble position vs. Curl up in the fetal position

Feeble means weak and frail. So in a way, curling up in a feeble position isn’t too far off. However, the actual fetal position that people are referring to is the curled up position that fetuses use while in the womb.

23: Phase vs. Faze

The word “phase” is usually used when talking about periods of time or stages. For instance, “Bob’s interest in the iPhone 5 was just a phase.” However, phase is often mistakenly used in place of the word faze, which means to disrupt. Here’s a paragraph from an article that shows the common mistake.

EAT 5:53: Uganda 2-1 Angola. Five minutes of added time, can the Cranes hang on? Cranes coach Micho Sedojevic unphased, but still urges the boys to hang on. Cranes piling the pressure

24: Hone in vs. Home in

The word hone means to sharpen or improve somehow. For example, you can hone your speaking skills. To home in on something means to get closer to it. “We’re homing in on a cure for cancer”.

25: Brother in laws vs. Brothers in law

If your wife or husband has several siblings, they’re called your “brothers/sisters in law”. I’m about to get a little grammar nerdy with my explanation so get ready. The general rule of thumb for making a compound noun plural is to add a “s” to the noun that there’s more of. In our case, the words brother and law are both nouns. Since the word you’re pluralizing is brother, you add an “s” to it, not law.
 
I'll leave this explanation to the Urban Dictionary:

completely and utterly useless phrase people up north use in the place of ya’ll. it means you guys, but they just have to be stupid and (besides not using the much simpler phrase ya’ll) add -es to the phrase “you guys”. As I have said many times with great wisdomosity, ya’ll is much simplier to say.

I think it's pretty funny that that the author didn't catch the misspelling of y'all when she quoted Urban Dictionary. Y'all is a contraction for "you all" so it's spelled y'all not ya'll.
 
"Hone in" is actually correct. It means to sharpen your attention toward a situation.

Wala kills me. It's voila...
 
Too bad there's not a Dis-focused list. I would nominate "dinning plan" and "ressie" (the latter is not technically wrong, I just hate it so so so much.)
 
"Hone in" is actually correct. It means to sharpen your attention toward a situation.

Wala kills me. It's voila...

"Home in" is the original usage. "Hone in" has become correct due to popular usage.

My favorite is " doggy dog world" instead of "dog eat dog."
 
Too bad there's not a Dis-focused list. I would nominate "dinning plan" and "ressie" (the latter is not technically wrong, I just hate it so so so much.)

These are things that I've seen on message boards in general, including the DIS.

It's sequins, not sequence. As in "That dress is so pretty. I love all the sequence on it." :crazy2:

Also, it's pregnant, not pregnate. As in "I will be 8-months pregnate for our trip. Will my doctor let me fly?" :crazy2: If people think pregnate is correct, I wonder if they also think impregnate means "not pregnant" in the same way that proper and improper are antonyms.
 


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