[Closed] Incorrect uses of the English language - what really gets under your skin?

I read an undergrad essay the other day which referenced the 1984 Minor's strike

Fantastic.

but when people fall fowl of RAS syndrome, or tautology or pleonasm I just tend to cringe

Fall [i]foul.[/i]

Mostly, I adore pleonasms, I think they're opportunities for some comedy gold. "I'll be back in just a brief minute" - well, that's alright then, so long as it's not one of those long minutes, they take forever.

i dont care about spelling or written words so much, I spend so much time writing code that has to be perfect that i liek to not concentrate so much when i'm just typing out shite like this (especially in an informal environment) - if it sounds/looks similar to what it is and people get the gist it doesnt matter to me - it can also be re-read so you can make sure what was written, was meant. with the spoken word, that isnt available, so accuracy is more important

ac·ro·nym? ?
[ak-ruh-nim]
–noun
1.
a word formed from the initial letters or groups of letters of words in a set phrase or series of words, as Wac from Women's army Corps, OPEC from Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries, or loran from long-range navigation.

American Psychological Association (APA):
acronym. (n.d.). Dictionary.com Unabridged. Retrieved March 25, 2011, from Dictionary.com website: http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/acronym
Chicago Manual Style (CMS):
acronym. Dictionary.com. Dictionary.com Unabridged. Random House, Inc. http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/acronym <(accessed: March 25, 2011).
Modern Language Association (MLA):
"acronym." Dictionary.com Unabridged. Random House, Inc. 25 Mar. 2011. <Dictionary.com http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/acronym>.
Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE):
Dictionary.com, "acronym," in Dictionary.com Unabridged. Source location: Random House, Inc. http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/acronym. Available: http://dictionary.reference.com. Accessed: March 25, 2011.

In Glaswegian it is "san[b]g[/b]widgies", which I quite like the ring of.

Oops! Split infinitive I think. "...Of which I quite like the ring" more correct, perhaps?

People that use 'spot' instead of 'point'

i.e. 1spot25 instead of 1point25

REALLY annoys me!!!!!!

Dibbs > we're discussing English, there's little relevance in citing American reference texts.

people that use 'spot' instead of 'point'

i.e. 1spot25 instead of 1point25

REALLY annoys me!!!!!!

I've heard, on more than one occasion, a URL being read out as "aitch tee tee pee double-dot..."

people who dont start setneces with capitals use apostrafees orcheck there speeling

v annoyin

Right! Here is my chance....

When people write the word 'loose' when they really mean 'lose'.
That really effing annoys me.
Does it make me a 'looser'*? Maybe in the eyes of some, but I don't care because at least I am literate. They are not.

*played for laughs

I'm useless with punctuation, grammar and use of commas, semi-colons, etc. If I notice other people's mistakes I don't mind, not everyone paid attention in class.

What does annoy me is when you read a professional piece and notice mistakes.

I do love it when (predominantly) men on the internet get all hissy about the apparent failings of others in their communication, especially when they get overwrought by "Americanisms".

As if somehow the middlebrow has the monopoly on language, its development and use.

When people write the word 'loose' when they really mean 'lose'.

+1 to that.

I do love it when (predominantly) men on the internet get all hissy about the apparent failings of others in their communication, especially when they get overwrought by "Americanisms".

If that's directed at me, I point out Americanisms by way of making conversation, I certainly don't get 'hissy' about it. I suppose I consider it a different language, so saying "that's an Americanism" is akin to saying "that's from Latin" and so on. My comment to Dibbs wasn't saying that American English is "wrong," just that it's not appropriate to use American sources as guides for British English.

"acronym". The Concise Oxford Dictionary of Current English (1991), Oxford University Press. p. 12: "a word, usu[ally] pronounced as such, formed from the initial letters of other words (e.g. Ernie, laser, Nato)".

Is that "English" enough for you?

Is any of this really that annoying? Really?

If that's directed at me

Not specifically, no.

s that "English" enough for you?

Absolutely (-:

Is any of this really that annoying? Really?

"Annoying" is probably the wrong word. Irritating? Frustrating?

Not specifically, no.

Fair do's.

"Different tact" has an irrationally massive effect on me.

Fair do's.

The word "no" being used as a question tag. OK in Spanish, not OK in English!

Affect / effect is another. Two wildly different words that I've never, ever had a problem with confusing, or even known that anyone else did, up until the Internet

I'll put my hand up to that one. I struggle with these.

[url= http://www.oxforddictionaries.com/page/affecteffect ]OED simplify it like this[/url]:
[b]affect[/b] is [i]"to influence or make a difference to"[/i],
[b]effect[/b] is [i]"to bring something about as a result"[/i].

which are fairly similar definitions.

And then you get into all the other definitions:

[i]affect[/i] v.
have an effect on; make a difference to
touch the feelings of; move emotionally
pretend to have or feel (something)
use, wear, or assume (something) pretentiously or so as to make an impression on others
emotion or desire as influencing behaviour.

[i]effect[/i] v.
cause (something) to happen; bring about

[i]effect[/i] n.
a change which is a result or consequence of an action or other cause
an impression produced in the mind of a person
the lighting, sound, or scenery used in a play, film, or broadcast
personal belongings

In effect, you may effectively affect affection for effect. To the effect that I am affected. But that effect does not affect my effects.

I think.

I got lost on the first page,as I think I grow potatoes,but according to saxonrider I cultivate or nurture them.Where did the language go wrong?
Ian

I got lost on the first page,as I think I grow potatoes,but according to saxonrider I cultivate or nurture them.Where did the language go wrong?

Your problem is, you're stuck in a rut.

In effect, you may effectively affect affection for effect. To the effect that I am affected. But that effect does not affect my effects.

*applauds*

The word "no" being used as a question tag. OK in Spanish, not OK in English!

It's ok in some situations, n'est-ce pas?

Cougar,I'm not convinced by your comma in that sentence.
Ian

It's ok in some situations, n'est-ce pas?

When?

I suspect that the rate of change of English usage,and hence grammar,is catching you out.Just because you don't like a usage or construction,doesn't mean it's wrong.The great strength of English as a language is its flexibility,and this includes the ability to absorb not only vocabulary,but also structure.Moan on,it amuses the rest of us greatly.
Ian

I suspect that the rate of change of English usage,and hence grammar,is catching you out.Just because you don't like a usage or construction,doesn't mean it's wrong.The great strength of English as a language is its flexibility,and this includes the ability to absorb not only vocabulary,but also structure.Moan on,it amuses the rest of us greatly.

And a great excuse when the grammar isn't used correctly, no?

Si ,mon brave.
Ian

Grammarians seem to have lost sight of the essential function of language,which AFAAIK is to clearly transmit information between people.If this is successfully managed by using "foreign" usage,then as long as the transmission of information is successful,who cares.
Ian
P.S. Just because you don't like it,doesn't make it wrong,and I'm still growing potatoes,like the rest of the normal people.

You are Dr Zamenhof and I claim my 5,00€!

My pet hate is the use of disinterested when the word should be uninterested, disinterested means unbiased, not swayed by outside influences.

Grammarians seem to have lost sight of the essential function of language,which AFAAIK is to clearly transmit information between people.

And but like I defiantly agree, but you must except you can gleam some pacific example's hear were they're claritys lost, no?

Crikey, Mastiles, opened a can of worms here! I have found myself correcting random people when they say "them" when they should correctly say "those" and "can I get a ..." instead of "please may I have". Nooo...please no!

I absolutely love using "what" instead of "that" to wind people up.

My biggest day to day bugbear is the number of people who've been through education, even to degree level, and can't express themselves in a concise and clear manner.

The second one is the misuse of "percent" when the speaker actually means "percentage points". If you can't get that one right, don't even bother trying to produce or interpret statistics.

Can we have thee and thou returned to their proper usage please?

In Glaswegian it is "sangwidgies", which I quite like the ring of.

Oops! Split infinitive I think. "...Of which I quite like the ring" more correct, perhaps?

My pet hate is the use of disinterested when the word should be uninterested, disinterested means unbiased, not swayed by outside influences.

[b]disinterested[/b] [i]adjective[/i]
[list][*][b]1. [/b]not influenced by considerations of personal advantage:
[i]a banker is under an obligation to give disinterested advice[/i][/*]
[*][b]2. [/b][u]having or feeling no interest in something; uninterested[/u]:
[i]her father was so disinterested in her progress that he only visited the school once[/i][/*][/list]

-- http://oxforddictionaries.com/view/entry/m_en_gb0231200

Can we have thee and thou returned to their proper usage please?

Simply move to Yorkshire.

Tha knows it

Adding the last word of an acronym into a sentence ie The GMT time is

People that don't know what an acronym is. 🙄

People that don't know when to use i.e. and when to use e.g. 🙄

Redundant "it" there,TJ

People that don't know when to use i.e. and when to use e.g.

e.g. means 'for example

i.e. means 'that is to say'

Very different meanings.

e.g. means 'for example
i.e. means 'that is to say'

Yep remember it as, ie-xplain and eg-sample.

Use of the word horrorshow, or even worse, horror show, to mean something bad or unpleasant.

It makes the user look stupid, as the original meaning is the complete opposite.
Anyone who uses Nadsat without being able to prove ownership of the book in question should be whipped in the street.

The use of swap out by anyone but an American should be dealt with in the same manner.