When people mis-use literally it bugs me, Anyone else?

[TheStatutoryApe]

But when such dialects evolve, they aren't done by individuals sitting on their own. There are still rules, whether written down or not. My point is that this is not arbitrary; if it were arbitrary, then everyone would be speaking a different language. Regardless of what you call something, there must be rules which evolve the language, otherwise no one would understand what anyone else would be talking about.

I see. So when people decide to not use the strict rules of the language this is based on some strict rule of their new language because, of course, language always follows strict rules otherwise no one would understand the slang. Make sense?

Arbitrariness in language doesn't necessarily mean that each and every individual simply decides to spout out what ever random noises and consider it language. At some point some individuals will speak the language differently for any number of reasons. There is no means of determining why they would make one change over another exactly. Eventually we see seemingly random permutations based on multiple individual choices. Because we have studied language and brain function we can see that these choices are not made completely at random, that there are various cultural and linguistic forces at play. This by no means takes away from it being an arbitrary phenomenon. Arbitrary means seemingly random decision or action. Humans are far from random in their decisions and their actions so if you want to consider arbitrary to mean actual mathematical randomness then obviously the word will apply to virtually nothing and should probably be discarded from the english language.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arbitrariness

http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/arbitrary




Oh... and my pet peeve is actually people who say "literately" instead of "literally" among other less ironic mispronunciations.

 

[maverick_starstrider]

For me, it's "I could care less."

Ooooh. Another good one.

 

[j93]

I hate the british use of the word "brilliant".

 

[cristo]

I hate the british use of the word "brilliant".

How do Brits use the word "brilliant" differently than others?

 

[maverick_starstrider]

How do Brits use the word "brilliant" differently than others?

They use it pretty much where we might say good or cool. I would never say it bothers me but they do use it far more frequently and in different contexts than north america. Although we say "awesome" a lot more. Both are words that would normally be reserved for very high exultation but have become very commmon descripters.

 

[Redbelly98]

I hate the british use of the word "brilliant".

I love the british use of the word "brilliant". Ever since I saw it used in a Guiness ad. Brilliant!

 

[rolerbe]

For me, it's the incorrect use of 'then' and 'than' in writing. Particularly that this mistake is so often seen. Takes me to 'eleven'.

 

[maverick_starstrider]

For me, it's the incorrect use of 'then' and 'than' in writing. Particularly that this mistake is so often seen. Takes me to 'eleven'.

I'd say that is much more likely due to rushed typing without proof reading then an actual misunderstanding of the use of the words. I often type things that rhyme with what I mean to type and that's definately the case with then/than.

 

[negitron]

I'd say that is much more likely due to rushed typing without proof reading then an actual misunderstanding of the use of the words.

I've spent enough time on various internet forums over the years to be able to tell you for certain that you're wrong there. While the occasional mistype does occur, for sure, I've seen enough people who type "then" when they mean "than" with rock-solid consistency to say the latter is much more common than the former.

 

[maverick_starstrider]

I've spent enough time on various internet forums over the years to be able to tell you for certain that you're wrong there. While the occasional mistype does occur, for sure, I've seen enough people who type "then" when they mean "than" with rock-solid consistency to say the latter is much more common than the former.

Yes but does that mean they're make that mistake if they were actually writing something of value? Is their resume filled with these errors?

 

[mgb_phys]

I don't know if anyone else saw this, but a sportscaster on ESPN was talking about Tiger Woods and the Buick Open...He said that "Tiger Woods was literally on fire on the back nine."

They are called Colemanballs (http://www.bbc.co.uk/dna/h2g2/A6564341) in the UK.

 

[Office_Shredder]

Yes but does that mean they're make that mistake if they were actually writing something of value? Is their resume filled with these errors?

Yes, definitely. Some people will hold an entire conversation mis-using 'then' or 'than'. If you know the proper meaning of each, after one or two typos you'll realize how dumb you look and make sure to use the correct word.

Their resume doesn't have those errors only because MS Word has a grammar checker

 

[thomasxc]

well, why do people invent or change words nowadays? i know i do it all the time, and sometimes just for the sake of being funny or making a joke. other times, we do it to show a different perspective or perception of something common. so i don't think its "arbitrary" at all.

 

[thomasxc]

and i hate it when people use the "like" thing, as well as "unbelievable" to describe relatively ordinary events.

 

[kldickson]

I have a terrible habit these days of interspersing 'you know' in places where others say 'um' or things such as that. It's a little frightening, and I'm trying to not do that so much.

I have a pretty big gripe with the misuse of 'then/than'/'your'/you're', et cetera, and blatant grammatical errors (the subtle ones I can live with to an extent; my grammar is pretty shiny but doesn't have a 100% albedo, to put it one way).

 

[Pupil]

I have a terrible habit these days of interspersing 'you know' in places where others say 'um' or things such as that. It's a little frightening, and I'm trying to not do that so much.

I had the same problem. The way I dealt with it was to just shut up while I was thinking. If I couldn't find a word or think of a way to convey an idea off the top of my head I would just put my thinking face on until I thought of it. When I started doing this people tended to listen more intently. It was as if they were happy I didn't spew useless "Uh..."s to notify them my sentence isn't finished, and were even happier I didn't assert they knew what I was talking about. It was good for all parties involved.

 

[cristo]

I've spent enough time on various internet forums over the years to be able to tell you for certain that you're wrong there. While the occasional mistype does occur, for sure, I've seen enough people who type "then" when they mean "than" with rock-solid consistency to say the latter is much more common than the former.

I can't remember having seen a large number of people mixing up the words "than" and "then". In fact, I can't even see how/when one would do it. They are completely different words!

 

[negitron]

http://www.google.com/#hl=en&safe=o...aqi=&aq=f&oq=&aqi=g3g-s1g1g-s1&fp=gxFYct4ZzkE

On the other hand, I've never once seen a person mistype "than" when they meant "then."

 

[lisab]

http://www.google.com/#hl=en&safe=o...aqi=&aq=f&oq=&aqi=g3g-s1g1g-s1&fp=gxFYct4ZzkE

On the other hand, I've never once seen a person mistype "than" when they meant "then."

Well at least you had to + the "then"...so maybe we're not that far gone, haha...I hope...

 

[Sorry!]

I can't remember having seen a large number of people mixing up the words "than" and "then". In fact, I can't even see how/when one would do it. They are completely different words!

When typing something on the internet most people don't pay attention to grammar/spelling/diction. I think this problem is mostly with people say under around 22? Just picking that number out of a hat but in my personal experiences people around or under that age seem to be more fluent at using the internet and chatting etc.

 

[maverick_starstrider]

The question is who here has a browser that spell checks for them? (I do not)

 

[maverick_starstrider]

AND can you properly use affect vs. effect. (There are obvious differences but I've seen some pretty subtle uses of affect)

 

[Andre]

Well at least you had to + the "then"...so maybe we're not that far gone, haha...I hope...

Link doesn't work for me, but "better then" googles up only 15.6 Mega hits while "better than" is worth 248 Mega hits. So maybe we're talking about ~7%.

 

[thomasxc]

The question is who here has a browser that spell checks for them? (I do not)

i use mozilla firefox.it has a spellcheck. it's way better then internet explorer.

 

[Richard87]

A pet peeve I have is when people, like, literally ask me if they can borrow some paper, you know? I think, no they can have it as I don't expect them to return it.

 

[mgb_phys]

The question is who here has a browser that spell checks for them? (I do not)

Opera does automatic real time spelling - like word it underlines bad words and offers suggestions.

The D on this keyboard doesn't work - which explains some of the gibberish I type.

 

[Phrak]

Indeed, the misuse of words is deplorable. My peeve is the word 'indeed'. I can be fairly certain a line of crap is about to follow.

 

[negitron]

The question is who here has a browser that spell checks for them? (I do not)

Bully for you. I use one; not because I can't spell but because I can't type.

 

[ideasrule]

Opera does automatic real time spelling - like word it underlines bad words and offers suggestions.

The D on this keyboard doesn't work - which explains some of the gibberish I type.

How do you type d's, then?

 

[TheStatutoryApe]

AND can you properly use affect vs. effect. (There are obvious differences but I've seen some pretty subtle uses of affect)

Hmmm... 'affect' is not a word I often use but I don't really see the difficulty, at least not with the manner in which I am accustomed to it being used.



Oh and I usually use Google for spell check on words I'm not sure about.

 

[Sorry!]

Oh and I usually use Google for spell check on words I'm not sure about.

Lol me too, always find myself opening up the internet and typing define: blahblah.

 

[Redbelly98]

The D on this keyboard doesn't work - which explains some of the gibberish I type.

How do you type d's, then?

I'll take a wild guess. He presses the D key, then deletes all but one of the multiple D's that appeared.

Am I right?

 

[Danger]

A pet peeve I have is when people, like, literally ask me if they can borrow some paper, you know? I think, no they can have it as I don't expect them to return it.

This brings up another one in which a cartoonist (writer, not artist) displayed incredible ignorance while pretending to be brilliant. A couple of decades ago, in a 'Sally Forth' strip, her daughter asked Sally if she could 'borrow' her some money for something. Sally corrected her grammar by telling her that the proper term was 'loan' me some money.

 

[negitron]

Sally corrected her grammar by telling her that the proper term was 'loan' me some money.

Sorry, dude, but the ignorance is yours:

USAGE NOTE The verb loan is well established in American usage and cannot be considered incorrect. The frequent objections to the form by American grammarians may have originated from a provincial deference to British critics, who long ago labeled the usage a typical Americanism. Loan is, however, used to describe only physical transactions, as of money or goods; for figurative transactions, lend is correct: Distance lends enchantment. The allusions lend the work a classical tone.

http://www.answers.com/loan

 

[Danger]

Sorry, dude, but the ignorance is yours:

No, the ignorance is yours; I'm not American. I speak English. You lend someone money; the loan is the thing that you lent to someone.

 

[negitron]

Sally Forth is an American strip.

 

[Danger]

Sally Forth is an American strip.

As if that's an excuse for ignorance...

 

[negitron]

It is not ignorance, your claim to the contrary notwithstanding. It is not only considered correct usage now and has a long history behind it but it is properly considered standard English. And, in fact, your objection is itself based in ignorance:

http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/loan

usage The verb loan is one of the words English settlers brought to America and continued to use after it had died out in Britain. Its use was soon noticed by British visitors and somewhat later by the New England literati, who considered it a bit provincial. It was flatly declared wrong in 1870 by a popular commentator, who based his objection on etymology. A later scholar showed that the commentator was ignorant of Old English and thus unsound in his objection, but by then it was too late, as the condemnation had been picked up by many other commentators. Although a surprising number of critics still voice objections, loan is entirely standard as a verb. You should note that it is used only literally; lend is the verb used for figurative expressions, such as “lending a hand” or “lending enchantment.”

 

[Danger]

Merriam-Webster is a Yank publication, not a proper English one.

 

[negitron]

Well, we're talking about American usage in an American comic strip written by an American, so I feel I'm on solid ground here.

 

[maverick_starstrider]

Merriam-Webster is a Yank publication, not a proper English one.

Dude. Did you even read the previous posts?

 

[maverick_starstrider]

I declare Old Norse the true english language.

 

[Danger]

Dude. Did you even read the previous posts?

Of course. And while I dispute your claim that Old Norse was the origin of the English language, it definitely contributed to it, as did almost every other language on the planet. English is based primarily, though, upon Greek and Latin.

Incidentally, I thought that you were a fellow Canuck.

 

[TheStatutoryApe]

Incidentally, I thought that you were a fellow Canuck.

Dude's obviously Californian. ;-p

Sorry, dude, but the ignorance is yours:

Maybe if you didn't respond like such an *** this would have been a much simpler exchange. :-)

 

[negitron]

If he hadn't acted so smugly superior about his "correction" of the comic strip, it would have been.

 

[maverick_starstrider]

Incidentally, I thought that you were a fellow Canuck.

I am. But we just had a whole discussion about how at any given time talking about the "correctness" of language is basically nonsense. In order for something to be a "corruption" is implies that there was an uncorrupt version to begin with. So is loan or borrow correct? Well the CORRECT answer is it all depends on what people want it to be. That's why dictionaries are REVISED.

Of course. And while I dispute your claim that Old Norse was the origin of the English language, it definitely contributed to it, as did almost every other language on the planet. English is based primarily, though, upon Greek and Latin.

If anything I'd say english is bad German chock full of poorly pronounced french loan words due to the normans.

 

[maverick_starstrider]

Oh, another one. I like to use "irregardless" just to annoy people.

 

[cristo]

Oh, another one. I like to use "irregardless" just to annoy people.

Whatever floats your boat

 

[Sorry!]

Oh, another one. I like to use "irregardless" just to annoy people.

That is literately the most annoying thing in the entire world. (lol)

 

[maverick_starstrider]

That is literately the most annoying thing in the entire world. (lol)

*shrug*, inflammable means the same things as flammable, despoiled means the same things as spoiled. Give it a few years, regardless will be in common usage and it will be partially because of me *mwahahahahaha*