Annoyingly misused words/phrases

[Echobelly]

I saw a listicle about 'Nepo babies' of famous people who looked just like their parents, when what they meant is 'child of a famous parent'. Not all of them were in the public eye or attempting to break into the entertainment or sports industry. Nepo baby specifically means someone using their parents' clout or connections to get a career, it doesn't mean 'child of a famous parent' and that kind of annoyed me.

Have you seen any misuses of a word or phrase that has irritated you?

Use of “on” to replace “at”, e.g “on the weekend” or “on Christmas “

That would kill me. It’s everywhere now.

Similar to “of” instead of “have” or the contraction ‘ve. “I would of gone to the shops but…” I see this all the time now

It would make télévision history if Claudia could announce at the start of the next series that estate agent speak will be punishable with banishment, two strikes and you're out. No more yourself/ves, myself etc. Would be marvellous and hopefully start a movement.
If any of the producers are reading this, I am begging you! Imagine the column inches.

These are also to be banned in the next Traitors series, please.
See also: The Apprentice.
Maybe Richard Osman could take over from Suralan?

‘The amount of people’ rather than ‘the number of people’. I’ve spotted two examples of this in this thread!

As ever, the use of ‘journey’ unless it involves travel.

People using the phrase "amount of people" predates formal rules to be applied making it incorrect - but even then it is only incorrect in formal contexts like academic and scientific. It has been used in natural language for a couple of hundred years.

Journey as figurative usage, is closer to 1000 years old . . . .

Close of play

Close of play is a cricket term and has been around a long time. Like off his own bat, not off his own back.
And stumped, hit for six, sticky wicket....

I had some dealings with a solicitor last year. In one e-mail he said that when something or other was done, 'I will revert to yourself'.

Me too, because TBH I find it hard to understand how so many people can be so unbelievably stupid.

‘Step foot’ instead of ‘SET foot’. 🤬

At least he didn't say 'revert back'! That's another one!

Haven't read the whole thread so someone might have pointed this out, but "cheap at half the price" doesn't mean cheap- it's a jokey way of saying something is very expensive.

😂😂😂

All of these!!!
Also, when people use ‘majority’ for a single entity rather than plural -eg ‘he ate the majority of the cake’ / no - majority is for a number of things -eg the majority of the peoole’

Is DH Irish? Haitch is the standard pronunciation in Ireland. It’s the pronunciation taught in schools etc and children saying aitch instead would be corrected.

This one gives me the rage.

I tried to explain it to someone but all she would say was "You step with your foot so step foot is correct"

I gave up.

Only on mumsnet land
A man who says anything negative about a woman is a misogynist.
A woman who says anything negative about another woman is a misogynist (internalised)
Anyone who is self-centred is a narcissist.
Super- anything can also go in the bin

Going out for food rather than going out to eat!

Yep!

"I was really taken back." Taken back where?
"DC doesn't want too".
Seeing these increasingly often.

Just come across another one this morning- asking me to explain the rational for something.

Rationale 🤯

Totally with you on this. Watergate is a place (centre/building) where the offices that were raided/tapes were found.

It didn't happen at "Water", so why nab the "gate" off the end for other completely unrelated scandals 🤷🏼‍♀️

I hate the use of ‘gift’ as a verb. As in: ‘My gifted child gifted me a gift.’
it makes me want to gift them a kick up the arse.

Cannot be understated when they mean cannot be overstated

Disinterested instead of uninterested. Disinterested is neutral. 🤦

Using reflexive pronouns instead of direct object pronouns. Particularly prevalent in 'The Apprentice' - "That would be myself, Lord Sugar"