Shouldn't it be 'pique' their interest, not 'peak' their interest?

[Brucebogtrotterswife]

I've seen this a few times lately.

'This book may peak your interest'.

Isn't it 'pique', or is it interchangeable?

@Justajot

I keep on seeing "He didn't seem phased by that". I'm pretty certain it should be fazed.

And also confusion over "cue".

Yes! They drive me nuts as well. It is fazed, and it's not just social media that get it wrong, it's authors. I am a proofreader.

People seem to stand in a que, too. I never have ... and they write que for cue, as well. Que isn't even an English word is it? Well, que sera sera ...

The OED says think was the earlier version and “correct”.

@UserBot314159

And while we're here, is it ''take it as read'' or ''take it as red''.

NOT sure I've ever seen that one written down!

Take it as read is correct

"Reign" and "rein" tend to confuse lots of people.

One thing I see a lot on MN (and elsewhere) is the use of "women" when it's a single woman being referred to. I thought at first it was a typo, but it's clearly not, as so many people appear to use it. It's another one I can't understand as the two words don't sound the same. (And the same people don't make the same mistake with "man" and "men".) Baffling.

Time having past instead of passed

Of course it is, but the problem is that people will have only heard it said to them, and not written down. Unless they've seen it written, how are they supposed to know it's a different word?

Plus 'peak' could work logically, so it's not even like one of those that just makes absolutely no sense when written incorrectly.

There are lots of things that people say/spell incorrectly that make me think 'Don't you think about what you're saying??' but this isn't one of them, and really doesn't need a thread.

Thank goodness the OED came to the rescue. Definitely in the 'think' camp here.
I can't even rustle up a context where thing would be the preferred (clearer, wittier) choice.

I also have another pet peeve .... really common .... which of course I can't remember now. I'll come back here when it inevitably crops up again!

@Housewife2010

"Reign" and "rein" tend to confuse lots of people.

Here here.

Yes pique, just like clique not click and en pointe, not on point.

One that really gets my goat is "I was stood" or "I was sat" instead of "I was sitting" or "I was standing".

I don't mind them being used verbally, in the same way I don't mind "me" being used instead of "I" verbally but when writing I think the correct version should be used.

And don't get me started on using "I" instead of "me". It's so common now that I think people seem to genuinely believe that if you use the word "and" you cannot follow it with the word "me".

It is not "come with Mary and I", it is "come with Mary and me". The best way to decide which to use is to remove Mary from the equation. You wouldn't say "come with I" so you shouldn't say "come with Mary and I".

And breathe...

@Sunbird24

Time having past instead of passed

Thank you! This was the one I was trying to think of that I've noticed a lot recently.

" I was walking passed the library"
"I past her by in the street"

I do understand that people write what they hear so it does make sense from that point of view but it does indicate that people clearly don't read as much literature these days.

'Unless they've seen it written' exactly. There's someone who reads V there's someone who doesn't.

@LindaEllen

Of course it is, but the problem is that people will have only heard it said to them, and not written down. Unless they've seen it written, how are they supposed to know it's a different word?

Plus 'peak' could work logically, so it's not even like one of those that just makes absolutely no sense when written incorrectly.

There are lots of things that people say/spell incorrectly that make me think 'Don't you think about what you're saying??' but this isn't one of them, and really doesn't need a thread.

Which is a legacy of some people not reading anything other than social media.

@Bortles

Yes pique, just like clique not click and en pointe, not on point.

On point is fine, if you're using it to talk about the relevancy or immediacy of something. But not if you are talking about performing ballet on tiptoes.

@MarshmallowFondant Here here

Where where? There there?

Hear hear is agreement.

Here here is calling the cat in at night.

[quote ImJustMadAboutSaffron]**@MarshmallowFondant* Here here*

Where where? There there?

Hear hear is agreement.

Here here is calling the cat in at night.[/quote]
Well quite. Which I why I posted with the

Alot, abit, eachother, there's a tendency lately to join words.

I’ve heard:’You have another thing coming,’ in the context of a threat. The person saying it meaning that some kind of unspecified punishment or consequences are coming their way. For example: ‘If you think that you’re going to get away with... then you have another thing coming.’

I’ve also heard it being used to tell someone that they’ve got the wrong idea and need to change it to the right idea.

The word thing has a wider definition than simply being an object. It can be a concept or an idea.

Definition of thing
1 : an object or entity not precisely designated or capable of being designated
use this thing
2a : an inanimate object distinguished from a living being
b : a separate and distinct individual quality, fact, idea, or usually entity
c : the concrete entity as distinguished from its appearances
d : a spatial entity
3 : INDIVIDUAL
not a living thing in sight
4a : a matter of concern : AFFAIR
many things to do
b things plural : state of affairs in general or within a specified or implied sphere
things are improving
c : a particular state of affairs : SITUATION
look at this thing another way
d : EVENT, CIRCUMSTANCE
Meeting her was a wonderful thing.
5a things plural : POSSESSIONS, EFFECTS
pack your things
b : whatever may be possessed or owned or be the object of a right
c : an article of clothing
not a thing to wear
d things plural : equipment or utensils especially for a particular purpose
bring the tea things
6a : DEED, ACT, ACCOMPLISHMENT
do great things
b : a product of work or activity
likes to build things
c : the aim of effort or activity
the thing is to get well
7a : something (such as an activity) that makes a strong appeal to the individual : FORTE, SPECIALTY
letting students do their own thing
— Newsweek
I think travelling is very much a novelist's thing
— Philip Larkin
b : a mild obsession or phobia
has a thing about driving
also : the object of such an obsession or phobia
8a : DETAIL, POINT
checks every little thing
b : a material or substance of a specified kind
avoid fatty things
9a : IDEA, NOTION
says the first thing he thinks of
b : a piece of news or information
couldn't get a thing out of him
c : a spoken or written observation or point
10 : the proper or fashionable way of behaving, talking, or dressing —used with the

www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/thing

And people who use myself/yourself inappropriately. “Feel free to contact myself”. I think they think it makes them sound more professional. It doesn’t.

@AgentProvocateur

And people who use myself/yourself inappropriately. “Feel free to contact myself”. I think they think it makes them sound more professional. It doesn’t.

This is definitely my pet peeve. I have a colleague who uses it all the time. “Please send it to myself.” She uses it in place of “I” sometimes as well, for example “myself will do that.”

I agree that people think that it’s longer and therefore more professional. They’ve heard that myself is sometimes correct but don’t know when, so use it all the time when actually they’d be better off never using it.

@ChiefInspectorParker Yes, I probably have. It’s really not a phrase I hear often. Reading about it on this thread piqued my interest, so I did a little research and thought of times when I had heard it.

From what I’ve read, ‘you have another think coming’ came first. Perhaps ‘you have another thing coming’ started because of how it sounds very similar.

That doesn’t mean the latter is grammatically incorrect. Just like the old saying: ‘there is more than one way to skin a cat,’ there is more than one way to say the same thing.

I think I was also trying to convey that context is important too.

I’m not really bothered by either phrase being used.

My pet peeve is ‘of’ being used instead of ‘have.’

@loopylindi

There's nothing incorrect about "these ones" or "those ones". Why do you think they are wrong?

@AgentProvocateur

One I see only on here is ‘can’t be asked’ rather than ‘can’t be arsed’. And *@Giggorata* I saw ‘another thing coming’ in a book recently! 😱 Standards are slipping…

I was watching a tv show (in French) with subtitles. One of the subtitles had a character saying "You've got another THING coming!" This was on the BBC.