Examples of errors that have been normalised?

[spicedsoup]

Language evolves and I assume there are words or expressions that exist that developed from common misunderstandings or variations in usage. I don’t know of any examples though! Do you have any examples or know where I can find out more about how the English language has evolved?

I’ll also share that part of the reason I am curious is because I am irrationally concerned that one day ‘of’ in place of ‘ ‘ve’ as the contracted ‘have’ will become accepted as correct due to common usage. I’ll be an old lady ranting at young ones, “In my day it was HAVE! HAVE, I tell you!”. So I’m wondering what the precedent is

The slow death of the past participle. Like 'bias' and 'cliché' above. But also 'pack lunch' 'share drive'

PACKED. BIASED. CLICHÉD. SHARED. It's not hard.

This is so interesting! I didn’t know about ‘much’ (and a number of others), I’m going to need to do some research.

That’s true @Choux I learned that not long ago and I now just avoid using it as it all feels odd

I never studied grammar, we did some basics at school but I picked up what I could from reading literature. Increasingly I feel I should study it.

'Multiple' seems constant these days. Used when 'many' would be just fine.

@rifling

"Have" will be replaced by "of" over my dead body!! Less is definitely acceptable now instead of fewer in many (not all) contexts.

Could of , would of , should of - awful.

1. The gerund, in some cases. People now say, 'I hope you don't mind me saying so', instead of '...my saying so'.

1. The use of 'whom' is disappearing. I got laughed at for using it in my office.

1. Lie/lay confusion. 'Lay' is a transitive verb, e.g. lay an egg, lay the table. You don't lay down.

I see your instead of you're so often I wonder if it's now normal ☹️

What kind of a man does that?
Rather than
What kind of man does that?

‘Hence why…’ seems to be becoming normalised. I always notice it but bite my tongue.

'I was sat watching tv'

Not grammar, but in the 12 Days of Christmas, 4 calling birds has over the years replaced the correct 'colly' birds.

' I was sat there when he arrived ' really annoys me....' I was SITTING there when he arrived'. Also ' I seen him yesterday ' no....it's ' I SAW him yesterday '.

I love a bit of pedantry. However, ours is a living, breathing language. It evolves. It will not stay the same. Otherwise we would all be speaking Middle English

@newbiename

'I was sat watching tv'

I was just about to add that one, along with "I was stood".

@Kdubs1981

I love a bit of pedantry. However, ours is a living, breathing language. It evolves. It will not stay the same. Otherwise we would all be speaking Middle English

I know but there should be limits.

@OchonAgusOchonOh true. People are so terrified of using "and me" that it also gets substituted for "and myself".

Shudder.

[quote LadyMacduff]@OchonAgusOchonOh true. People are so terrified of using "and me" that it also gets substituted for "and myself".

Shudder.[/quote]
‘Substituted for’ or ‘replaced with’?

Everyone says "empathetic" now instead of "empathic". I hate it.

The random insertion of the word "what" into sentences seems endemic now. "It's not as good as what it was, " and "He's feeling a lot better than what he was".

Grr.

And Americanisms are now so firmly entrenched that my young adult children refuse to believe they are Americanisms. "Based off of" instead of "based on", "fill out" a form instead of "fill in" etc.

I was on a flight last week and the cabin crew woman repeatedly made announcements over the PA - '...please alert myself or the crew. Let myself know...' Aargh. I kept saying 'ME!' to my husband's horror.

[quote LadyMacduff]@OchonAgusOchonOh true. People are so terrified of using "and me" that it also gets substituted for "and myself".

Shudder.[/quote]
Myself has its place in hiberno-English. If it's used appropriately in that context, then that's fine with me (or I...) but would presumably grate on yourself (sorry).

I have a couple of teacher friends who always use "and I" when it should be "and me". I have thus far restrained myself from yelling at them to please teach their pupils the correct use of "I and me" but every time I do it I despair of the state of education today.

The 'flu. It's just 'flu!!! You don't say "the arthritis" or "the cancer" or "the athlete's foot". So why THE 'flu?!

Also, why are the supermarkets plural? Tescos, Asdas, Lidls etc.

Apostrophes also need to be in every word ending in -s these days. No idea why!

The incorrect use of yourself/myself makes me wince but, having never personally studied grammar, please could someone tell me if I should be saying ‘me and Johnny’ or ‘Johnny and me’?

‘Try and do something’ instead of ‘try to do something’ is completely normalised.

I’ve lost the battle.

@Helenahandkart

The incorrect use of yourself/myself makes me wince but, having never personally studied grammar, please could someone tell me if I should be saying ‘me and Johnny’ or ‘Johnny and me’?

You usually put the other person first. So "Come with Johnny and me".

The way to determine whether it's "me" or "I" is to leave Johnny out of it. So, just as you would say "Come with me", you would say "Come with Johnny and me". Equally, given you would say "I am going to bed", you would say "Johnny and I are going to bed (just don't tell dh)".

I see I'm not the first to add "I was sat..."
YOU. WERE. SITTING. 😬
Also, "alternative" seems to be being replaced by "alternate". Which has a completely different meaning.