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

Re. 'may' in the past - you could say:

When the ship sunk in 1532, there may have been survivors but we don't know because no records were kept. I.e. the possibility still exists that some people survived.

When the ship sunk in 1532, there might have been survivors had more lifeboats been available. I.e. the possibility of survivors no longer exists.

Decimated. People almost always use it to mean devastated or destroyed. Annoying, because there are already lots of words with that general meaning, but the battle is over.
Another is people always say forehead as FOUR HEAD now instead of to rhyme with florid.

Hopefully. Should be used as an adverb, paired with a verb, as in "she said hopefully". Not "Hopefully I'll feel better tomorrow."

Adder. (The snake). Used to be a nadder, apparently, and the 'n' migrated to join the 'a', creating 'an adder' from 'a nadder'.

To say:
He may not have died if procedures had been followed.
Is like saying
It is possible that he didn’t die if procedures had been followed.

Really?
But that makes no sense.

@Marynotsocontrary

To say: He may not have died if procedures had been followed. Is like saying It is possible that he didn’t die if procedures had been followed.

Really?
But that makes no sense.

Quite

If I was you...

Makes me so cross.

Decimated. People almost always use it to mean devastated or destroyed. Annoying, because there are already lots of words with that general meaning, but the battle is over.

On a similar note, I’m so irked by the use of ‘mortified’ to mean devastated or deeply upset.

Spotted this in a brochure today. It’s such a common error but I didn’t expect to see it in a posh brochure.

@ClariceQuiff

Re. 'may' in the past - you could say:

When the ship sunk in 1532, there may have been survivors but we don't know because no records were kept. I.e. the possibility still exists that some people survived.

When the ship sunk in 1532, there might have been survivors had more lifeboats been available. I.e. the possibility of survivors no longer exists.

I’m glad someone agrees with me. That’s what I said in my original post on the subject:

“ The difference is between:
what may have happened (but we’ll never know)
And
What might have been (if only we’d done things differently)”

@HiGunny

Not a phrase but the word 'liaise'. I don't know why but the correct spelling stuck with me since school. However in my last job I was told I was spelling it wrong (repeatedly 🙄) and any reports I produced were changed to liase before release. I've noticed it spelt wrong in so many work documents and emails over the years. I feel like a mad lady ranting about it!

It was wrong on word spellcheck for years so people probably thought liase was correct - I remember raising it at my previous workplace!

I am really struggling with the "needs finished" or similar that seems to suddenly be everywhere! Where has that come from?!>

@TooManyPJs

I am really struggling with the "needs finished" or similar that seems to suddenly be everywhere! Where has that come from?!>

Scotland

@waterlego

Spotted this in a brochure today. It’s such a common error but I didn’t expect to see it in a posh brochure.

A pity they didn't apply the 'upmost' care and attention to detail when producing their brochure.

Obviously language has to evolve, and it does so a lot of the time for convenience and clarity.

What I really struggle with is the idea that language has to evolve because people have been saying things wrongly. The idea that the wrong version becomes the 'correct' one because more people use it.

So we should all start saying that 'A Brief History of Time' is written by Stephen 'Hawkings', presumably, and new editions of his books should credit him as such? Meanwhile, album sleeves will henceforth be putting an extra 'a' in Barbra Streisand, and IMDb will be updated to add the stray 's' which everyone seem to think is on the end of the name of the actress Wendy Richard?...

@NightmareSlashDelightful

Punctuation where no punctuation needs to be.

Your thread title is an example of this. It doesn't need a question mark, because it isn't a question.

Haha! Yes, I have a habit of turning statements into questions ‘incorrectly’

In fact I make many errors or annoyances listed in this thread (I’m also guilty of ‘super’ ). But it is all fascinating to me! Language is a curious thing and I am acutely aware of how little I understand of it. I think speaking two languages really brought that to my attention, as I had to study my second language whereas my first language is more innate and the studying of a language really demonstrated how little I know of my first language!

@PAFMO thank you, very interesting! I like ‘footing’

"I could care less" gives me the rage.

It's COULDN'T ffs. You COULDN'T care less!!!

🤬😤

@WhenPushComesToShove

Drives me nuts when any sports commentator says, 'I think he played amazing'. AMAZINGLY for God's sake!!!!!!!!!

😤

Also, assuming mn is an English site, I hate the americanized spell check

@HoliHormonalTigerlilly

"I could care less" gives me the rage.

It's COULDN'T ffs. You COULDN'T care less!!!

🤬😤

Unless you care a little bit and actually could care less.

My English teacher had a total downer on ‘nice’. I seem to remember she claimed it meant ‘neat and precise’.
It has certainly changed its meaning.

Before it meant that it meant stupid.

Yes, @ClumpingBambooIsALie
I have just this minute read that in ‘Fowler’s Modern English Usage’
I wonder if she ever found that out.

Asterix instead of asterisk

You've got another thing coming
Instead of
You've got another think coming

Three times today I have seen something described as devine.

@Bideshi

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

Oh, yes, there have been multiple times when I have wondered what happened to that good old word 'many'.