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

That reminds me that ‘impact’ has almost entirely replaced ‘affect’.

When talking in business-speak people always use alluded incorrectly. John has been rabbiting on about xyz initiative for ten minutes, that is not alluding to it!

Ensure seems to have been replaced by insure. Drives me nuts. And don't get me started on affect and effect.

The use of decadent/decadence as a good thing. 'Decadent chocolate cake'

@WeBuiltThisBuffetOnSausageRoll

Most people will say that something is 'clichéD', though - adding a past participle when it already has one. See also 'sautéeD potatoes'.

One of my pet hates (I don't think it's been mentioned yet), is the word dice when applied to a single die. Sadly, the battle is just about lost, in that anybody talking about 'throwing the die' will be stared at and considered a pretentious show-off (by those who do know what it should be, but have capitulated) or just plain stupid (by those who don't know). Also, just try asking for a panino.

Well, I have considered 'cutting up awkward' and asking how many panini I'll get on my plate if I order ham panini.

I once saw panini's on a pub blackboard, outside the pub, so I wet my finger and got rid of the 's.

Oh yes, one pence is another one.

Not words but on here recently I saw a pair of trousers advertised as 'apartment pants'. I'm certain this was a joke from Friends but it seems to have been adopted by real clothes manufacturers!

'Invite' for 'invitation' seems almost ubiquitous at work now.

I think in English one panini is correct. Whether it’s two paninis or two panini is less clear, but I always make three lasagnes at a time and freeze two.

In Italian, plural foreign nouns are (in theory) never "pluralized" as it is not obvious to someone not speaking the language what the plural would actually be. Perhaps English needs the same rule!

@ClariceQuiff

'Invite' for 'invitation' seems almost ubiquitous at work now.

In tennis, serve for service is also the norm except for the actual umpire’s pronouncements at Wimbledon.

Oh, that's interesting, Resurrection. I hardly ever watch tennis so hadn't noticed that.

His instead of he’s. I thought this was always autocorrect at fault but I see it too often.

One years old and conversely he/she is three year old.

@ClariceQuiff

Oh, that's interesting, Resurrection. I hardly ever watch tennis so hadn't noticed that.

I have to admit I didn’t notice the change from ‘service’ to ‘serve’. It just eventually occurred to me that ‘service’ is the correct term. ‘Serve’ is more normalised than ‘invite’ I think. Mind you I first noticed ‘invite’ for ‘invitation’ in ‘The Family from One End Street’ published in the 1930s, and most people do use it now as you say.

@sanityisamyth

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!

Sainsbury's is owned by the Sainsburys family. Hence the 's.

@OchonAgusOchonOh

"could care less" is wrong because it should mean the opposite of "couldn't care less." Logically, if you could care less, it means you do care to some extent.

[quote HoliHormonalTigerlilly]@OchonAgusOchonOh

"could care less" is wrong because it should mean the opposite of "couldn't care less." Logically, if you could care less, it means you do care to some extent.[/quote]
That was exactly the point I was making. It was a poor attempt at a joke

@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.

Sorry to be a pedant on a pedantry thread, but surely the ship sank?

(Your illustration of the use of 'may' is very helpful, though!)

You are quite right @PrincessFiorimonde

Go/got/gotten extinct instead of became extinct etc. Gives me the rage as it was definitely wrong in my school days, but now the dictionary etc disagrees

Just seen 'deets' on Instagram as abbreviation for 'details'.

Aaaargh

@PatterPaws

Just seen 'deets' on Instagram as abbreviation for 'details'.

Aaaargh

This is creeping in where I work - it's popular with the 20-somethings. 'Send me the deets and I'll review it.'

I've got any soft spot for things like "deets" (tho I'm not cool enough to use it). It's an innovation, not an error

@ClumpingBambooIsALie

I've got any soft spot for things like "deets" (tho I'm not cool enough to use it). It's an innovation, not an error

Ha, I agree (although I will never accept ‘ledge’ and in ‘legend’, I just cannot). I particularly ‘obvs’. Not sure why, I just really do

I similarly enjoy hearing people use management/corporate jargon or sayings. People talking about being ‘across the piece*’, things that ‘fell out of a meeting’, needing to ‘take this offline’… it just conjures all sort of images in my mind and adds variety to my working day. I realise that many people do not enjoy hearing it as much as I do!

*this was particularly popular in one job I had, but one colleague always said ‘across the piste’, so ever since it makes me think of someone slaloming

My phone dislikes me, sigh. I mean ‘ledge as in legend’ and ‘particularly like obvs’.