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Pedants' corner
Original poster

The "how hard can it be?" thread

129 replies

UnquietDad · 27/05/2008 10:17

It's loth to do it, not "loath" or "loathe".

It's accept something, not "except" it.

It's affect the outcome, not "effect" it.

It's publicly, not "publically".

It's never mind (two words), not "nevermind" (pace Nirvana).

It's liaison, not "liason".

Any more (not "anymore") ?

OP posts:
BeauLocks · 27/05/2008 11:21

pacific instead of specific (my secretary, passim)

SixSpotBurnet · 27/05/2008 11:22

Enormity does not connote enormousness. That's one of my pet hates.

hullygully · 27/05/2008 11:27

Heighth (south London)

BeauLocks · 27/05/2008 11:39

Oh yes hullygully. I think it's also an East London thing.

MrsBadger · 27/05/2008 11:50

buy -> bought
bring -> brought

chunkychips · 27/05/2008 11:52

yes unquiet dad, even the big insurance companies advertise it as life insurance now.

decimated used to mean one tenth destroyed, now means completely wiped out. How did that happen?

Arks instead of asks.

learningallthetime · 27/05/2008 11:58

I writ it down .. NO! you wrote it down!

toodles · 27/05/2008 12:00

What about the difference between bring and take? I was once told to "bring this paper upstairs". I just stood there and thought what are you talking about? Don't you mean "Take this paper upstairs"?

Sanguine · 27/05/2008 12:03

Asterix is a comic book hero, not one of these *

Original poster
UnquietDad · 27/05/2008 12:04

The Master in "Doctor Who" made a point of using "decimated" correctly in last year's season finale. Not only evil but a pedant too!

OP posts:
fluffyanimal · 27/05/2008 12:05

With regard to
As regards
Not some weird combination of the two.

And men have a prostate, not a prostrate, or even worse, 'prospects'.

I had a friend who used to say that she was illegible for benefits (eligible).

HumphreyC · 27/05/2008 12:10

"praps"

Sanguine · 27/05/2008 12:10

Oh I had a friend who described an exceptionally thin model as "emancipated"

JackieNo · 27/05/2008 12:12

Ooh yes, I like this thread.

I'm definitely of the 'loath' rather than 'loth' persuasion though.

I knew someone who used to say 'I'm not prithee [privy] to those decisions' and think she was terribly posh.

And can I be terriby picky, and point out that 'Wherefore art thou, Romeo?' does not mean 'Where are you?' but 'Why are you called 'Romeo'?'.

chunkychips · 27/05/2008 12:13

haitch instead of aitch

chunkychips · 27/05/2008 12:18

vagina and vulva gets all mixed up as well.

BeauLocks · 27/05/2008 12:18

"hence why....".

No no no no.

It's "hence....."

fluffyanimal · 27/05/2008 12:22

I had a good chuckle at an MNer who on a thread a few days ago described her daughter as being pre-conscious (precocious). Sorry, whoever you are, but you made my day when I read that!

WendyWeber · 27/05/2008 12:28

"greatful" -it's all over freecycle.

aaaaargh.

(Oh, and "draws" - as in chest of - aaaaargh again)

PuppyMonkey · 27/05/2008 12:30

A few that always irritate me are:

Accomodation instead of accommodation.

And when someone says/writes:

"Without a buy or leave."

WendyWeber · 27/05/2008 12:30

Oh, and, following on from BL -

"from whence"

nononono, whence means from where, so you're saying "from from where"

fluffyanimal · 27/05/2008 12:34

Toe the line, not tow.

WendyWeber · 27/05/2008 13:05

Rein in, not reign in...

MargaretMountford · 27/05/2008 13:08

JackieNo - that Romeo and Juliet always always gets me fuming - hooray that you mention it !!!

sakurarose39 · 27/05/2008 13:11

if you are on the town council, you are a councillor
If you give advise, you are a counseller...

I love the idea of a breastfeeding councillor - in the town hall, with her boobs out!