Lose & Loose

[BrewsterBear]

I know, I know, it's the favourite bugbear of some on PH. I'm not a grammar Nazi and I'm more than capable of making typos and mistakes myself, but how can it be that all over the amateur-typed internet I see loose used incorrectly for lose more than the correct spelling? We're talking primary school English here. Of course there/their/they're catches some hard of thinking out, but at least they all sound the same when spoken. Lose and loose are even pronounced differently.

Lose - To misplace or be deprived of something with little hope of getting it back.
Loose - Larger than required and as such ill fitting.

It's not fking difficult.

Every time I see it posted incorrectly, whether here, other forums, Facebook, etc, I *really* want to point out how pathetically stupid it is. I don't want to become one of those types, but it really does grate on me. Phonetic spelling has a lot to answer for.

(2/10 - Not enough swearing)

Edited by BrewsterBear on Thursday 1st August 11:34

[BrewsterBear]

Brought and bought is also on a par with lose and loose for fktardery. They're past participles completely different verbs - bring and buy. Did these tts not watch Blue Peter as a child?

[BrewsterBear]

kentmotorcompany said:

Superior academic and linguistic knowledge does not make a superior person, and it should not be used to bash and belittle people.
If one has learning one should wear it lightly.

I would agree, but we're hardly talking about a doctorate in language here. Everyone goes to primary school. I refuse to believe, given its profligacy, that everyone who uses "loose" incorrectly does so through having a learning difficulty, unless you count lazy stupidity as such a condition.