Common mistakes or misnomers
Discussion
motco said:
...in green ballpoint on a sheet torn from a spiral helical bound shorthand pad?
Keep up. Louis Balfour said:
OMITN said:
Another convenient identifier of idiots: confusing infer and imply.
It isn't though, is it.Personal bug-bears of mine are "undertaking" instead of "overtaking on the inside", "practice" and "practise" used interchangeably, and ditto for "licence and license" (Olivia Rodrigo got a stiff letter from me on that one).
ETA Oxford commas are fine, obviously...
Super Sonic said:
matchmaker said:
"My head literally exploded". Er, no, it didn't!
This one literally deserves a thread of its own.The OED now lists, as one definition of literally, as purely an expression of emphasis. As well as listing the original meaning.
So "literally laughing my head off" is now officially fine.
FerrousOxide said:
motco said:
...in green ballpoint on a sheet torn from a spiral helical bound shorthand pad?
Keep up. Louis Balfour said:
OMITN said:
Another convenient identifier of idiots: confusing infer and imply.
It isn't though, is it.Personal bug-bears of mine are "undertaking" instead of "overtaking on the inside", "practice" and "practise" used interchangeably, and ditto for "licence and license" (Olivia Rodrigo got a stiff letter from me on that one).
ETA Oxford commas are fine, obviously...
FerrousOxide said:
Hung by my own petard.
I know my use of English is full of errors and I've never said that I'm not a hypocrite (I make spelling mistakes far worse than those which irritate me in others). Won't get bugbear wrong again, though....
It's "Hoist with his own petard" (Shakespeare, Hamlet). A petard was an explosive device that would 'hoist' you, i.e. blow you into the air. It wasn't used by executioners, who hanged people. I know my use of English is full of errors and I've never said that I'm not a hypocrite (I make spelling mistakes far worse than those which irritate me in others). Won't get bugbear wrong again, though....
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