Rhetorical Disfluencies that I Hate

[rycov]

If you think of "I could care less." as being sarcastic, then it makes sense. Otherwise not so much.

 

[GuldTuborg]

make less mistakes

Does there actually exist another person who understands the difference between "less" and "few"? Damn, you wouldn't believe the flak I get from people when I try to describe this difference in usage.

 

[JonM]

Same here. Seeing "Express lane, 10 items or less" everywhere doesn't help.

 

[GuldTuborg]

That's just it. Nothing is worse than professional companies using incorrect language in an official manner/form (advertising, signage, etc.). It gives people the idea that such usage is completely correct.

 

[JonM]

Another reason I love my local Wisconsin home stores, Menard's. Their express lanes say "10 items or fewer."

 

[skipper1953]

+1,000,000 I hate this one!!!!!

How bout probly instead of probably
or
fith instead of fifth.

And then there is prolly instead of probably.

 

[-TH-]

Does that mean "<" should be called a "fewer than" symbol?

Don't know if these two have been mentioned yet:

1. "where is that at?" The "at" is not necessary and I think even incorrect.

2. "that being said" is often used improperly.

 

[rycov]

Yes, ending a sentence in a preposition is wrong.

 

[rycov]

From Bevis and Butthead do America:

"Thats that guy who's trailer they were whacking off in!" "You're a federal agent. Never end a sentence in a preposition." "Thats that guy who's trailer off in which they were whacking?"

 

[GuldTuborg]

Yes, ending a sentence in a preposition is wrong.

Always? That one is a it debatable. I'll grant you that 99/100 when actually done, it's done incorrectly. The real problem the post above is bringing up is the use of unnecessary prepositions. They'd be wrong no matter where you put them, and this practice probably accounts for the overwhelming majority of that 99%.

 

[rycov]

I don't think using words that aren't needed is wrong, only unnecessary. I have always been taught that ending a sentence with a preposition is wrong, but have never been given a reason why. It may be that there are instances where you can end a sentence with a preposition.

 

[rycov]

Oh I do see what you mean now.
"Where is it at?"

There Isn't a spot for the "at" anywhere in that sentence.

 

[pbullblue]

First things first (what other option is there?)

comfterble = Comfortable

 

[lschiavo]

I don't think using words that aren't needed is wrong, only unnecessary. I have always been taught that ending a sentence with a preposition is wrong, but have never been given a reason why. It may be that there are instances where you can end a sentence with a preposition.

I knew a guy once who ended a sentence with a preposition. He's dead now.

 

[DeafSmith]

For the opposing view on prepositions at the end of a sentence and split infinitives, here's an excerpt from an interesting book by the linguist John McWhorter, "Our Magnificent Bastard Tongue":

"The preposition rule was cooked up in the seventeenth century under the impression that because Latin doesn't end sentences in prepositions, English shouldn't. That makes one wonder when we are going to start cutting our English to conform to Arabic, Russian, Mandarin, and other languages with grand histories and literatures. The split-infinitive business was a nineteenth-century fetish, and may also have been based on the fact that Latin doesn't split infinitives--because its infinitives are just one word! We say to end; Latin had terminare, period, as unsplittable as the atom was once thought to be."

 

[JonM]

Speaking of prepositions, "between you and I" drives me nuts. Nothing wrong with the preposition, but the object of the preposition is misused. I blame popular music for this one.

 

[rycov]

I knew a guy once who ended a sentence with a preposition. He's dead now.

That's good to know. From now on I won't end my sentences with at.

:dead:

 

[gingerdawg]

ensure vs insure
then vs than
borrow vs lend

 

[JonM]

Ensure vs insure
then vs than

Argh! Even the U.S. Constitution got this wrong: "... insure domestic Tranquility"

 

[HokieBrewer]

How about "switch me seats" instead of switch seats with me.

 

[Old_E]

I don't think using words that aren't needed is wrong, only unnecessary. I have always been taught that ending a sentence with a preposition is wrong, but have never been given a reason why. It may be that there are instances where you can end a sentence with a preposition.

This is correct, in that, there appears to be no actual rule regarding this. It is something we are all taught, but it has no basis... or that is my understanding.

Also, the idea that a sentence cannot begin with a conjunction seems to be similarly, misplaced.

 

[GuldTuborg]

Affect and effect is another one that's been driving me nuts lately. The worst part of this misuse is, in many sentences either one would be correct, but the meaning of the sentence changes. It's usually possible to guess what the person meant, but not with complete accuracy. I'll grant that it's sometimes a bit tricky to figure out which to use, but a few seconds of thought ought to make it clear.

 

[evanmars]

I was going to post both of these!

How about a combonation of the two: "You know what I'm sayin"

This usually follows a completly simple, or stupid, statement. "I like bananas, you kow what I'm sayin". Yes you simpleton, I know what you are saying.

Contractions without the use of an apostrophe, such as sayin instead of sayin', combonation, completly, ending a question with a period instead of a question mark.

 

[beerkrump]

Or, having a statement in your quotation that has no punctuation.

 

[glenn514]

GuldTuborg et al...

When I wrote my master's thesis, my advisor got himself all confused with "effect" and "affect." My undergraduate minor was English, so I had a better handle on them than he did...but he sure did cause me some fits!

glenn514

 

[mcaple1]

The word literally...not the word...but the idiots that use in in a sentence that could not be taken out of context....such as..."I literally went to the park today"....oh...no S%^T...you actually went to the park...unlike you not really going to the park....but then why even bother telling me then. Piss off!

 

[mcaple1]

Or when people use an apostrophe when it's not needed; "run's great". Oh yeah, it runs great...thanks dude...now try and spend more time reading a grammar book and less time throwing apostrophes everywhere.

 

[JonM]

Or when people use an apostrophe when it's not needed; "run's great". Oh yeah, it runs great...thanks dude...now try and spend more time reading a grammar book and less time throwing apostrophes everywhere.

Haha! There's a 24-hour diner in my girlfriend's neighborhood. It has a big professionally-made sign saying that it is "Alway's Open."

 

[Tiber_Brew]

"Ashphalt", instead of asphalt. It's not rhetorical per the OP's gripe, but worth mentioning.

 

[mcaple1]

Well...since we are straying off topic a bit...how about all the a-holes that drive in the left hand lane on a divided highway....the left lane is for passing you frigging morons! Now, when I say driving on the left hand land...I mean driving right next to someone in the right hand lane...so nobody can get around your *******. If this happens at night...I get three inches off their bumper and turn my high beams on...that makes 'em move.

By the way, I don't have road rage.

 

[pbullblue]

Haha! There's a 24-hour diner in my girlfriend's neighborhood. It has a big professionally-made sign saying that it is "Alway's Open."

funny

 

[northernlad]

I see your random, misplaced apostrophe and raise you one incorrect use of quotations.
Parking for "Customers" only.

 

[klyph]

Argh! Even the U.S. Constitution got this wrong: "... insure domestic Tranquility"

Maybe they want everyone to be monetarily compensated when their domestic tranquility is interrupted.

Haha! There's a 24-hour diner in my girlfriend's neighborhood. It has a big professionally-made sign saying that it is "Alway's Open."

http://www.apostropheabuse.com/

 

[beerkrump]

ensure vs insure

These both have multiple meanings. Each can mean "to keep safe".

 

[rycov]

funny

I don't get it.

 

[JonM]

I don't get it.

Neither do I

And I thought of another one: double identification of numbers, as in "I had one (1) sandwich with two (2) slices of bread and five (5) slices of pastrami." Whenever someone writes like that, they inevitably forget to double-identify at least one number, which makes me say "Holy sh*t!! I don't know what number that is!!"

 

[rycov]

I don't think I've seen that one. It looks rediculous.

 

[IrregularPulse]

I've heard people say "El oh el!" before, and it made me want to punch them in the throat.

As bad as people saying OMG out loud.

ALOT

bwahahaha

Pitcher... if you're not talking about something that holds water, it's picture.

What about the guy on the mound?

"Im just sayin"

God Damnit, my dad says this (along with too many others) on Facebook constantly. The tone they use makes it come off as matter of fact, as if they just proved something or zinged you

"You know" drives me batty. Maybe I do, maybe I don't.

"So I have this thing on my penis, you know."

No, I don't and I don't need to know about. STFU on both counts.

You know what I'm sayin'? NO I couldn't possibly comprehend that idea you just attempted to portray. My brother uses this and I love replying just this.

lol rolfl

Only thing worse than saying these things in speech, is typing them wrong in text. WTF does ROLFL stand for? Are you Rolling on the Le Floor Laughing? Are you French!?

And yes, Shecky, I know I'm the last person alive in your mind that should be posting here. But even I have my limits with language.

 

[JonM]

Alot:

Thou shalt use two words when writing "a lot" no more, no fewer. Two shall be the number of words used, and the number of words used shall be two. Three words shalt thou not use, nor shalt thou use one word, excepting where the one word, "a," shall be immediately followed by "lot." Four words is right out.

 

[GuldTuborg]

Amen. Right. 1, 2, 5!