"I could care less" and more goofs

Some grammar rules (and embarrassing mistakes!) transcend the uniqueness of different regions and style guides. This new International Grammar section by OnlineBookClub.org ultimately identifies those rules thus providing a simple, flexible rule-set, respecting the differences between regions and style guides. You can feel free to ask general questions about spelling and grammar. You can also provide example sentences for other members to proofread and inform you of any grammar mistakes.

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e-tasana-williams
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Re: "I could care less" and more goofs

Post by e-tasana-williams »

Or adding "'s" to the end of store names that don't already have it, as in, "We went to Ross's to buy school clothes", or "Victoria's Secret's is having a two-for-one sale".
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Applelady72
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Post by Applelady72 »

Someone told me we were having a "guess speaker" at church rather than a guest speaker. Hope he won't be guessing weights, I am up a few pounds!
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VBnBama
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Post by VBnBama »

Hilarious! :)
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Post by e-tasana-williams »

How about "if worse comes to worse" instead of "if worse comes to worst"...
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H0LD0Nthere
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Post by H0LD0Nthere »

OK, first regarding "mankind," "manmade," etc. ...
The Old English word "man" meant person.
The word for an actual, male man was "goom," which is why we still say "groom" at weddings.

Funniest malapropism I can remember recently ... "inane" for "innate." "An inane sense of survival ..."
Inane is a pretty funny word anyway.

Misusage that gets my goat: "Begs the question." This is a technical term from debate (logic? rhetoric?) which means offering an argument that assumes the thing you are trying to prove. But now, EVERYONE uses it to mean, "Prompts us to ask the following question." Which, admittedly, is a more intuitive sense of what the phrase means ... which means the fact that it drives me crazy makes me an uptight snobbish grammar maven ... and this forum is the ONLY place I can complain about it without looking like a total jerk (and perhaps not even here). :lol:

Ones I've committed myself: I ALWAYS thought it was "cut the mustard."
Also, it wasn't until this year that I realized that words "garment" has an n in it. I've always heard it without the n.
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Post by shibrarafaqat »

Eatsleaves wrote:How about "if worse comes to worse" instead of "if worse comes to worst"...
Yeah this one's quite common....n quite irritating as well
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Post by DATo »

Prescription --- not PERscription
“I just got out of the hospital. I was in a speed reading accident. I hit a book mark and flew across the room.”
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Post by easy_dc13 »

"He's not nothing I haven't seen." - Russell Westbrook *5.17.16
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Patty Pieczka
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Post by Patty Pieczka »

"It's of the upmost importance."
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Post by Vermont Reviews »

Recent one

summer sault

ya gotta be kiddin me

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Post by easy_dc13 »

"Blessing in the skies."
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greenzelda
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Post by greenzelda »

Great topic!

I have one I'd like to share..
I don't know if this counts as the kind of goof you're looking for,
but hey it's funny so I'll post it anyway.

Where I live, it's very common for people to use the term 'Youse' when referring to a group of people. I think we can agree that 'youse' is not even remotely a word, but regardless of how many kids my age are corrected, they stubbornly cling to that colloquialism. It's suuch an ugly one.
(bit of background, I live in Queensland, Australia)

I'm also guilty of mixing up 'it's for its' a lot (usually this is just a case of me not editing my work properly though ;-) )
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Post by Vermont Reviews »

bookowlie wrote:Good thread!

Here are the ones that annoy me -

Irregardless when it should be Regardless

Statue of limitations when it should be Statute of limitations (this error drives me up a wall)

-- 22 Apr 2016, 01:33 --

One more -

Piece of mind which should be peace of mind

Excellent thread

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missholls910
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Post by missholls910 »

Irregardless! People use that "word" all of the time at work. I even started to second guess myself on thinking that it was not a real word. There also seems to be an increase of people misusing "effect" vs. "affect".

I've stopped correcting people.
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Post by krystleb1703 »

People here in Louisiana, including myself, tend to say, "I'm going make groceries," meaning that I am going shopping for groceries. Growing up saying this, I never thought it was incorrect until I went to a function out of state and my mother and I volunteered to do the shopping. The people with us burst into laughter and questioned what we meant. We really had to think about it, how improper of us.
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