Word lessons or what misuse of a word drives you crazy?

[lurkingdirk]

I've seen people try and justify using literally in place of figuratively by suggesting that it's an act of hyperbole. After a lengthy debate with someone where I was initially against the idea, I found myself unsure at the end.

Were you literally unsure, or figuratively unsure?

It's a pretty clear case, if you think on it. Literally has a specific meaning. Use extra adjectives or adverbs to add hyperbole, don't use a word that doesn't mean the right thing.

 

[Mr_Stiffy]

I've seen people try and justify using literally in place of figuratively by suggesting that it's an act of hyperbole.

I hate that thought. It cheapens the true meaning of the word and people using it in that manner will always come across as stupid to me, or at the very least, rendering their speech unnecessarily confusing.

I am also tempted to reject the idea that anyone daft enough to misuse "literally" in such a wanton manner, would use/understand the word "hyperbole." That's your word, they probably said "dude lyk its just wen u wnt to be lyk totally OTT or whatevs."

Just kidding. You don't know people that thick.

 

[HappyHapyJoyJoy]

Were you literally unsure, or figuratively unsure?

I was literally unsure.

Though part of that may have been that we were both drinking. I honestly can't recall most of the argument he made. He was an English professor and ruminated on the purpose and nature of hyperbole for about twenty minutes.

 

[Red XXX]

Nuclear = Nucular :explosion:

 

[Vanilla Bear]

Red XXX[/URL][/B], post: 8301930, member: 55251"]Nuclear = Nucular :explosion:

 

[Ace Boobtoucher]

Thankfully no one has ever said "YOLO" to my face because I would literally murder them to see if it's true.

 

[cestmoi2010]

People who don't know the difference between:

Its/It's
Their/There/They're

What REALLY irks me is people who have no idea when to use - and not to use - an apostrophe especially with a word ending in "S"

It irks me to see people say things like: Celtic's............when it should be Celtics or Celtics' - it shouldn't be that hard yet for most 3rd grade dropouts it is

 

[Philbert]

People using Ya'll as a singular specific, when it should be used only as a plural...

Also:
Folks who say "hundred" instead of 'hunnert", and those who don't use the word "tump" correctly or enough.
Oh, wait. Never mind ... not everyone can be a Texan. My bad.

 

[BassPlayerRob]

I think this little video is relevant.

 

[wolverine83]

that is all

 

[Ace Boobtoucher]

I still hate it when Jeremy Clarkson mispronounces aluminum.

 

[Little Red Wagon Repairman]

Not so much words but when people do the "quote/unquote" thing with their fingers or make the hand gesture that they're talking on the phone seeing how obnoxiously far they can extend their thumb and pinky finger. The Fuckers.

Here's something more appropriate. People desperately trying to find irony in everything just so they can say, "You know what's ironic?"

Replace "irony" with "surreal" and that pack of vermin also.

 

[RASQ]

It's "a lot" not "alot"

:cussing:

 

[Ace Boobtoucher]

"Warsh." Growing up in Iowa I heard that more often than I thought possible and it irritated me more than Hillary Clinton's voice. There's no R in "wash," motherfucker.

 

[Little Red Wagon Repairman]

This hipster 20-something year old kid came over to the house tagging along with my future brother-in-law and must have used the word "legit" about 25 times in 30 minutes. I wanted to bust a whiskey bottle over his head.

 

[Ace Boobtoucher]

If I'm speaking with someone and they use the word "warsh," I immediately stop the conversation and smack them with Dirl's used colostomy bag.

I'd forgotten that I'd already included this. It still really bothers me, though.

 

[Jack Davenport]

It may not be a misuse, but if anyone uses "alas" more than once in a conversation, I wanna reach for my pliers.

 

[Ace Boobtoucher]

Alas and alack, my friend. The era we live in is indeed lacking in subtlety, nuance and also, flair. Alas, people don't take the time to pick up a dip pen or calligrapher's brush to write each other florid letters, poetry or simple greeting cards. Alas, I regret not sending out personalized Christmas cards this festive season, as well.


































Alas.

 

[sean miguel]

Axe.

"Can I axe you something?"

Sure, hack away.

 

[FOUser#4510856320198a]

I'm sure they've already been covered: eck-cetera, eck-specially, people saying "well" when they start a sentence, and it comes out sounding like "wuhl". Girls do that a lot. Pronoun and verb agreement (a mob is marching, a mob of people are marching, there are a lot of cars in the parking lot- try saying "there is a lot of cars in the parking lot" - sounds like a fuckin jabronie, right?). All kinds of shit. I'm one of those insufferable dickheads.