SoylentNews is people
SoylentNews
from the its-quiet-awl-write-two-laugh-hat-you're-miss-steaks dept.
I was recently introduced to Professor Paul Brians' web site at Washington State University (WSU). I know I've made many mistakes like these over the years, and would like to think that I have learned from those mistakes. Would that I could have learned them, then, without having to go through those experiences.
So, with a sense of gratitude for what I've been taught and learned so far, and in hopes that it might afford a Soylentil a chance to avoid a red-face-inducing faux pas, I offer you examples of some Common Errors in English Usage:
People send me quite a few word confusions which don't seem worth writing up but which are nevertheless entertaining or interesting. I simply list a number of these below for your amusement. Many of them are discussed on the Eggcorn Database site.
Note: if you don't find what you're looking for below, please be aware that this is only a supplementary page to a much more extensive site that begins here.
NOTE: This is a greatly thinned list of examples from the linked page and has been reformatted for use here. Ellipses ([...]) between entries are implied.
| What was said | What was meant |
|---|---|
| ad homonym | ad hominem |
| aerobic numbers | Arabic numbers |
| ashfault | asphalt |
| Cadillac converter | catalytic converter |
| circus sized | circumcised |
| deformation of character | defamation of character |
| flamingo dancer | flamenco dancer |
| four-stair heating | forced-air heating |
| gentile manners | genteel manners |
| glaucomole | glaucoma |
| gorilla warfare | guerilla warfare |
| Heineken remover | Heimlich maneuver |
| immaculate degeneration | macular degeneration |
| in sink | in synch |
| ivy tower | ivory tower |
| misconscrew | misconstrue |
| muncho man | macho man |
| parody of virtue | paragon of virtue |
| piece of mind | peace of mind |
| pot-bellied politics | pork-barrel politics |
| shock ways | shockwaves |
| techknowledgy | technology |
| two sense worth | two cents' worth |
| tyrannical yolk | tyrannical yoke |
| very close veins | varicose veins |
| windshield factor | wind chill factor |
What are your favorites — either from this list — or from elsewhere?
(Score: 2) by gtomorrow on Friday October 11 2019, @12:58PM (22 children)
What I wanna know is...
Is it "tow the line" or "toe the line"?
Ahh, the beauty of the English language.
(Score: 5, Insightful) by gtomorrow on Friday October 11 2019, @01:02PM (13 children)
Sorry...forgot to add one of my favorites...
"...for all intensive purposes." That one, for me, immediately knocks the person down two rungs on the intelligence ladder.
(Score: 4, Funny) by DannyB on Friday October 11 2019, @02:03PM (7 children)
Intensive Porpoises.
If your porpoise is to communicate effectively, you need to listen to it more carefully.
The lower I set my standards the more accomplishments I have.
(Score: 2) by gtomorrow on Friday October 11 2019, @02:15PM (5 children)
Four rungs down for you! :D :D :D
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Friday October 11 2019, @02:41PM (3 children)
Use of emojiis, BOTTOM OF THE PILE! :P
(Score: 3, Informative) by Osamabobama on Friday October 11 2019, @04:29PM (1 child)
Emojis are graphical; these are emoticons.
Appended to the end of comments you post. Max: 120 chars.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Saturday October 12 2019, @07:14PM
Ah the irony of you being a grammar nazi >:)
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Friday October 11 2019, @04:41PM
LOL.
Alright, then. I'll just get me coat.
(Score: 2) by VanessaE on Saturday October 12 2019, @07:34AM
THERE! ARE! FOUR! RUNGS!
Wait, what?
(Score: 5, Funny) by archfeld on Friday October 11 2019, @07:17PM
People use that one to increase the endolphin rush :)
For the NSA : Explosives, guns, assassination, conspiracy, primers, detonators, initiators, main charge, nuclear charge
(Score: 2) by acid andy on Friday October 11 2019, @08:36PM
Its rediculous you wood pickup that pacific fing. Did you loose your come on sence? Ofcourse we can chock it up to your in experience.
If a cat has kittens, does a rat have rittens, a bat bittens and a mat mittens?
(Score: 2) by SpockLogic on Saturday October 12 2019, @01:56AM (3 children)
I had a young typist return a report with "... to all in tents and porpoises ...". It took me five minutes to stop laughing.
Overreacting is one thing, sticking your head up your ass hoping the problem goes away is another - edIII
(Score: 2) by janrinok on Saturday October 12 2019, @09:25AM
While it really should have been "to all intents and purposes"! That's possibly why she got it wrong.
Did you both have a good laugh at each other?
(Score: 2) by janrinok on Saturday October 12 2019, @09:32AM (1 child)
I may have misunderstood your comment - if so please excuse my correction. I read it as you saying 'intensive purposes' and the secretary recording it as you described.
(Score: 2) by SpockLogic on Saturday October 12 2019, @01:01PM
I had dictated "to all intents and purposes" and got back her gut busting version. Even though it was nearly 40 years ago it still makes me smile when I think about it.
Overreacting is one thing, sticking your head up your ass hoping the problem goes away is another - edIII
(Score: 2) by choose another one on Friday October 11 2019, @02:17PM (1 child)
> Is it "tow the line" or "toe the line"?
Depends what you are doing. Although normally you tow something _with_ the line...
(Score: 2) by DannyB on Friday October 11 2019, @02:39PM
That is a: tough road to how
The lower I set my standards the more accomplishments I have.
(Score: 3, Informative) by JoeMerchant on Friday October 11 2019, @03:42PM (2 children)
Typically, it's "toe the line" like an actor does when "hitting their mark" - step up, stand in your assigned place (generally implies: thinking for yourself is wrong.)
Anyone else with Appalachian ancestry have to hear about the chimley that Sanny Claws came down?
🌻🌻 [google.com]
(Score: 3, Interesting) by Runaway1956 on Friday October 11 2019, @04:07PM (1 child)
Ahhhh, the chimley. Had a teacher who told us that there were three words and phrases that would identify Western Pennsylvanians, no matter where they went in the world. "you'ns" instead of the southern "y'all", "red the table" instead of "clear the table", - and I've forgotten the third. "Chimley" was how we pronounced chimney, but that wasn't strictly Western Pennsylvania.
(Score: 2) by JoeMerchant on Friday October 11 2019, @04:49PM
Television is destroying regional dialects, I'd guess they're 90%+ extinguished already.
🌻🌻 [google.com]
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Friday October 11 2019, @05:53PM (1 child)
It is "toe the line," as in line up with your toes on it.
Apparently, it comes from starting a race, everyone "toes the line" so as to be ready when the race starts. They are all orderly and ready to act at a moment's notice.
(Score: 2) by janrinok on Saturday October 12 2019, @09:39AM
There is also 'tow the line' which means that you have to do your fair share of doing an arduous task. It relates to the people who used to pull barges along the canals of Europe using a towline to move goods. They took it in turns pulling the load from the front, and keeping the barge away from the side of the canal which is a much easier task. They had to take turns in towing the line to make sure they all did their share of the work. However, toe the line is a much more common usage because more people understand its origin.
(Score: 2) by acid andy on Friday October 11 2019, @09:03PM
I dont no witch once it is...
If a cat has kittens, does a rat have rittens, a bat bittens and a mat mittens?