Awkward words
07-11-2016, 05:42 PM
#41
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Originally Posted by Jeanne S
Mine is the word receipt. My mother, who had poor grammar, pronounced it like REE-seat, so that is the way I learned it. My daughters keep telling me it should be re-SEAT.
And some people use that word when they mean "recipe".
07-11-2016, 05:58 PM
#42
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Me, too! There is no such term as "could of." It doesn't even make sense. I understand that "could've" sounds like "could of," but it makes me grind teeth.
Another no-no I hear is the contraction "I's" instead of "my" when used in conjunction to show possession of the noun. Eg. "This is Ben and I's new house."
No. You would never say "It's I's house" or "it's Ben house". You'd say "it's my house" or "it's Ben's house" . Joining possessors doesn't mean you say "Ben and I's house," but say "It's Ben's and my house."
Another no-no I hear is the contraction "I's" instead of "my" when used in conjunction to show possession of the noun. Eg. "This is Ben and I's new house."
No. You would never say "It's I's house" or "it's Ben house". You'd say "it's my house" or "it's Ben's house" . Joining possessors doesn't mean you say "Ben and I's house," but say "It's Ben's and my house."
Originally Posted by tessagin
Thanks, zozee that clears up a lot. I don't have too much trouble with most but "whom" always was a bit of a stumper. One I see often and that is the difference between "have and of" I could of is seen often when should be could have. Easier to break down when have is hyphenated like "could've". And clincher is I see many journalists using "could of" instead of could've or could have".
07-11-2016, 06:10 PM
#43
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I misuse lay/lie, but not because I don't understand the difference; I do. The reason is that my parents (although both sticklers for good grammar) both misused it all the time. When you grow up hearing it used incorrectly, it sounds awkward to say it correctly. I say "I laid your phone on the counter" instead of "I lay it on the counter" because "lay sounds like present tense. I'll say I'm going to lay down for a nap. I will write these correctly because I take time to think about them, however.
Originally Posted by ptquilts
Lay and lie is pretty easy - Lay is a transitive verb, meaning it has an object. I lay the quilt on the bed. Lie is an intransitive verb, no object . I lie on the bed.
To clarify more, transitive verbs are followed by a noun. I bake the pie. I ride the bike. The same verbs can also be intransitive, I bake every morning. I ride to work most days.
Lie and Lay are mixed up by a lot of people.
I still say thongs and am probably the only person left who calls blue jeans, "dungarees". (almost 60 years old).
Thongs???
I was taught to remember there is "a rat" in separate. Works for me.
To clarify more, transitive verbs are followed by a noun. I bake the pie. I ride the bike. The same verbs can also be intransitive, I bake every morning. I ride to work most days.
Lie and Lay are mixed up by a lot of people.
I still say thongs and am probably the only person left who calls blue jeans, "dungarees". (almost 60 years old).
Thongs???
I was taught to remember there is "a rat" in separate. Works for me.
07-11-2016, 06:40 PM
#46
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Originally Posted by carolaiken
When I have to use lay or lie (as in down) I can't remember which to use. Growing up in the south you learn to mangle the English language so if I use the wrong word or mispronounce a word I don't even worry about it.
Lie=recline I will go lie down for a bit.
At least that's how I use them, but generally, I just try not to use them!! :-)
Hubs pronounces Massachusetts as Massatoosetts! It's taken 45 years, but he generally says it correctly these days.
07-11-2016, 06:59 PM
#47
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Originally Posted by orangeroom
Oh, also I'm not a fan whenever my mom would say thong when she meant flip-flops. We often corrected her and tried to clarify that thong nowadays meant something entirely different and she should not say it loud and out in public!!!
07-11-2016, 07:13 PM
#48
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Other words and phrases that bug me :
"supposively" should be "supposedly"
"very unique" (Can anything be very one-of-a-kind?)
"whenever" instead of "when" ( "Whenever I went to my mom's last Tuesday...")
Myself" when it should be "me" ("Feel free to call Don or myself with questions." No, feel free to call Don or me.) Check it by leaving "Don or" out. Feel free to call me.
less/fewer mix-ups Use fewer on things that can be counted, less on things that can't. I want fewer weeds in my garden I want less garden work. We need fewer gums flapping. We need less chatter.
"supposively" should be "supposedly"
"very unique" (Can anything be very one-of-a-kind?)
"whenever" instead of "when" ( "Whenever I went to my mom's last Tuesday...")
Myself" when it should be "me" ("Feel free to call Don or myself with questions." No, feel free to call Don or me.) Check it by leaving "Don or" out. Feel free to call me.
less/fewer mix-ups Use fewer on things that can be counted, less on things that can't. I want fewer weeds in my garden I want less garden work. We need fewer gums flapping. We need less chatter.
07-11-2016, 09:04 PM
#49
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Location: Pacific NW
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Originally Posted by ptquilts
I was taught to remember there is "a rat" in separate. Works for me.
The tinkle comment reminded me, my MIL always says she has to squirt. Ughhhh that's worse than tinkle... She also says flustrated instead of frustrated and postate instead of prostate. I'd really rather not hear either word, thankyouverymuch....
07-12-2016, 12:53 AM
#50
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One word is hard for me to say: BOOTHS
One of my favorite quilting bloggers uses "leafs" for the plural instead of "leaves". As a former proofreader, I think of privately writing her but cannot bring myself to correct someone. I feel embarrassed for her. Maybe she will read this post. ;-)
One of my favorite quilting bloggers uses "leafs" for the plural instead of "leaves". As a former proofreader, I think of privately writing her but cannot bring myself to correct someone. I feel embarrassed for her. Maybe she will read this post. ;-)
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