Awkward words
 

Do any of you find certain words to be awkward...don't know when it is proper to use? My trouble maker is the word "whom". Don't like it so I don't use it...although I just did. 😀

I do have problems with whom. And have to think about effect/affect.

I thought this post was going to be about words we don't like. My least favorite work is 'bifurcate'.

Here's a helpful tip I always told my English students: use "whom" where you could use "him". Use "who" where you'd use "he" .

Examples:

1. To whom should I write this $5,000 check? To him? Really, I should mail this check to him??? You must be out of your mind! I'd rather give it to whomever won't waste it on donuts!

2. Who ate the last donut? He ate the last donut?

Thanks for the hint zozee.

They must have been some good donuts!!!

Zozee, you just violated your own rule. "I'd rather give it to whomever won't waste it on donuts!" should be whoever. He won't waste it on donuts, therefore give it to whoever won't waste it on donuts.

That one is tricky, and I admit I had to look it up. The use of whomever/whoever is based on the dependent clause. http://www.grammarbook.com/grammar/whoever.asp

I think more and more people are using whom when they should use who. And if those donuts are being passed around, you know who wants some. (Who = me, but in this case *I* want some.)

i like your 'hint'

You're right! I DID violate the rule. I knew it didn't look right, but was thinking "give it to him" and I substituted "whom", forgetting that whom was in a dependent clause. Darn those dependent clause.

Awkward moment here. Touche'! :( Thanks for catching it, though. Seriously.

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One word I never get right the first time is "sarcophagus". It always comes out "car-sophagus"--like the love child of an automobile and an esophagus. Good thing it's not a part of my daily vernacular now, but when I was teaching fifth and sixth graders a unit on ancient Egyptian civilization, I used it quite a bit.

There was one day I took two empty cardboard guitar cases (my hubby plays) that were the perfect size and shape for a 5th grader to fit into as a sarcophagus. The two teams had to choose one of their members to be the mummy. The others wrapped him in toilet paper. I was cheering for each team, "Hurry! Wrap him up and put him in the carsophagus! Go! Go!"

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.

I hate the word "moist" also. And panties. Can't stand that word.

Is there such a word as "clost"? (as in "close to me") My DH swears the word is valid, I say it isn't. I've heard it on TV by national news anchors, and I just cringe. I hate that word!

Not an awkward word in terms of where to use it but one that is awkward for me.
I like the sound of the word 'specific' but have trouble pronouncing it. It tangles my tongue and comes out 'pacific'.

The Kardashians' favorite word -- like.

I never know if I should use "well" or "good" when someone asks me a question about health, etc. Most of the time I just use "good" but I'm sure there must be a rule that I missed in school.

Now this doesn't bother me but I chuckle every time I hear it. My favorite conjunction
"it's not" funny! How can that not be funny!
peace

"Well" is an adverb so is used to describe something active/verb. "Good" is an adjective used to describe a noun.
I'm feeling/doing well. My health is good.
She cooks well. She is a good cook.

I have a hard time with farther and further.

I was reading an old novel recently. I just love the grammar and vocabulary from some of the books from the 40s. The word was circumambulate. The character was determined that he was right and would prove it even if he had to circumambulate the entire continent.

I can't think of a word yet.

However my hubs hates the word whimsical.

Farther relates to actual distance - I walked farther than you.
Further is for everything else. I am further along in the quilt making process.

That is my understanding anyway.

I always want to mis-spell occasion as occassion. Have to watch myself.

I also hate the word panties, as well as many of the modern "words" that have popped up, like vacay, sammie, etc.

Never heard of 'clost'. Don't use "bough ten," either. I used it in a paper for an English class as a senior in HS. The paper was red-lined and scribbled with a rant about that word. Guess it struck a nerve with the instructor, but I don't use that word. Ever.

I hate the expression "I seen"

Interesting question. I don't think I ever use the word unless it is the say " to whom it may concern".

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".

I have a relative and love her dearly, who uses the word "tooken" spell check wants to keep changing it. Anyway I keep telling her it's taken but she can say some one "took" it instead. I gave up on it. Then her boyfriend told her what I said was correct. Also "boughten" nope just say bought or purchased and no "buyed" isn't correct either.

Dunster probably diagrammed sentences as a kid. The clause, "whoever won't waste it," is the object of the preposition, but, within the clause, "who" is the doer of the action/subject of the verb, so you use "who [subject form]" rather than "whom [object form of pronoun]." When you see the diagram of the sentence, it's easier to see the purpose that the pronoun is performing and to choose the correct version of the pronoun.

Yep same here and I hated diagramming.

We must be related!!!! It's the only word I have issued with except medical terms.

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.

I too hate the word panties. My grandmother called panties "step ins" which comes from the 1920's when short Flapper dresses where in style. I loved that term and have always used it. My mom spent my childhood years saying, "it's underwear, it's underwear."

I learned that an "effect" is a result and "affect" is an action. Keeps them straight for me.

My "bugaboo" word is necessary, nesessary, nec, I mean needed. Lol! I can never spell that word. I also cringe when I hear "aks" instead if ask.

my youngest had a problem with a few words and how they have stuck. I still find myself saying 'breafkast' and it is 'froggy' (foggy) in the morning. It is almost like muscle memory!!!!!!!

My word is "assuage". For some reason it is difficult for me to pronounce.

Nuclear. New-clear, not nuke-u-ler.

Reading my boss's emails always made me cringe. She would consistently write "haft to" instead of "have to", and Wensday instead of Wednesday.

I always have to look twice when spelling "separate". I get it wrong nearly every time.

I'm not a fan either of the word moist. I really don't like the word tinkle. Used to work with a grown woman who always said "I have to tinkle." Really?

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!!!

I had an English teacher who hated for anyone to write "alright", insisting that there was no such word, and it should be "all right" but now I see that alright is in the dictionary. Sometimes grammar changes because of common usage. I still write it as two words, because that's the way I was taught, and that English teacher might still be around to see it.

I (and some of my friends) still call that kind of foot-wear "thongs".

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).

I was taught to remember there is "a rat" in separate. Works for me.

I just read through all of the pages. This is a fun thread! I was surprised to see that no one has an issue with one that always makes me cringe............Fuss-trated instead of frustrated. Or, Li-berry instead of library. Ax, instead of ask, (someone did mention this one)......those make up my trio of words that set my teeth on edge! lol