altogether now, Apathy Arise!Amen! (It being Sunday and all...)Mistakes such as "irregardless" and "I could care less" are legion. But they persist due to a combination of ignorance and carelessness.
It's a pet peeve of mine when people do use imprecise language. I'm guilty enough of it and I generally do pay attention.
Why does it persist? I don't know and I don't care.
one of the worst in this category is "male species" er, uhm, when they want to say "Male of the species", open mouth disengage brain.I agree with Bailey about the unconscious state of the half-vast population.I think the answer's obvious here, in my opinion due to the vast (or is it just half-vast?) numbers of people I've met I believe it's because most people live completely unconscious lives, they have no idea they are saying the exact opposite of what they mean.
Pet peeves about language misuse have a common denominator: speakers who do not apply any thought to what they are saying and instead just regurgitate previously heard ideas or phrases. (Like Orwell's duckspeak in which the brain is disconnected from the mouth.)
Mistakes such as "irregardless" and "I could care less" are legion. But they persist due to a combination of ignorance and carelessness.
-gailr
If one person makes it, it's a mistake. If a large number of people use them, they are no longer mistakes, they're part of the language. This is how language changes.Mistakes such as "irregardless" and "I could care less" are legion. But they persist due to a combination of ignorance and carelessness.
some would say devolving, reverting or degerating. 0 x 0=0, 0 + 0=0. Mistakes to the nth are still mistakes, but of course it is merely JMO, also.If one person makes it, it's a mistake.<snip>But those words are now part of the language. only for those who don't know or are bound by invincible ignoranceMistakes such as "irregardless" and "I could care less" are legion. But they persist due to a combination of ignorance and carelessness.
"irregardless" and "I could care less" are the latest examples of that. imo they're examples of human inventiveness, and proof that English is flourishing.
The difference in this case is that crayfish and belfry are not grammatically inoperative. Human inventiveness, to paraphrase Bailey, can work in positive or negative directions, and not every innovation survives -fortunately.If one person makes it, it's a mistake. If a large number of people use them, they are no longer mistakes, they're part of the language. This is how language changes.Mistakes such as "irregardless" and "I could care less" are legion. But they persist due to a combination of ignorance and carelessness.
Just like "crayfish" and "belfry" were originally mistakes. The words had nothing to do with fish or bells but the spelling and pronunciation changed based on misunderstandings. But those words are now part of the language.
"irregardless" and "I could care less" are the latest examples of that. imo they're examples of human inventiveness, and proof that English is flourishing.
Perfectly put. Regardless of common usage, and we really could care less.Mistakes to the nth are still mistakes
"irregardless" and "I could care less" are not grammatically inoperative either. They make sense for the people who use them. The fact that they are in widespread use means they that do make sense.The difference in this case is that crayfish and belfry are not grammatically inoperative. Human inventiveness, to paraphrase Bailey, can work in positive or negative directions, and not every innovation survives -fortunately.
As the nuns used to say "if everybody jumped in the lake would you jump in too?""irregardless" and "I could care less" are not grammatically inoperative either. They make sense for the people who use them. The fact that they are in widespread use means they that do make sense.The difference in this case is that crayfish and belfry are not grammatically inoperative. Human inventiveness, to paraphrase Bailey, can work in positive or negative directions, and not every innovation survives -fortunately.
In Hamlet's words, "Ay, [madam,] it is common." The subtext here is that common is not always desirable."irregardless" and "I could care less" are not grammatically inoperative either. They make sense for the people who use them. The fact that they are in widespread use means they that do make sense.
Which attitude should carry the day? Yes, language evolves with usage (words such as silly and nice immediately spring to mind). But, does this mean change must be determined by the lowest common denominator? If that is the case, then why bother with piffles such as grammar, composition and literature classes?"When I use a word," Humpty Dumpty said, in a rather scornful tone, "it means just what I choose it to mean -- neither more nor less."
"The question is," said Alice, "whether you can make words mean so many different things."
"The question is," said Humpty Dumpty, "which is to be master--that's all."
You go Gail! Leave it to you to invoke Lewis Carroll as the perfect morning-after pill.In Hamlet's words, "Ay, [madam,] it is common." The subtext here is that common is not always desirable."irregardless" and "I could care less" are not grammatically inoperative either. They make sense for the people who use them. The fact that they are in widespread use means they that do make sense.
Stupidity when driving is also in widespread use...therefore...
Which attitude should carry the day? Yes, language evolves with usage (words such as silly and nice immediately spring to mind). But, does this mean change must be determined by the lowest common denominator? If that is the case, then why bother with piffles such as grammar, composition and literature classes?"When I use a word," Humpty Dumpty said, in a rather scornful tone, "it means just what I choose it to mean -- neither more nor less."
"The question is," said Alice, "whether you can make words mean so many different things."
"The question is," said Humpty Dumpty, "which is to be master--that's all."
Communication which which fails to deliver its message is pointless. Carelessness and ignorance are not the foundations of any achievement in human history; why champion tossing clear thought and its clear expression to the scrap heap because it's more convenient for carelessness or ignorance?
-gailr
hee heesluggo! you beat me to the "jumping off the cliff" metaphor.
I knew you would if I didn't. Once a Catholic...Users browsing this forum: Google [Bot] and 0 guests
