Misused English
Posted: Sat Jul 10, 2004 7:19 pm
Now, presenting Jolt Country BBS' latest feature to momentarily distract you from the emotionally debilitating vagaries of real life:
The Three Most Misused Words/Phrases In The English Language!
These are phrases which we've all used incorrectly until finally learning the correct usage, at which point we begin strutting around and pedantically correcting everyone else who misuses the same phrases, often in the form of a BBS post.
(Scores are given out of a maximum of 100 for each category.)
The Third Most Misused Word/Phrase is:
--- OXYMORON ---
Frequency of casual use: 15
Frequency of misuse in context: 90
What it is misused to mean: "Two contradictory words."
Examples of misuse: "Jumbo shrimp! LOL!" and "Military intelligence! ROF!"
What it really means: Two seemingly incongruous words used to describe a specific idea which could not otherwise be communicated.
Examples of proper use: "Deafening silence", "Sweet sorrow".
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The Second Most Misused Word/Phrase is:
--- BEGS THE QUESTION ---
Frequency of casual use: 65
Frequency of misuse in context: 100+
What it is misused to mean: "PROMPTS the question..."
Example of misuse: "It smells like shit. That begs the question, 'who farted in here?'"
What it really means: To make an argument/assumption which assumes the conclusion in the argument.
Example of proper use: "Wait, you're telling me that your proof that the Bible is the word of God is that the Bible was divinely inspired? That's begging the question! You idiot!"
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And The Most Misused Word/Phrase is:
--- IRONIC ---
Frequency of casual use: 100
Frequency of misuse in context: 90
What it is misused to mean: "coincidental"
Example of misuse: "Ironically, the guy he fired was his CHEATING WIFE'S LOVER!"
What it really means: Lots of things, none of which means "coincidental". Open a dictionary for once, you illiterate tub.
Example of proper use: "The word 'ironic' does not mean 'coincidental', so stop using it thusly."
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This has been: THE THREE MOST WHATEVER I SAID UP AT THE TOP OF THIS POST!
THANKS BYE!
The Three Most Misused Words/Phrases In The English Language!
These are phrases which we've all used incorrectly until finally learning the correct usage, at which point we begin strutting around and pedantically correcting everyone else who misuses the same phrases, often in the form of a BBS post.
(Scores are given out of a maximum of 100 for each category.)
The Third Most Misused Word/Phrase is:
--- OXYMORON ---
Frequency of casual use: 15
Frequency of misuse in context: 90
What it is misused to mean: "Two contradictory words."
Examples of misuse: "Jumbo shrimp! LOL!" and "Military intelligence! ROF!"
What it really means: Two seemingly incongruous words used to describe a specific idea which could not otherwise be communicated.
Examples of proper use: "Deafening silence", "Sweet sorrow".
----------------------------
The Second Most Misused Word/Phrase is:
--- BEGS THE QUESTION ---
Frequency of casual use: 65
Frequency of misuse in context: 100+
What it is misused to mean: "PROMPTS the question..."
Example of misuse: "It smells like shit. That begs the question, 'who farted in here?'"
What it really means: To make an argument/assumption which assumes the conclusion in the argument.
Example of proper use: "Wait, you're telling me that your proof that the Bible is the word of God is that the Bible was divinely inspired? That's begging the question! You idiot!"
--------------------------
And The Most Misused Word/Phrase is:
--- IRONIC ---
Frequency of casual use: 100
Frequency of misuse in context: 90
What it is misused to mean: "coincidental"
Example of misuse: "Ironically, the guy he fired was his CHEATING WIFE'S LOVER!"
What it really means: Lots of things, none of which means "coincidental". Open a dictionary for once, you illiterate tub.
Example of proper use: "The word 'ironic' does not mean 'coincidental', so stop using it thusly."
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This has been: THE THREE MOST WHATEVER I SAID UP AT THE TOP OF THIS POST!
THANKS BYE!