Sayings People Just Don't Get Right!

[Bini]

No one (well, only one person) laughed at my "could of" example. I fear it's because no one realized it was wrong...

I actually got it but neglected to use the "Laugh" button. There should be an "I got it!" button instead.

[Vort]

I actually got it but neglected to use the "Laugh" button. There should be an "I got it!" button instead.

To be fair, in casual American speech "could have" and "could of" sound identical. But I often see people write "could of", "would of", "should of", "might of", and so forth.

[classylady]

I don't mind alternate pronunciations or ways of saying things. I teased my wife about her Pittsburghese when we got married, but when she started changing her speech, I told her I didn't want that. I admit that I do get a little bothered by people saying things totally wrong.

No one (well, only one person) laughed at my "could of" example. I fear it's because no one realized it was wrong...

I am a writer and sometimes-editor, and as such I need to be aware -- hyperaware -- of spelling and word usage. Ironically, I have spent years trying to DEsensitize myself to such things because I felt like taking critical note of such speech or writing habits was negatively effecting my opinion of the speaker or writer.

Well, I got it--along with the "half to".

And I also have to be careful of being too judgmental of people who have poor speech patterns. I tell myself "Well, don't make me no difference". When I was child, we had a helper on our farm that actually said that, and we've made good use of it ever since. Whenever anyone in the family used improper English, we would say that to them--"don't make me no difference".

I'm not saying that I'm perfect with my speech. Most of us could use improvement.

Edited June 29, 2011 by classylady

[thealienthing]

Gosh, I get so annoyed when people say "Taken for granite"

also when people say "Same Difference"... its just terrible

[Mahone]

"I will write him" - you mean, you'll write TO him? (I know it's common in america but simply makes no sense in the UK lol)

"I borrowed it to him" - I LENT it to him

"I could care less" - I know it's been mentioned, but this one is so common that I feel it deserves mentioning again.

[KrazyKay]

I don't get offended easily, but I don't pronounce things as most people do and sometimes I stutter. I was constantly teased about it as I grew up. I also tend to have mental problems when talking where sometimes I will say something that is not the right word or right pronunciation.

Some things on this thread have come across as being offensive as if the person does not care that there are people who literally cannot control how they talk. I am one of those people. I am tone deaf and it has caused me to hear how someone pronounces something different than how they actually pronounced it and because of that I pronounce words they way I hear them.

I don't believe anyone here was trying to be offensive, just wanted you all to be aware that there are people who hear a new word pronounced a certain way and so that is how they pronounce that word - whether that is the right pronunciation or not.

[Vort]

"I will write him" - you mean, you'll write TO him? (I know it's common in america but simply makes no sense in the UK lol)

In English, especially in the US but also in the UK, the particle "to" is often dropped from the indirect object. (Maybe it's technically a preposition, but it looks like a particle to me.) Example: "I gave her a kiss" instead of "I gave a kiss to her."

[Jennarator]

How about people in the south that say "Whenever" when the should say "when," or "the last time."

i.e. "whenever I was at the store the cashier gave be back too much change and I had to give it back." Should say "when I was at the store the cashier gave me too much change and I had to give it back." or The last time I was at the store the cashier gave me too much change and I had to give it back."

But "whenever" means "everytime." i.e. "Whenever I go to the store the cashier remembers me and always gives my daughter a lolipop." Same as, "Every time I go to the store the cashier remembers me and always gives my daughter a lolipop."

[Vort]

How about people in the south that say "Whenever" when the should say "when," or "the last time."

i.e. "whenever I was at the store the cashier gave be back too much change and I had to give it back." Should say "when I was at the store the cashier gave me too much change and I had to give it back." or The last time I was at the store the cashier gave me too much change and I had to give it back."

But "whenever" means "everytime." i.e. "Whenever I go to the store the cashier remembers me and always gives my daughter a lolipop." Same as, "Every time I go to the store the cashier remembers me and always gives my daughter a lolipop."

The so-called "positive whenever" is another Pittsburhese usage. But these variations in usage are not wrong per se. They are just distinct ways of using the vocabulary items. In contrast, this thread addresses established sayings or proverbs or common phrases that people misunderstand or otherwise mangle.

[Mahone]

In English, especially in the US but also in the UK, the particle "to" is often dropped from the indirect object. (Maybe it's technically a preposition, but it looks like a particle to me.) Example: "I gave her a kiss" instead of "I gave a kiss to her."

My understanding, is that with verbs, you can leave out the 'to' for the indirect object, when there is also a direct object.

So your above example is correct. So are these:

He gave her a house

He gave the house to her

He wrote me a letter

He wrote a letter to me

Write me whenever - this is wrong, there is no direct object, therefore it's 'write to me whenever'

If someone uses the above incorrect example here, they are usually mocked for using american english

[Jennarator]

The so-called "positive whenever" is another Pittsburhese usage. But these variations in usage are not wrong per se. They are just distinct ways of using the vocabulary items. In contrast, this thread addresses established sayings or proverbs or common phrases that people misunderstand or otherwise mangle.

I realize what the thread was originally about, however you see it has strayed a bit, and I am not the only one that has done so....even when you spoke of your wife's accent, it was not about a saying or proverb.

Also it is not correct grammer to use whenever as a refference to a singular event. No matter how many people use it, it is not correct.

[zookie]

How about "Tough road to hoe"?

It's "Tough row to hoe".

[scdoyle]

My MIL always says "irregardless" which drives me wife crazy. Technically it's not a word.

[Saintmichaeldefendthem1]

"I will write him" - you mean, you'll write TO him? (I know it's common in america but simply makes no sense in the UK lol)

"I borrowed it to him" - I LENT it to him

"I could care less" - I know it's been mentioned, but this one is so common that I feel it deserves mentioning again.

Whoa on the first one. It's correct to say, "I will write him" as an abreviation of "I will write him a letter." No foul there.

EDIT: Oops! I didn't see that others already corrected this. Didn't mean to pile on.

[john doe]

I don't get offended easily, but I don't pronounce things as most people do and sometimes I stutter. I was constantly teased about it as I grew up. I also tend to have mental problems when talking where sometimes I will say something that is not the right word or right pronunciation.

Some things on this thread have come across as being offensive as if the person does not care that there are people who literally cannot control how they talk. I am one of those people. I am tone deaf and it has caused me to hear how someone pronounces something different than how they actually pronounced it and because of that I pronounce words they way I hear them.

I don't believe anyone here was trying to be offensive, just wanted you all to be aware that there are people who hear a new word pronounced a certain way and so that is how they pronounce that word - whether that is the right pronunciation or not.

I agree, and we need to be sensitive to people who live with speech impediments. This thread is not addressed to or about those people. We hope you take this as a fun thread, not as attacking people who cannot help the way they talk.

[hyohko]

I cannot believe no one has mentioned this yet, especially given the LDS culture.

FOR HEAVEN'S SAKE, PEOPLE, IT IS "RETURNED MISSIONARY!"

Not the present-tense "RETURN" missionary. There is no such thing as a "RETURN" missionary. Almost like the broken clock you bought at the store that is now sitting in the RETURN pile. RETURN implies something that is either in the process of happening or is has yet to happen.

RETURNED, as in Elder Doe has RETURNED from his mission. He is not in the act of returning, he HAS RETURNED.

PAST TENSE, PEOPLE!!! PAST TENSE!!!

*huff, huff, huff*

Okay, got that rant out of my system.

[Guest]

"Seen" in place of "saw". *shudder*

[pam]

To be fair, in casual American speech "could have" and "could of" sound identical. But I often see people write "could of", "would of", "should of", "might of", and so forth.

And here all this time I thought it was coulda, woulda, shoulda.

[Blackmarch]

Buck naked or butt naked? ;-)

well i havent seen many bucks wearing clothes....

[Saintmichaeldefendthem1]

Just wait until scientists can engineer small deer that can be kept as pets by fiftyish ladies.

Then you'll see bucks wearing clothes. Wouldn't want them to get cold.

[sixpacktr]

'Supposably', 'prolly', using the wrong tense of a verb in a sentence, like 'I seen .....' instead of 'I saw...' or 'I have seen...'.

Right up there with people that eat with the mouths open....

Like my mother would say to us kids when we acted like animals 'What, were you raised in a barn?!'

[Truegrits]

"She just brang 'em to me."

"They brung 'em a'ready."

"yur fixin ta go?"

(I know these are not sayings...it is a hole nuther language )

[Aino]

My MIL always says "irregardless" which drives me wife crazy. Technically it's not a word.

For all intensive purposes, I see what you're saying.

[Vort]

For all intensive purposes, I see what you're saying.

I see what you did there. (Or their. Or they're.)

[Mahone]

Whoa on the first one. It's correct to say, "I will write him" as an abreviation of "I will write him a letter." No foul there.

EDIT: Oops! I didn't see that others already corrected this. Didn't mean to pile on.

Common does not always equal correct. See my subsequent posts too.