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I think that this just one more example of the, "baby-talk", syndrome that afflicts us today.
Think about how, "sandwiches", have become, "sammiches", and then that non-word became the (perhaps) even more grating, "sammies".
We have that great intellectual, Rachel Ray, to thank for inserting this particularly annoying noise into everyday speech.
I just tried to use 'noplace' as one word, but my spell-check rejected it. But it accepts 'someplace' and 'anyplace'. Does anyone here have a problem with 'noplace'?
I think that this just one more example of the, "baby-talk", syndrome that afflicts us today.
Think about how, "sandwiches", have become, "sammiches", and then that non-word became the (perhaps) even more grating, "sammies".
We have that great intellectual, Rachel Ray, to thank for inserting this particularly annoying noise into everyday speech.
Around my area they spell it samiTTches, drives me nuts.
One particular misusage that has bothered me for several decades is the tendency of many people to refer to loud/self-important/obnoxious/ostentacious US tourists abroad as, "Ugly Americans", which is presumably a reference based on the book, The Ugly American.
However, the hero of that book was a US Aid worker who was unattractive (and thus, "ugly") to the Southeast Asian natives whom he was assisting. "The Ugly American", was actually the only American with whom these people came in contact who was both humble in nature and helpful to them.
Thus, the term, "Ugly American", was never intended to refer to loud/self-important/obnoxious/ostentacious Americans when they are abroad, yet that is the way that the term is used most of the time.
It's probably already been said but maybe it's worth saying again:
Not using the objective form of the pronoun. Today I received an interesting email about Abraham Lincoln's son, Robert, but it was spoiled by expressions like....."it was given to Robert and she." When I read an article, usage like this makes it so distracting that it starts getting difficult to understand what they're trying to say. In this example, when I saw the word "she" I was waiting for the rest of it--she what? She said thank you for the gift? She was happy to get it? She....what's the rest of the sentence? Oh, they must have meant "her." given to HER.
Granted, we all make mistakes and typos but this was an otherwise informative article. They made the same mistake twice in one article. It puts the burden on the reader to pause and translate into normal English in order to comprehend what the writer is trying to express.
This is great. You really hit it, but you missed one(even one is typed won sometimes, just saying), one that is the worst in my opinion and that is OUR. People say are in place of our, and while i suppose you could say are they clearly mean to suggest the items is 'Ours' personal possesive. You must have a sharp mind to make a list like you have, because while these things definately bother me to look at they never pop into my head until i see someone use them and i could never assemble such a thorough list.
I realize this thread is older/older....
I am having too much fun reading what gets our hair on end!
Must jump on the band-wagon.
Rachael Ray is one of the most irritating culprits in my book. " Sammie's?", "EVO"? Say the word! She talks 'baby talk'. Irritating as H! Stopped watching the show-if I want to watch a baby talk show, I can watch 'Barney'.
Another is on The Doctors TV Show........ The younger doc sitting on the right side says "ta" for the word "to"!
"Let's move along 'ta' another subject".
As far as living in the South goes, a good many people here are "fixin' to get ready", or they are "fixin' to start" to go to the movies, etc. That's good to know...to be prepared to the extent of preparing to be prepared...hahaha
Fixin' is a great word. It's common in the south, so you can use it without getting funny looks. I like fixin' as a word because it's a short version of "getting ready to".
Used in a sentence: We are fixin' to leave. (translation: We are getting ready to leave.)
I must refrain from using "fixing'" when not in the true south, and it hurts not to use it. I remember so many times holding back from saying fixin' in a sentence and wanting to scream it out.
Mash is another good southern word. It's use as an alternative to "press". For example, mash the button(means press the button).
Carry is another word that has a unique southern meaning. It's often used in place of "take". "Can you please carry this to John's house?" means "Can you please take this to John's house?"
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Oh my gosh!
