What is the most misused word in the English language? (meaning, grammar)

[JustPassinThru]

Originally Posted by coyoteskye

at least you're debating the word ironic with your friends and not the un-word ironical

Now that was humerus.

[LittleDolphin]

I nominate "awesome."

It's often applied to something that isn't.

Very few things are actually awesome at all....

[linicx]

Originally Posted by JustPassinThru

Now that was humerus.

Ironical isn't it?

ironical - Definition from the Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary

[treedonkey]

Originally Posted by eevee

ironic

I've gotten into and heard some pretty heavy debates on the right and wrong use on this word.

'ironic' is my choice too. Mainly because Alanis Morissette made a very popular song about things that are ironic without using one actual case of irony. Irony means the opposite of what you would naturally expect... Not sad or unfortunate or unusual or anything else.

[treedonkey]

Oh, and another one... 'genius'... although it's really more of a misnomer than anything else.

There were probably only about half a dozen true 'geniuses' in recorded history... DaVinci, Newton Eintsein, Edison, Mozart and Beethoven... and no doubt a few (very few) others... But when people start referring to 'the musical genius of Snoop Dog' or 'the business genius of Col. Sanders' or 'the comic genius of <insert currently popular comedian>' that really drives me nuts because, even though they me be talented or successful, they are certainly NOT geniuses. That really ends up being a disservice to those very few true geniuses who have ever lived.

[coyoteskye]

effect and affect.
and i admit, i have difficulty with those two.

[P.K. Lecoq]

effect - noun
affect - verb

[j_k_k]

Originally Posted by Grandstander

I seldom hear "adage" without the accompanying modifier "old." "There's an old adage which goes....." Since "adage" means "old saying", adding "old" is redundancy.

Heh. "Remember the new adage..." People would look at you like you had tentacles.

[LightningMcQueen]

I always get annoyed when someone writes,

"would of...", "should of...", or "could of..."

[j_k_k]

I think it's funny when someone accuses someone of 'hypocracy.' What is that? Rule by the few? (Hell, no need for a new word for that.) Rule by injection?