Misuse of phrases or cliches

Ruu_Old

"I could care less!" :mad:

Adults using bockle (instead of bottle).

Euro_Kraut

My dads mixes up these all the time my favs are:

'We'll burn that bridge when we come to it'

and

'The world is your lobster!'

m3llowship

Pacific = Specific
Millen = Million
Amn't = Am not

Those are my top three.

It makes my skin crawl when I hear them. I have to correct them and I hate myself for doing it. It makes me seem like such a pompous ass. Sometimes I try to correct them by just saying the word silently to myself but it doesnt make it right in my head........when I actually typed that down I seem like the worlds biggest nuerotic....

And finally, my most loathed misuse of the english language.

"it was the most funniest thing I ever heard"
"he was the most fasted winger the game had ever seen"

I'm gagging just typing it.

My name is URL

m3llowship wrote: »

Pacific = Specific
Millen = Million
Amn't = Am not

Those are my top three.

It makes my skin crawl when I hear them. I have to correct them and I hate myself for doing it. It makes me seem like such a pompous ass. Sometimes I try to correct them by just saying the word silently to myself but it doesnt make it right in my head........when I actually typed that down I seem like the worlds biggest nuerotic....

And finally, my most loathed misuse of the english language.

"it was the most funniest thing I ever heard"
"he was the most fasted winger the game had ever seen"

I'm gagging just typing it.

Oh, lol

m3llowship

My name is URL wrote: »

Oh, lol

Oh dang.

I....uh......I left those there to see were there like minded people out there.

My name is URL, it looks like we are soul mates!

masherella88

m3llowship wrote: »

Pacific = Specific

I had an English teacher that used to say "Lads, ye need to be more 'Pacific' ".

She also used to say "dem books" and pronounced gazebo as 'gaze-bo'.

What is the world coming to?

amdublin

Why do people say "again" when they mean "by the time"

Eg.
"The traffic was so bad, again I got into work it was too late for coffee"
"Again I get home it is time to go out again"


Anyone out there say that? Why?? Why?? Whyyyyyyy?!!!!!

Latchy

Two I find amusing ie, '' To be honest '' and '' Bobs your uncle '' .Like why wouldn't you be honest ? :pac:

The latter I believe refers to a british prime minister (Robert something or other ) from late 19th century .

efb

amdublin wrote: »

Why do people say "again" when they mean "by the time"

Eg.
"The traffic was so bad, again I got into work it was too late for coffee"
"Again I get home it is time to go out again"


Anyone out there say that? Why?? Why?? Whyyyyyyy?!!!!!

do they not mean again' as in against? (by)

I thinks its from its use in Irish.

amdublin

efb wrote: »

do they not mean again' as in against? (by)

I thinks its from its use in Irish.

But that still makes no sense

standclear

..and gis a couple packages of crips please..
and my mother advising my newly pregnant sister to take 'frolic acid'...

Namlub

"Hindsight is 50:50" No, that would be 20:20...

Jet Black

Bedato instead of potato. wtf?

Or i alway's thought it was ready, cadet, go. (ready set go)

Gran Hermano

Latchy wrote: »

Two I find amusing ie, '' To be honest '' and '' Bobs your uncle '' .Like why wouldn't you be honest ? :pac:

.

I'd rather someone was honest as opposed to being Frank.

magconn

what about "tilted windows" instead of "tinted windows"....
Zeema for eczema
ARGOTS instead of Argos
NavCam for SatNav

aaargh !

Namlub

magconn wrote: »

what about "tilted windows" instead of "tinted windows"....
Zeema for eczema
ARGOTS instead of Argos
NavCam for SatNav

aaargh !

People say those things?

magconn

Namlub wrote: »

People say those things?

oh yeah...repeatedly....drives me insane..

Sir Molle

Is the threat title ironic or something?

NedTermo

Micilin Muc wrote: »

It's ironic how the title of this thread doesn't match the content of the OP's first post or anybody's subsequent posts. I believe the title of the thread should be 'Malapropisms'.

To misuse a phrase or cliché would be to use it in the wrong context. What everybody is describing here are malapropisms.

Kiss my malapropism, its grand.

Donny5

A friend of mine held a conviction that could not be disabused, which was that familiarity breeds content, instead of contempt. Even the grammar is incorrect in the first instance.

orourkeda

My sister recently went through a break up, she was discussing with a friend what may be the best thing to do regarding the house that herself and the ex had bought together when the friend exclaimed " don't worry, it's only bricks and water"

The same friend used to call the grim reaper the "green creeper".

She isnt the brightest.

Whiskey Devil

A little off topic, but do people in Offaly actually say things like Pure Mule?

NedTermo

What are you incinerating?

Also people using learn instead of teach gets to me "I'll learn ya!"

m3llowship

m3llowship wrote: »

Amn't = Am not

I always say Amn't, its the same as saying couldn't or wouldn't as far as I'm concerned.

After 24 years I only very recently found out that the phrase was "play it by ear" not "play it by year" although I'm so used to saying "play it by year" I forget to say it correctly.

Another one I have been corrected on recently although everybody I know says it, is saying "span new" instead of "brand new".

RoyalMarine

"are ya wide to that" instead of "are you wise to that"

a forum i use, lots of people from amercica say
"i could care less" and they think its the same as "i couldn't care less"

drives me insane.

NedTermo

Andrea Uneven Hose wrote: »

I always say Amn't, its the same as saying couldn't or wouldn't as far as I'm concerned.

After 24 years I only very recently found out that the phrase was "play it by ear" not "play it by year" although I'm so used to saying "play it by year" I forget to say it correctly.

Another one I have been corrected on recently although everybody I know says it, is saying "span new" instead of "brand new".

I've heard of "brand spanking new" but "span new"? huh?

KTRIC

My ex boss who's german kept saying "I give a sh!t", which is a litteral translation of the german term. He never quite understood when I explained why it was so wrong.

renraw

Why do people say "I don't mean to *sound" pedantic" when clearly they haven't a clue of its true meaning

guerito

"In the ascendancy". Football commentators use it all the bloody time. It's "in the ascendant"!!! Man U are not likely to be members of the landed Protestant class in the 18th century.

Pedantic, I know, but isn't that the point of this thread?

NedTermo

Another one commentators over use is the personification of everything no matter what it is, Ray Houghton loves this one.

"That is coolness personified"
"He is coolness personified"
"That was perfection personified"

dyl10

amdublin wrote: »

Why do people say "again" when they mean "by the time"

Eg.
"The traffic was so bad, again I got into work it was too late for coffee"
"Again I get home it is time to go out again"


Anyone out there say that? Why?? Why?? Whyyyyyyy?!!!!!

My guess would be that it's an Irish touch on the language.
Possibly to facilitate storytelling, in the past?

"Again I got home, she was there waiting for me"
"By the time I got home, she was there waiting for me"

Alexl

My old primary teacher used to call a mausoleum a Mouse-olium.
And my friends baby brother cracks me up, you know the harry potter mysterious ticking noise video, it goes snape, snape se-ver-us snape, repeatedly. Her younger brother keeps singing snakes, snakes, never-eat-snakes!!!!!!!!! Very funny, having said that he is only 4.:):):):)

VERYinterested

Ahh, now we're talking, football commentators, Chris Kamara is a dream for mixing up his metaphors. "The Bolton midfield keep sending in high balls which are meat and two veg for the United defence"

But sometimes it is good to say things deliberately like "The world is your lobster" and "What did he die of? He died of a Tuesday" Most intelligent people know you are taking the piss, but you can see someone itching to correct you, which is fun!

NedTermo

If anyone remembers the theme tune to the cartoon of "James Bond Junior", there was a line at the end that went , "James Bond Junior Chases Scummmmm.......Around the Word"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W5JdjJBQ1C4
Its at about 35seconds in this clip

One of my friends was convinced it went "James Bond Junior Franciso......Around the World"

As if he had Italian grandparents or something?

RHunce

when the GAA and soccer commentators (spl?) say he was literally flying past him or something else with literal in it, that isnt actually literal

:mad: tits :mad:

Trix

NedTermo wrote: »

People who still say "chimley" instead of "chimney" when they are adults concerns me.

i was sitting at my desk yesterday and there was a conversation going on beside me about 'chimleys'. i didn't think something like that would make me soooo mad ...but it did.

hullaballoo

I once said, 'plenty more fish in the sea' when I meant to say, 'condolences for your loss'.

That should keep the pedants happy for a while. Carry on.

flanzer

Many moons ago, I worked in a newsagent and knackers used to come looking for 'a packa a crip'

Oh how I wanted to throttle these vermin. It's 'packet of crisps' you illiterate mother fúckér

cathysworld

My mother is the queen of these...

She called a sat-nav a "hob-nov"

She also says curly sac instead of cul-de-sac

Also says high-sky instead of sky-high


My friend thought it was called a handburger cos u eat it from your hand!!

RoyalMarineComm

RoyalMarineComm wrote: »

"are ya wide to that" instead of "are you wise to that"

Thats not a mistake, just slang. http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/wide Definition 11:

11. British Slang. shrewd; wary.


Anywho, I thought the ad used to say "A mars a day, helps you work less than play" which still makes sense, though not as they meant it. I know someone who once said "your man has a new bird every week, he's a regular casablanca"

faceman

The misuse of the word "actually" drives me mad. I also dispute the authencity of the phrase "same difference" too.

I also dont understand the meaning of the phrase "Its all gravy" even though I have being using it for years. Yet no one has picked me up on it.

pilot1087

heard this one before, it's really a combination of two

"better safe than never"

tomcollins97

"In regards to..."

It should be "Regarding..." or "With regards to..."

Get it right people!

ziggy23

'pull the door out there' instead of close the door

wobzilla

People who say scullions instead of scallions. Also people who say cousint

pikachucheeks

I heard someone say "He really upset the apple tart" once...

Poor Uncle Tom

Just heard "going forward lets think outside the box.."
now I bet he's wondering why he has a bloody nose, bollix.

Amston

A friend of mine was telling me about her friend who was having problems with her boyfriend at the time. She was saying how this girl wanted to come down and stay in her house for a few days and was p*ssed off because her friend was only using her as an "escape goat"

Had to hold me laugh in big time....

NedTermo

Amston wrote: »

A friend of mine was telling me about her friend who was having problems with her boyfriend at the time. She was saying how this girl wanted to come down and stay in her house for a few days and was p*ssed off because her friend was only using her as an "escape goat"

Had to hold me laugh in big time....

Jade Goody made that one famous a few years ago on UK national tv. Even she must have felt a little bit silly.

smileysurfer

I done that = I did that .....Morons!!! :mad: