Be Impeccable: Commonly Misused Phrases That Will Make You Sound Ignorant

Beau said:
Irregardless is a word

www.merriam-webster.com

Definition of IRREGARDLESS

regardless… See the full definition
www.merriam-webster.com www.merriam-webster.com
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Is irregardless a word​

Yes, irregardless is recognized by many dictionaries as a real word. And although recent online discourse may make it appear that this word is a new development, it’s not. In fact, it was added to Merriam-Webster’s unabridged edition back in 1934, and it has been in use for centuries. (Still, it’s typically labeled as “nonstandard” language because of its strange construction.)

The fact is that language is not static; it shifts and changes. After all, the main thing that makes language useful is that it conveys a meaning that we can all agree on. In other words, it’s a matter of both clarity and social buy-in. And when you use the word irregardless, people will still understand what you mean.

That said, there will still be people who will either cringe or correct you if you use this word, as some don’t accept its existence. (Hence the nonstandard label.) So you’re typically going to be better off opting for regardless instead, especially in more formal contexts, such as in the workplace or for school assignments.(www.grammarly.com)
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The Oxford English Dictionary tells me irregardless is chiefly an American word. Nevertheless it is in there.

There are a lot of differences between American and British English.
 
gottathink said:
The Oxford English Dictionary tells me irregardless is chiefly an American word. Nevertheless it is in there.
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Quite weird that a dictionary says that the opposite of a word means exactly the same as that word. I wouldn't call it evolution of language, more like degradation.

SevenFeathers said:
There was a book published a number of years ago, "Eats, Shoots & Leaves", about the proper use of punctuation and grammar.
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Yeah, I love that one too. Basically, a panda is an animal that eats shoots and leaves. Obviously, with a comma the meaning is completely changed.
 
This reminds me of something funny I saw recently:
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Laura said: reply 1

It's easy to fall into language traps that are all around us. And, of course, there's something to be said for the ever-changing nature of common terms and phrases. After all, the dictionary is an ever-evolving entity that adds phrases and words all the time to reflect common usage.
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My opinion: I have thought something similar many times but in this way:

It's easy to fall into languages traps that are all around us. And, of course, there's something to be said for the ever-changing nature of common terms and phrases. ok

After all, LANGUAGES are CONSTANTLY CHANGING entities and should not be something that is PETRIFIED that adds phrases and words all the time to reflect common usage.
 
Pronouncing ancient Greek names in English is another mine field goldmine. The thing is, English is actually much simpler than many other languages in quite a few important ways, eg. no articles you have to memorize, no changing endings of nouns (inflections), no official vs unofficial 'you' (in Paraguay there are three gradations: tu/vos/usted), etc.
 
axj said:
Pronouncing ancient Greek names in English is another mine field goldmine. The thing is, English is actually much simpler than many other languages in quite a few important ways, eg. no articles you have to memorize, no changing endings of nouns (inflections), no official vs unofficial 'you' (in Paraguay there are three gradations: tu/vos/usted), etc.
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Unless yous from Brooklyn!😂
 
And the hits keep coming!

“There was an unusual amount of vehicles..” in Candace Owens’ post in the Charlie Kirk thread (post #600)
 
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