The one misuse that makes me see red - using "descendent" to mean their grandparents, great-grandparents, etc. ... known to those of us who actually know English as "ancestors". snarl.
Numfar! Do the dance of joy.
Elder ,'Power Play'
The Great Write Way, Act Three: Where's the gun?
A place for Buffistas to discuss, beta and otherwise deal and dish on their non-fan fiction projects.
Toddson - Aug 11, 2008 6:15:41 am PDT #551 of 6681
Friends don't let friends read "Atlas Shrugged"
sumi - Aug 11, 2008 6:51:24 am PDT #552 of 6681
Art Crawl!!!
Yes! I hear that all the time. I don't understand the confusion.
DebetEsse - Aug 11, 2008 9:37:56 am PDT #553 of 6681
Woe to the fucking wicked.
Well, we are clearly on an upward trajectory, so the downward direction would be the past!
Amy - Aug 11, 2008 10:35:55 am PDT #554 of 6681
Because books.
Burrell, you have e, way late.
Beverly - Aug 11, 2008 12:37:11 pm PDT #555 of 6681
Days shrink and grow cold, sunlight through leaves is my song. Winter is long.
known to those of us who actually know English as "ancestors". snarl.
Or at least antecedents, which is closer to descendents, if they really gotta be.
I honestly think a lot of it is newer generations losing touch with the phrases and what parts of daily life they came out of. Allowing someone "free rein" refers to horses, of course, as does "reining in" your expectations. To "reign over" is a different thing altogether, but younger people don't have that knowledge, and honestly, I think it's natural language creep.
Words really don't mean the same as they did 50 years ago. The meanings change as relevance changes. And of course, I can't think of any good examples right now.
I will throw my body over the line for "eyes rolling in the back of her head," instead of "eyes rolled back (or up) in her head," though. Competely different thing, really.
Toddson - Aug 11, 2008 12:50:35 pm PDT #556 of 6681
Friends don't let friends read "Atlas Shrugged"
There was that one episode of Angel where Cordelia COULD have eyes rolling in the back of her head ... but I digress.
Ailleann - Aug 11, 2008 12:50:45 pm PDT #557 of 6681
vanguard of the socialist Hollywood liberal homosexualist agenda
See, I'm down with the idea of language creep, but "rein" and "reign", to me, is incorrect, not lazy. Different words!
Um... I have Word Usage Issues.
Connie Neil - Aug 11, 2008 12:52:07 pm PDT #558 of 6681
brillig
I think it's natural language creep.
They'll take the proper usage of rein/reign from my cold dead fingers!
Ailleann - Aug 11, 2008 12:53:47 pm PDT #559 of 6681
vanguard of the socialist Hollywood liberal homosexualist agenda
::high-fives connie neil::
Susan W. - Aug 11, 2008 12:57:07 pm PDT #560 of 6681
Good Trouble and Righteous Fights
They'll take the proper usage of rein/reign from my cold dead fingers!
Preach it, Sister!