# A thread for fun spelling/grammatical mistakes in the wild **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [January 29, 2026, 7:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-thread-for-fun-spelling-grammatical-mistakes-in-the-wild/1027144 "2026-01-29T07:52:38Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2026, 5:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-thread-for-fun-spelling-grammatical-mistakes-in-the-wild/1027144/21 "2026-01-29T17:47:46Z")
Thanks. Actually, since “semi” is short for semitrailer, the “semee” pronunciation is probably most correct. ---
**Author:** ![TruCelt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/trucelt/32/523_2.png) [@TruCelt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TruCelt)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2026, 5:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-thread-for-fun-spelling-grammatical-mistakes-in-the-wild/1027144/22 "2026-01-29T17:50:04Z")
> [@JWT\_Kottekoe](#): > > the spicket”. That’s what dictionaries call an “acceptable variant.” Which basically means enough people get it wrong that they have to list it as common usage. ---
**Author:** ![Lizzie1210](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/f04885/32.png) [@Lizzie1210](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lizzie1210)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2026, 5:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-thread-for-fun-spelling-grammatical-mistakes-in-the-wild/1027144/23 "2026-01-29T17:58:42Z")
Oh dear god, that made me laugh so hard I nearly choked! ---
**Author:** ![JWT\_Kottekoe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/3ec8ea/32.png) [@JWT\_Kottekoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JWT_Kottekoe)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2026, 6:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-thread-for-fun-spelling-grammatical-mistakes-in-the-wild/1027144/24 "2026-01-29T18:52:30Z")
> [@TruCelt](#): > > That’s what dictionaries call an “acceptable variant.” Ignorance fought. Thanks, I should have looked it up. ---
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2026, 7:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-thread-for-fun-spelling-grammatical-mistakes-in-the-wild/1027144/25 "2026-01-29T19:02:24Z")
There is no word so simple that somebody can’t mishear it said by someone with a different accent. ---
**Author:** ![eburacum45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eburacum45/32/8690_2.png) [@eburacum45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eburacum45)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2026, 7:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-thread-for-fun-spelling-grammatical-mistakes-in-the-wild/1027144/26 "2026-01-29T19:27:07Z")
In the UK we’d call it an ‘artic’. Or a juggernaut. > **[Semi-trailer truck | Other terms](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Semi-trailer_truck#Other_terms)** > > There are a wide variety of English-language terms for a semi-trailer truck, including: > American English: > 1.Semi-trailer | > 2.Semi-truck | > 3.Truck & trailer | > 4.Semi | > 5.Big rig | > 6.Tractor-trailer | > 7.Eighteen-wheeler British English: If we ever said ‘semi’ in this context it would sound like ‘sem-ee’. ---
**Author:** ![wolfpup](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wolfpup/32/10618_2.png) [@wolfpup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wolfpup)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2026, 7:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-thread-for-fun-spelling-grammatical-mistakes-in-the-wild/1027144/27 "2026-01-29T19:53:28Z")
> [@Chefguy](#): > > Thanks. Actually, since “semi” is short for semitrailer, the “semee” pronunciation is probably most correct. I agree and have always pronounced it “semee” for that reason. It’s the same prefix as in your “semitone” example. Lord knows there are probably people who say “sem-eye-tone” for reasons known only to themselves. > [@eburacum45](#): > > In the UK we’d call it an ‘artic’. Or a juggernaut. > > Quoting Wikipedia: > There are a wide variety of English-language terms for a semi-trailer truck, including: American English: 1.Semi-trailer | 2.Semi-truck | 3.Truck & trailer | 4.Semi | 5.Big rig | 6.Tractor-trailer | 7.Eighteen-wheeler I’d say definition #3 is flat-out wrong. It’s a semi-trailer because part of the trailer section rests on the back end of the tractor, so not a full trailer. A “truck and trailer” would be something like a dump truck hauling a big heavy construction trailer. ---
**Author:** ![Thing.Fish](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thing.fish/32/9168_2.png) [@Thing.Fish](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thing.Fish)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2026, 7:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-thread-for-fun-spelling-grammatical-mistakes-in-the-wild/1027144/28 "2026-01-29T19:54:23Z")
This isn’t exactly what this thread is about, but I saw some great stuff yesterday, perusing the labels on some imported snack foods (American brands, but flavors not usually available in this country). The labels were in (I think) Chinese, with a small English sticker slapped on to comply with US food labeling laws. I’m guessing these stickers were composed by a non-English speaker with the assistance of AI. Szechuan Peppercorn Chicken Doritos features a long list of ingredients, including “Stomach Ulcers Extract” and the even more tantalizing “Rotten Extract”. Kobe Beef Lay’s has, tucked in among its list of chemical ingredients, something apparently called “Notsuitableforuse”. I thought Notsuitableforuse had been banned by the FDA, but maybe RFKJ is bringing it back. ---
**Author:** ![PatrickLondon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/patricklondon/32/4422_2.png) [@PatrickLondon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PatrickLondon)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2026, 8:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-thread-for-fun-spelling-grammatical-mistakes-in-the-wild/1027144/29 "2026-01-29T20:23:49Z")
> [@Chefguy](#): > > On the local news, there is a reporter who, when talking about a large truck, pronounces it “semee”, as in semitone, instead of “sem-eye”. “semee” would be the usual pronunciation in the UK, though I’m not sure we use the word for a truck. It’s usually taken to mean a semi-detached house. Or a partial erection. ---
**Author:** ![iamatractorboy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/iamatractorboy/32/21261_2.png) [@iamatractorboy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iamatractorboy)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2026, 8:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-thread-for-fun-spelling-grammatical-mistakes-in-the-wild/1027144/30 "2026-01-29T20:32:11Z")
Funnily enough, there was an article published today on this… > **[Is the wayward apostrophe in WALE’S LARGEST VAPE SHOP a sign of the times? |...](https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2026/jan/29/wayward-apostrophe-wales-largest-vape-shop-adrian-chiles)** > > I’d been catching sight of a billboard displaying what I suspected to be some rogue punctuation every time I drove into Cardiff. This time, I had to stop and capture the evidence, writes Adrian Chiles ---
**Author:** ![Gatopescado](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gatopescado/32/5711_2.png) [@Gatopescado](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gatopescado)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2026, 8:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-thread-for-fun-spelling-grammatical-mistakes-in-the-wild/1027144/31 "2026-01-29T20:32:14Z")
Somebody submitted a job application where I used to work and under “Criminal Convictions” they wrote “Salt and Battery”. ---
**Author:** ![whitetho](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/whitetho/32/1059_2.png) [@whitetho](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/whitetho)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2026, 8:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-thread-for-fun-spelling-grammatical-mistakes-in-the-wild/1027144/32 "2026-01-29T20:33:08Z")
A local free newspaper had an article which referred mutiple times to “imminent domain” instead of “eminent domain”. ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2026, 9:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-thread-for-fun-spelling-grammatical-mistakes-in-the-wild/1027144/33 "2026-01-29T21:03:09Z")
> [@PatrickLondon](#): > > “semee” would be the usual pronunciation in the UK, though I’m not sure we use the word for a truck. It’s usually taken to mean a semi-detached house. Or a partial erection. I think it’s the same reporter who keeps calling a front-end loader or any other piece of equipment a truck. Not the brightest bulb in the package. ---
**Author:** ![markn\_1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f9ae1b/32.png) [@markn\_1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/markn_1)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2026, 11:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-thread-for-fun-spelling-grammatical-mistakes-in-the-wild/1027144/34 "2026-01-29T23:18:21Z")
I think I mentioned this previously in the amusing signs thread. I once stayed in a rental house that had a sign posted in the bathroom that said “Do not flush diapers, famine napkins, tampon, or baby wipes.” In the same house there was a sign in the kitchen that said “Do not put large amounts of refuge through the garbage disposal.” ---
**Author:** ![TreacherousCretin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/treacherouscretin/32/476_2.png) [@TreacherousCretin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TreacherousCretin)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2026, 12:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-thread-for-fun-spelling-grammatical-mistakes-in-the-wild/1027144/35 "2026-01-30T00:11:08Z")
Going back to 1985. My sister was working the ticket window at a movie theater. One of the films they were showing was **The Color Purple**. One evening a middle-aged guy walked up and asked for two tickets for “The Colored People.” Sis says he didn’t seem smart assy, it was apparently an innocent mistake. ---
**Author:** ![TruCelt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/trucelt/32/523_2.png) [@TruCelt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TruCelt)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2026, 8:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-thread-for-fun-spelling-grammatical-mistakes-in-the-wild/1027144/36 "2026-01-30T08:09:20Z")
> [@PatrickLondon](#): > > semi-detached house I’ve always wondered what is meant by this. Is it like an and unit, that is only attached on one side? Or a duplex? ---
**Author:** ![PatrickLondon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/patricklondon/32/4422_2.png) [@PatrickLondon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PatrickLondon)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2026, 1:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-thread-for-fun-spelling-grammatical-mistakes-in-the-wild/1027144/37 "2026-01-30T13:37:11Z")
Attached on one side: > **[Semi-Detached Houses: A Guide](https://www.sold.co.uk/cash-house-buyers/semi-detached-houses-a-guide/)** > > What is a semi-detached house in the UK? Learn about this common property type, where it's found, average values, and the pros & cons. A dwelling stacked on top of another might be called a maisonette, or a flat/apartment, but that’s straying into the subjective perceptions estate agents’ terminologies play around with. > **[What is a Maisonette?](https://www.haart.co.uk/buying/buying-advice/what-is-a-maisonette/)** > > When you’re searching for your next home, you may come across the term maisonette. This guide will help you to make a quick decision if a maisonette comes up in your search. ---
**Author:** ![Kron](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kron/32/12444_2.png) [@Kron](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kron)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2026, 3:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-thread-for-fun-spelling-grammatical-mistakes-in-the-wild/1027144/38 "2026-01-30T15:39:50Z")
On Audible, just found an audiobook highly rated for its “soothing timber”; no, it is not a book about forests/forestry. ---
**Author:** ![blondebear](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/blondebear/32/1022_2.png) [@blondebear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/blondebear)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2026, 4:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-thread-for-fun-spelling-grammatical-mistakes-in-the-wild/1027144/39 "2026-01-30T16:11:39Z")
I’ve always wondered about this one, a banner in front of a Chinese restaurant: “Re-Grand Opening!” ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2026, 4:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-thread-for-fun-spelling-grammatical-mistakes-in-the-wild/1027144/40 "2026-01-30T16:31:52Z")
I’m Midwest (Chicago) and I say “SEM-eye” and “SEM-eye trailer.” I don’t use “SEM-ee” for either. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-thread-for-fun-spelling-grammatical-mistakes-in-the-wild/1027144.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-thread-for-fun-spelling-grammatical-mistakes-in-the-wild/1027144.md?page=3)