# Commonly mangled phrases or words **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [December 9, 2005, 1:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/commonly-mangled-phrases-or-words/334867 "2005-12-09T13:42:52Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2005, 8:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/commonly-mangled-phrases-or-words/334867/21 "2005-12-09T20:25:46Z")
> [@Beware of Doug](#): > > **Dumb Guy in FedEx TV ad:** You mean we don’t get French benefits? I’d rather get French benefits than a pension package any day! 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Biffy\_the\_Elephant\_Shrew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e47c2d/32.png) [@Biffy\_the\_Elephant\_Shrew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biffy_the_Elephant_Shrew)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2005, 8:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/commonly-mangled-phrases-or-words/334867/22 "2005-12-09T20:34:23Z")
I wonder if I could get French benefits while lying on a _sheyz longg._ ---
**Author:** ![UncleRojelio](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/unclerojelio/32/3160_2.png) [@UncleRojelio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UncleRojelio)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2005, 8:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/commonly-mangled-phrases-or-words/334867/23 "2005-12-09T20:57:30Z")
“The ship floundered and sank”. Ships don’t flounder, they _founder_. (Well, the unlucky ones anyhow.) ---
**Author:** ![lissener](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lissener/32/6139_2.png) [@lissener](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lissener)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2005, 9:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/commonly-mangled-phrases-or-words/334867/24 "2005-12-09T21:19:35Z")
> [@Earl Snake-Hips Tucker](#): > > It’s not wrong. It’s an idiom, and has been in use for over 30 years. Yeah, and I finally figured out where it comes from! I was reading an old book, wherein a character goes, “I know not, and could care less.” !!! Mystery solved! It’s not just a corruption of “I couldn’t care less,” it’s part of a longer cliche in which it makes perfect semantic sense. Isn’t this one of those holy grail thingies? Do I win cash prizes? ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2005, 9:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/commonly-mangled-phrases-or-words/334867/25 "2005-12-09T21:32:49Z")
> [@tdn](#): > > And the one my girlfriend always mangles: Six half dozen of one, and the other. That adds up to 37 instead of just six and six. I think you’re getting a bargain on something there. > [@cruel butterfly](#): > > flustrated instead of frustrated I think I like the sound of that one. As a general rule, I’m irritated when I see people adding the suffix “-age” to everything instead of pluralizing. “The DOT put up signage along the highway.” No, they put up SIGNS along the highway. Wordage, verbiage… it just makes me want to drive nailage through my skull. ---
**Author:** ![OslerKnew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/58f4c7/32.png) [@OslerKnew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OslerKnew)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2005, 9:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/commonly-mangled-phrases-or-words/334867/26 "2005-12-09T21:47:17Z")
Ignurnt 😃 ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2005, 10:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/commonly-mangled-phrases-or-words/334867/27 "2005-12-09T22:05:38Z")
> [@Marley23](#): > > As a general rule, I’m irritated when I see people adding the suffix “-age” to everything instead of pluralizing. “The DOT put up signage along the highway.” No, they put up SIGNS along the highway. Wordage, verbiage… it just makes me want to drive nailage through my skull. But, as with the practice of turning nouns into verbs, it’s debatable (and debated) whether that is a case of “mangling” the words or simply relaxing the rules of word formation and usage. (Do you have a problem with “usage”?) ---
**Author:** ![Plynck](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/3e96dc/32.png) [@Plynck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Plynck)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2005, 10:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/commonly-mangled-phrases-or-words/334867/28 "2005-12-09T22:16:08Z")
> [@lee](#): > > sposably Right. It should be supposably. (Or is it disposably?) Another words. Drunken disorderly. (Although that one is actually quite descriptive. I think of messy hair, a bleary expression and a trenchcoat buttoned one button off…) ---
**Author:** ![Skammer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skammer/32/143_2.png) [@Skammer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skammer)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2005, 10:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/commonly-mangled-phrases-or-words/334867/29 "2005-12-09T22:23:34Z")
One of our customer service reps had given incorrect information to a customer and was instructed to email them back with the correct info. She did, and added, “Sorry for the confusement.” :smack: ---
**Author:** ![Beware\_of\_Doug](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/278dde/32.png) [@Beware\_of\_Doug](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beware_of_Doug)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2005, 10:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/commonly-mangled-phrases-or-words/334867/30 "2005-12-09T22:34:08Z")
> [@Marley23](#): > > Can I aks why that bothers you so much? Ax. It’s _AX_, ferchrissake. :rolleyes: ---
**Author:** ![Rodgers01](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/b19c9b/32.png) [@Rodgers01](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rodgers01)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2005, 10:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/commonly-mangled-phrases-or-words/334867/31 "2005-12-09T22:47:17Z")
> [@BiblioCat](#): > > You have to see it written. > > “Should of…” > “Would of…” > “Could of…” I’ve been _told_ that public school teachers in my corner of the country (which I won’t name to spare it any embarrassment) have been instructed not to correct students when they see this…because it’s part of the local “culture.” I can’t confirm 100% that that’s true though. ---
**Author:** ![cbawlmer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/71e660/32.png) [@cbawlmer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cbawlmer)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2005, 10:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/commonly-mangled-phrases-or-words/334867/32 "2005-12-09T22:56:43Z")
I used to have a boss who would send emails asking us to keep “tract” of different things (instead of “track”). She was a nice woman, very bright, but her language skills weren’t great due to undiagnosed dyslexia in her younger years. Still, it drove me nuts. My high school English teacher nearly flipped her lid once when an administrator made an announcement over the school’s PA system and used the non-word “irregardless”. The carmel/caramel thing is a regional issue. I know how it’s spelled, but in most of Texas it’s pronounced “carmel”. Same thing with sherbet/sherbert. Also, “ornch joose”. ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2005, 10:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/commonly-mangled-phrases-or-words/334867/33 "2005-12-09T22:58:43Z")
> [@BrainGlutton](#): > > But, as with the practice of turning nouns into verbs, it’s debatable (and debated) whether that is a case of “mangling” the words or simply relaxing the rules of word formation and usage. (Do you have a problem with “usage”?) “Usage” sure isn’t a recent addition to the lexicon, though. That particular relaxation bothers me when “-age” is substituted for “-es” for no apparent reason. It’s supposed to sound more technical. ---
**Author:** ![PoorYorick](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ecccb3/32.png) [@PoorYorick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PoorYorick)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2005, 11:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/commonly-mangled-phrases-or-words/334867/34 "2005-12-09T23:20:31Z")
_Oriientate_ instead of _orient._ And the one that’s driving me batty because it seems to be gaining acceptance: _Conversate_ instead of _converse._ Errr! ---
**Author:** ![PoorYorick](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ecccb3/32.png) [@PoorYorick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PoorYorick)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2005, 11:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/commonly-mangled-phrases-or-words/334867/35 "2005-12-09T23:21:39Z")
Or even worse than “Oriientate” is “orientate.” Damn “i” key. ---
**Author:** ![Roderick\_Femm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/roderick_femm/32/14875_2.png) [@Roderick\_Femm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Roderick_Femm)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2005, 11:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/commonly-mangled-phrases-or-words/334867/36 "2005-12-09T23:25:27Z")
> [@cruel butterfly](#): > > My ex-mother-in-law says the following: > > “That’s right up your aisle!” instead of “That’s right up your alley!” I call this borderline. I believe the Brits say “right up your street”; and “right up your aisle” is very clearly the same idea and not gibberish, like most of the other examples. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![AskNott](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/asknott/32/5790_2.png) [@AskNott](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AskNott)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2005, 12:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/commonly-mangled-phrases-or-words/334867/37 "2005-12-10T00:15:31Z")
Lacksadaisical has an extra letter. Wimpsical to mean wimpy. A common joke ending in “If I’m gonna **be** impotent, I might as well **look** impo’tant.” is often told as if impotent means the same as sterile. There is some confusion among “flay” (to skin,) filet (to cut meat into filets,) and fillet (to remove the flesh from fish.) I realize there is some overlap, but I’ve heard people call chef Bobby Flay “Filet,” and the act of cleaning fish becomes “filet them out.” If you’re a big fan of Snoop, maybe it’s a “Doggy Dogg” world. If not, it’s “dog eat dog.” Demise is about death and inheritance. It’s not demise if a coach gets fired, or if a driver has to leave a race because “it blowed up.” Enormity is about something that’s hugely horrible, not something that’s merely huge. ---
**Author:** ![lissener](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lissener/32/6139_2.png) [@lissener](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lissener)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2005, 1:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/commonly-mangled-phrases-or-words/334867/38 "2005-12-10T01:22:05Z")
> [@Plynck](#): > > Right. It should be supposably. (Or is it disposably?) No, actually, it’s “supposedly.” One of my peeves: “Step foot,” when it should be “set foot.” As in, “I wouldn’t set foot in her house.” ---
**Author:** ![soulmurk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b782af/32.png) [@soulmurk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/soulmurk)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2005, 1:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/commonly-mangled-phrases-or-words/334867/39 "2005-12-10T01:37:00Z")
> [@AskNott](#): > > Enormity is about something that’s hugely horrible, not something that’s merely huge. I had no idea that people had a problem with that usage until I looked it up myself after reading your post. I still see no reason not to use it though, enormity sounds far better to my ears than the alternative–enormousness–and two of three dictionaries I have access to list one of the definitions of enormity to be “the state of being huge”. I have to stop myself from using irregardless and say regardless, but sometimes it slips out. It is a word, just not common or “accepted” usage… which is all the more reason to use it! I still don’t get how “I could care less” makes any sense in any context. The implication is that the person kind of, sort of doesn’t care… but they care enough that there is still some wiggle room on the care-o-meter. * * * More than once I’ve heard someone suggest not to “take it for granite” Libary, Febuary Though it’s somehow considered correct, I despise hearing Wensday. Realigned letters in pronunciation always bug me, like Brett Farve. ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2005, 1:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/commonly-mangled-phrases-or-words/334867/40 "2005-12-10T01:44:46Z")
> [@soulmurk](#): > > Though it’s somehow considered correct, I despise hearing Wensday. Realigned letters in pronunciation always bug me, like Brett Farve. Have you ever heard someone say “Wed-nes-day?” [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/commonly-mangled-phrases-or-words/334867.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/commonly-mangled-phrases-or-words/334867.md?page=3)