# 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:** 6
**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 12, 2005, 10:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/commonly-mangled-phrases-or-words/334867/101 "2005-12-12T22:07:54Z")
_Insurance_ has a _sh_ sound, not a _ch_ sound. When you buy a policy, you in_shure_ something, right? Then why do you call it an in_chur_ance policy? Huh? Can’t tell me, can you? Thought not. And I’ll personally mail you $25 if you can convince me why it should be _fermiliar_ instead of _familiar_, or why _particularly_ should have six syllables instead of five. And then there are _cockaroaches._ (Or more accurately, there aren’t.) ---
**Author:** ![PoorYorick](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ecccb3/32.png) [@PoorYorick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PoorYorick)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2005, 10:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/commonly-mangled-phrases-or-words/334867/102 "2005-12-12T22:12:52Z")
> [@Biffy the Elephant Shrew](#): > > No, no, it’s “added _extra_ bonus.” Another redundancy that’s starting to get under my skin is “all new,” as in “an all new episode.” I guess this compares to, say, “a _partly_ new episode.” Yeah, NBC, I’m looking at you. ---
**Author:** ![Peter\_Morris](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/peter_morris/32/359_2.png) [@Peter\_Morris](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Peter_Morris)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2005, 11:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/commonly-mangled-phrases-or-words/334867/103 "2005-12-12T23:07:33Z")
A detailed search may plausibly use a fine-toothed comb. It will never use a fine toothcomb. Anyone can have his cake and eat it. The difficult bit is to eat your cake and have it. ---
**Author:** ![postcards](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/8e8cbc/32.png) [@postcards](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/postcards)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2005, 11:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/commonly-mangled-phrases-or-words/334867/104 "2005-12-12T23:10:55Z")
> [@tdn](#): > > And the one my girlfriend always mangles: Six half dozen of one, and the other. I always say “Half of one, six dozen of the other.” But I say it deliberately ---
**Author:** ![Pazu](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pazu/32/15522_2.png) [@Pazu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pazu)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2005, 11:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/commonly-mangled-phrases-or-words/334867/105 "2005-12-12T23:14:48Z")
> [@lissener](#): > > That’s my theory: that the declaration “I know not, and could care less” was in common usage–it’s somewhat idiomatic in its own right–and over time the first part fell away, to leave only “I could care less.” It makes more sense to me, than that “I could care less” sprang out of nowhere, and has NEVER made any sense. Take this with the amount of salt you feel is appropriate, but I seem to recall reading that the phrase actually derives from a shortened translation of a Yiddish saying which roughly means: “_As if_ I could care less.” I think I got this from Leo Rosten, but my memory is hazy. ---
**Author:** ![BiblioCat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ed8c4c/32.png) [@BiblioCat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BiblioCat)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2005, 12:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/commonly-mangled-phrases-or-words/334867/106 "2005-12-13T12:34:19Z")
> [@Beware of Doug](#): > > … or why _particularly_ should have six syllables instead of five. They’re the same people who say “Sat-er-ren” for “Saturn” and “patt-er-ren” for “pattern.” I’m so glad I bought a new car - I won’t have to listen to my FIL mangle the name of my old one anymore. ---
**Author:** ![Carnac\_the\_Magnificent](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ccd318/32.png) [@Carnac\_the\_Magnificent](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Carnac_the_Magnificent)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2005, 3:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/commonly-mangled-phrases-or-words/334867/107 "2005-12-13T15:52:32Z")
> [@Beware of Doug](#): > > And I’ll personally mail you $25 if you can convince me why it should be _fermiliar_ instead of _familiar_ Worse, “Havana, Cuber.” For the love of God, what is wrong with Bostonians??? 😉 ---
**Author:** ![What\_the](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/f4b2a3/32.png) [@What\_the](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_the)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2005, 7:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/commonly-mangled-phrases-or-words/334867/108 "2005-12-13T19:20:07Z")
> [@lissener](#): > > That’s my theory: that the declaration “I know not, and could care less” was in common usage–it’s somewhat idiomatic in its own right–and over time the first part fell away, to leave only “I could care less.” It makes more sense to me, than that “I could care less” sprang out of nowhere, and has NEVER made any sense. Sorry if I missed it but, do we know for sure that “Couldn’t care less” is not the original? ---
**Author:** ![gigi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a587f6/32.png) [@gigi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gigi)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2005, 5:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/commonly-mangled-phrases-or-words/334867/109 "2005-12-14T17:29:21Z")
> [@Frylock](#): > > Have you ever seen “The reason why is, is because…” or anything like that in writing? > > -Kris Thank goodness, no. It’s thankfully so far just a speech pattern that has been bothering me lately. ---
**Author:** ![gigi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a587f6/32.png) [@gigi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gigi)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2005, 5:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/commonly-mangled-phrases-or-words/334867/110 "2005-12-14T17:30:48Z")
> [@PoorYorick](#): > > Another redundancy that’s starting to get under my skin is “all new,” as in “an all new episode.” I guess this compares to, say, “a _partly_ new episode.” > > Yeah, NBC, I’m looking at you. Well, there are those flashback shows that have a new frame setup but old replayed material. Yeah, NBC, I’m looking at “Golden Girls”. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Frylock](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/ce7236/32.png) [@Frylock](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frylock)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2005, 5:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/commonly-mangled-phrases-or-words/334867/111 "2005-12-14T17:58:17Z")
Here’s a link to a page which fails to settle the “could care less” issue. But it’s chock full of interesting stuff and links and such. [http://itre.cis.upenn.edu/~myl/languagelog/archives/001182.html](http://itre.cis.upenn.edu/~myl/languagelog/archives/001182.html) -FrL- ---
**Author:** ![Frylock](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/ce7236/32.png) [@Frylock](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frylock)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2005, 6:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/commonly-mangled-phrases-or-words/334867/112 "2005-12-14T18:01:05Z")
Check out the next entry at that site: [http://itre.cis.upenn.edu/~myl/languagelog/archives/001183.html](http://itre.cis.upenn.edu/~myl/languagelog/archives/001183.html) -Frl- ---
**Author:** ![Sailboat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sailboat/32/461_2.png) [@Sailboat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sailboat)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2005, 7:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/commonly-mangled-phrases-or-words/334867/113 "2005-12-14T19:50:58Z")
Homonyms are my bugbear. “The missile \*honed in on \* its target.” _Hone_ means _to sharpen by rubbing_, home means _to seek a target or destination_. We ain’t got “honing pigeons”. “I stood in a _cue_ to get tickets.” One stands in a _queue_ (line); and actor waits for his _cue_ (line). The inimitable Washington Post contained these gems recently: “A hoard of termites.” _Hoard_ is a _hidden treasure_, _horde_ is a _loosely organized army_. “He sustained a mile ankle injury.” Now he’ll have to stay off all 5,280 feet for a few days? :dubious: Sailboat ---
**Author:** ![Plynck](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/3e96dc/32.png) [@Plynck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Plynck)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2005, 8:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/commonly-mangled-phrases-or-words/334867/114 "2005-12-14T20:03:35Z")
> [@Carnac the Magnificent!](#): > > Worse, “Havana, Cuber.” > > For the love of God, what is wrong with Bostonians??? 😉 We’re unique. “Very unique.” 😃 ---
**Author:** ![PoorYorick](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ecccb3/32.png) [@PoorYorick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PoorYorick)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2005, 8:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/commonly-mangled-phrases-or-words/334867/115 "2005-12-14T20:06:58Z")
> [@JKellyMap](#): > > (Not sure if this has been mentioned… too lazy to check…) > > I hate it when someone substitutes _less_ for _fewer_. Yesterday, I was so happy to see someone get it right – a sign at the grocery store that read “This line if you have 8 items or fewer” – that I thanked the checkout person. I’ve pretty much given up the fight on this one. It grates on me to hear “less” and “fewer” misused, but apparently precious few others feel that way. It looks like “less” and “fewer” are going the way of other grammatical dinosaurs, like “can” and “may.” A political cartoon in my local paper the other day had “less days” as part of its text. _sigh_ ---
**Author:** ![wnorthr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/ecccb3/32.png) [@wnorthr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wnorthr)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2005, 1:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/commonly-mangled-phrases-or-words/334867/116 "2005-12-15T01:17:09Z")
I don’t mind so much the different pronunciations ( though comfterble is a pet peeve) as the words people use to mean something else that leave me wondering how they meant it. Nonplussed and bemused are two that are routinely used wrong. I find myself asking if by nonplussed they mean not bothered or perplexed. bemused confuses me the same way. So I can live with the ones that grate on the ear much more easily than the ones that are used wrong so often the intent of the speaker is in doubt. ---
**Author:** ![Kaboodle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/8edcca/32.png) [@Kaboodle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kaboodle)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2005, 5:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/commonly-mangled-phrases-or-words/334867/117 "2005-12-15T05:25:42Z")
> [@lissener](#): > > Nope, “orientate” is wrong. It’s a back-formation from “orientation,” and would be akin to saying “conversate” instead of “converse.” “Orient” is a perfectly good verb, and does not need the “-ate” to make it one. I cringe when I hear “orientate” and I always thought it was incorrect. So what’s the deal with [Merriam-Webster](http://www.m-w.com/dictionary/orientate) and [Bartleby.com](http://www.bartleby.com/61/98/O0119800.html). Oh, here’s why. It makes me want to cry… > [@The Columbia Guide to Standard American English](#): > > Kenneth G. Wilson (1923–). The Columbia Guide to Standard American English. 1993. > > orientate, orient (vv.) > > Both verbs, meaning literally “to locate east and so adjust to the compass directions” and figuratively “to adjust to circumstances or situation,” are Standard, but American commentators continue to object to orientate (used more frequently by the British), mainly because orient is shorter but also because the figurative use is outstripping the literal one. See DISORIENT. 1 > > The Columbia Guide to Standard American English. Copyright © 1993 Columbia University Press. The word that bothers me more than “orientate” is “certificated”. What in the world is wrong with “certified”? ---
**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 15, 2005, 5:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/commonly-mangled-phrases-or-words/334867/118 "2005-12-15T05:35:54Z")
> [@What the .... ?!?!](#): > > Sorry if I missed it but, do we know for sure that “Couldn’t care less” is not the original? We know nothing for sure. It seems less logical, to me, that “couldn’t care less” would morph into something that makes less sense, than that a phrase which already makes perfect context should shift context as it becomes an idiom. This happens pretty frequently; take the currently re-contextualizing, “stick a fork in it.” It makes no sense to stick a fork in something as a ceremonious acknowldedgement that it is “done,” which is what that metaphor means for most people who use it. It’s original context, rather, is that you stick a fork in something BEFORE you know it’s done, in order to determine if it’s done or not. So, the phrase doesn’t change while the context does. This doesn’t PROVE of course that the original phrase was “could care less” and not “couldn’t care less,” but it’s just a partial explanation of why I, personally, think so. ---
**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 15, 2005, 5:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/commonly-mangled-phrases-or-words/334867/119 "2005-12-15T05:37:54Z")
> [@Kaboodle](#): > > I cringe when I hear “orientate” and I always thought it was incorrect. So what’s the deal with [Merriam-Webster](http://www.m-w.com/dictionary/orientate) and [Bartleby.com](http://www.bartleby.com/61/98/O0119800.html). > > Oh, here’s why. It makes me want to cry… > > The word that bothers me more than “orientate” is “certificated”. What in the world is wrong with “certified”? Here’s how pissy I am: I hate “obligate,” which if you ask me is just as bad as “orientate.” What the hell’s wrong with “oblige”? “You’re not obliged to bring a gift” is perfectly fine, and less clunky (if you ask me) than “you’re not obligated to bring a gift.” ---
**Author:** ![gigi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a587f6/32.png) [@gigi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gigi)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2005, 4:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/commonly-mangled-phrases-or-words/334867/120 "2005-12-16T16:47:38Z")
> [@Biffy the Elephant Shrew](#): > > No, no, it’s “added _extra_ bonus.” 😉 The two of us both agree with each other that this is correct. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/commonly-mangled-phrases-or-words/334867.md?page=5) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/commonly-mangled-phrases-or-words/334867.md?page=7)