People seem to be getting bolder about correcting other folks in public. One unfortunate effect is that often I find that I am being corrected when I am not wrong.
Recently I was speaking to a small group of people, and I used the phrase “to home in on the target.” Someone immediately spoke up and said “you mean ‘to hone in’.” I just shrugged and said “no, I mean ‘to home in,’ as I said.” And nothing further was mentioned about this.
I feel very uncomfortable in such a situation. Although I am willing to admit to an error if I’m wrong, it bugs the hell out of me to have someone correct me when I am right. My instinct is to fight tooth and nail for my intellectual honor, while thoroughly embarrassing the jerkweed who butted in and made this foolish pseudo-correction. However, I am not a creature who often acts upon instinct. I usually try to be a peacemaker, and my desire to be well-liked is greater than my desire to be “right” about everything.
How do you handle a situation like this? If someone interrupts you and tries to correct you on a point, and you know absolutely that you have not made an error, do you let it slide, or make an issue of it, or something in between?
I think it depends a bit on the circumstances. I’ll usually try to correct the other person’s incorrect assertion, but in a light, friendly sort of way, so that it doesn’t turn into a slanging match.
If it’s something i’m 10000% sure of, I’ll usually rebutt with an extreme example - “Well, I wrote my graduate thesis on (subject in question) and it’s definitely (thing inc orrectly corrected on),” or “Well, I’m pretty sure it’s ___, since I’ve owned 15 of them.”
Lately I have taken to using BZZZT (like the sound a buzzer makes) when somebody says something wrong or contrary to my opinion or perhaps even if an unacceptable possibility is put forward when, for example, when deciding on an activity.
Example:
Friend: “So, we were thinking of seeing 40 Year Old Virgin”
Me: “BZZZT”
Friend: "…or we could see Red Eye…:
Me: “Maaaybe”
or:
Random person: “Wow, this new J-Lo song is REALLY COOL!”
Me (& Friends): BZZZZZZZZZT!
I suppose you could use my method, although it might be considered impolite in certain situations. Also acceptable is a more EEENH kind of buzzer sound.
Regarding my original post, I am not saying that “to hone in on a target” is wrong (although I would never say it, and I think it sounds semiliterate). The person who corrected me was asserting that “to home in on a target” was wrong. It isn’t.
Waaay back when, I started using the Linux OS. The CD came with the usual docs of the era, including the Linux Pronunciation FAQ. Complete with sound files. So I learned to pronounce Linux correctly (US version).
Which means of course that I have been subjected to Complete Idiots who correct my pronunciation with that hideous “Lyn-nix” corruption.
I gently remind them that they should read the Linux Pronunciation FAQ before trying to “correct” others’ pronunciation. (Never mind that the FAQ is nearly impossible to find on the net anymore. The mispronouncers hate it.)
I will also sometimes use the Homer quote: “It’s pronounced nu-cu-ler.” if I think they will recognize the quote.
The result of course is blank looks no matter what. You will also be amazed at the number of people who will go to great lengths to try to argue a losing point to death.
Once I was talking to a guy about Bela Fleck, the banjo player. Bela pronounces his name BAY-luh, and I strive to pronounce it correctly. Every time I said BAY-luh, this guy said BELL-uh, as if to correct me. I didn’t insist he was wrong, but I kept on saying BAY-luh, and he kept on saying BELL-uh.
It depends on how they try to “correct” me. If they are polite about it, I will bethe same. If they are obnoxious or trying to make me look stupid, I let them have it with everything at my disposal.
Senile grandfather-in-law interrupts to “correct” me? Thank him and move on.
Casual acquaintance makes “correction” with some indication that they are attempting to be polite (regardless that Miss Manners would frown on such corrections)? “Hmm. I’ve always said it as ‘xxx’” and move on. (If the issue was of some importance, I might note the history of the phrase so as to prevent the issue arising again.)
Twit tries to show superiority by announcing my error? I would give a detailed explanation of the history behind the actual phrase, noting the time and place where the erroneous construction entered the language. (And if the twit was really being obnoxious, I’d point out the general lack of education and intelligence of the group that introduced the error to the language along with the probability that the error was a result of their low moral character.)
Ah, and that reminds me of the time I called a teacher “pedantic,” and the person I with whom I was talking looked horrified and said “He molests children?”