# How to respond when someone corrects you, but you aren't wrong **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [August 31, 2005, 12:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-respond-when-someone-corrects-you-but-you-arent-wrong/319363 "2005-08-31T00:36:39Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Scott\_Plaid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/258eb7/32.png) [@Scott\_Plaid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scott_Plaid)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2005, 1:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-respond-when-someone-corrects-you-but-you-arent-wrong/319363/41 "2005-08-31T13:49:03Z")
> [@TellMeI'mNotCrazy](#): > > Lin-ix Short I > > I hate that Lyyyynux pronunciation. There’s an audio file floating around here somewhere with Linus Torvalds saying “Hi this is Linus Torvalds, and I pronounce Linux ‘Linux’ [with a short I]” Sure it’s named after him - that’s why I’ll take his word as to how it’s pronounced any day. I tracked it down, via usenet. Here it is in english. Here it is in Swedish I haven’t had any luck tracking down the faq, though. ---
**Author:** ![Scott\_Plaid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/258eb7/32.png) [@Scott\_Plaid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scott_Plaid)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2005, 1:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-respond-when-someone-corrects-you-but-you-arent-wrong/319363/42 "2005-08-31T13:53:37Z")
:smack: ---
**Author:** ![NoPretentiousCodename](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/82dd89/32.png) [@NoPretentiousCodename](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NoPretentiousCodename)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2005, 2:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-respond-when-someone-corrects-you-but-you-arent-wrong/319363/43 "2005-08-31T14:05:19Z")
> [@D\_Odds](#): > > I didn’t know the [Thai prime minister](http://news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/ap/20050825/ap_on_fe_st/thailand_pm_s_buzzer_2) posted here. Well a guy’s gotta have hobbies. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![msmith537](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d9b06d/32.png) [@msmith537](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/msmith537)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2005, 2:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-respond-when-someone-corrects-you-but-you-arent-wrong/319363/44 "2005-08-31T14:38:04Z")
I just say “irregardless, I stand by my original statement.” ---
**Author:** ![Gary\_T](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/3ec8ea/32.png) [@Gary\_T](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gary_T)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2005, 2:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-respond-when-someone-corrects-you-but-you-arent-wrong/319363/45 "2005-08-31T14:46:10Z")
> [@ftg](#): > > This is a key part of the Linux Pronunciation FAQ. He pronounces his name the first way. But the FAQ allows _both_ pronunciations. I.e., the “European” and the “American”. In short, take how you pronounce “Linus” and change the “s” to an “x”. So “Lee-nux” or “Lie-nux”. Long first vowel, only 1 “n”. That seems to take it from ambiguous to wrong, according to all the posts here that have it as “Linn-nix.” (Double “n” in first syllable inserted only to clarify “short i” sound of its vowel.) ---
**Author:** ![Spectre\_of\_Pithecanthropus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spectre_of_pithecanthropus/32/12343_2.png) [@Spectre\_of\_Pithecanthropus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spectre_of_Pithecanthropus)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2005, 3:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-respond-when-someone-corrects-you-but-you-arent-wrong/319363/46 "2005-08-31T15:10:15Z")
Speaking of George Bush’s errors, I remember during one of the debates in 2000 he referred to the “Loonix” operating system. I’ve always been a little disappointed that nobody picked up that ball and ran with it. ---
**Author:** ![cowgirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/8c91f0/32.png) [@cowgirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cowgirl)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2005, 3:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-respond-when-someone-corrects-you-but-you-arent-wrong/319363/47 "2005-08-31T15:27:30Z")
> [@contradancer](#): > > I had a work friend that used to just turn her head slowly and say “excuse me?” which got across the point that not only could she not believe the person was so rude, but that they were wrong. You won’t believe how this works unless you have someone do it to you. For some reason, the recipient is sufficiently chastized. “Oh, I think you’ll find …” has the same effect. Patronizing as hell but not exactly rude. ---
**Author:** ![glee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/b5a626/32.png) [@glee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/glee)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2005, 3:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-respond-when-someone-corrects-you-but-you-arent-wrong/319363/48 "2005-08-31T15:27:31Z")
As others have said, the context matters. If appropriate, and you are confident of your facts, I start my retort with “I think you’ll find…” ---
**Author:** ![Finagle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/b19c9b/32.png) [@Finagle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Finagle)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2005, 3:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-respond-when-someone-corrects-you-but-you-arent-wrong/319363/49 "2005-08-31T15:36:46Z")
I pretty much stick with “Bite my shiny metal ass.” ---
**Author:** ![Spiff](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spiff/32/9852_2.png) [@Spiff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spiff)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2005, 3:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-respond-when-someone-corrects-you-but-you-arent-wrong/319363/50 "2005-08-31T15:38:23Z")
> [@CanvasShoes](#): > > How would you all pronounce the supplement “Glucomannan”? We all pronounce it: “pluh SEE bo” 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Kythereia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/e8c25b/32.png) [@Kythereia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kythereia)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2005, 3:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-respond-when-someone-corrects-you-but-you-arent-wrong/319363/51 "2005-08-31T15:41:24Z")
> [@pinkfreud](#): > > How do you handle a situation like this? “DIE, IDIOT SCUM!” _zap of the death ray_ ---
**Author:** ![NurseCarmen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/5daacb/32.png) [@NurseCarmen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NurseCarmen)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2005, 3:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-respond-when-someone-corrects-you-but-you-arent-wrong/319363/52 "2005-08-31T15:54:43Z")
My wife is named Tara. A nice Irish name. Tar. With an ‘uh’ at the end. Not ‘tear’-‘uh’, or Terra (Gone With the Wind is to blame). It amazes me how many people correct _her name!_ People! Are you under the assumption that she doesn’t know how to pronounce it? She is able to ignore it. I tend to just drive their noses into their brains. in my imagination ---
**Author:** ![Speaker\_for\_the\_Dead](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c77e96/32.png) [@Speaker\_for\_the\_Dead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Speaker_for_the_Dead)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2005, 4:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-respond-when-someone-corrects-you-but-you-arent-wrong/319363/53 "2005-08-31T16:10:40Z")
I must say that this has never happened. If it did, I’d probably laugh for a moment, since I didn’t think anyone did this seriously. My friends and I do it jokingly all the time: “Pass the n-aw-choes.” “You mean the n-ah-choes?” ---
**Author:** ![D\_Odds](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/d_odds/32/2882_2.png) [@D\_Odds](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/D_Odds)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2005, 4:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-respond-when-someone-corrects-you-but-you-arent-wrong/319363/54 "2005-08-31T16:12:52Z")
> [@NurseCarmen](#): > > in my imagination There’s your problem. One or two noses through the brain, and no one would ever mispronounce her name again. You have to set an example. ---
**Author:** ![js\_africanus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/87869e/32.png) [@js\_africanus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/js_africanus)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2005, 5:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-respond-when-someone-corrects-you-but-you-arent-wrong/319363/55 "2005-08-31T17:14:36Z")
> [@Cunctator](#): > > 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. I’m wrong too often to be 100% sure on most things, so, IIRC, I say something like “I think you may be mistaken on that.” I the person insists on making an issue of it, then I’ll say, “Then we’ll just have to disagree on that.” Sometimes I have to say it more than once. If I’m fairly certain, then, IIRC, I say that the person might be mistaken and follow immediately with something like, “The reason I know is that I was wondering the other day about it, so I looked it up.” The line is more-or-less stolen from _A Fish Called Wanda_ when Wanda is yelling at Otto, correcting his facts, and says, “Those are all mistakes, Otto. I looked them up.” I love that line. ---
**Author:** ![Meaty\_Beaty\_Big\_and\_Bouncy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c57346/32.png) [@Meaty\_Beaty\_Big\_and\_Bouncy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Meaty_Beaty_Big_and_Bouncy)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2005, 5:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-respond-when-someone-corrects-you-but-you-arent-wrong/319363/56 "2005-08-31T17:56:00Z")
I just give the offender one of my patented **Evil Looks** ™.\* \*Believe me, you do not want one of those. I’ve made grown men wish they were somewhere else. Little children break out in tears. Hell, I don’t even have to be right. ---
**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:** [August 31, 2005, 7:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-respond-when-someone-corrects-you-but-you-arent-wrong/319363/57 "2005-08-31T19:49:15Z")
“Hone in on” is, of course, incorrect. Just because we see and hear it pretty frequently does not mean it has (yet) transitioned into proper English. We see and hear all kinds of lazy near-pronunciations and usages and they are not correct. I hear “psghetti” for spaghetti all the time, but it’s not correct. I saw someone recently twice say she “whistled” in her beloved’s ear. I’m sure from context she meant “whispered”, got started typing it, lost interest, and finished as “whis…tled”. The newspaper referred to a “hoard” of termites in a house foundation…I’m sure they meant an unruly mob (“horde”) and not buried trasure (“hoard”). But close seems to be good enough for lazy users. There’s a lot of lazy usage out there, and occasionally we lose a Mars probe due to someone not carefully paying attention to units of measurement and the like. I see someone found it in a dictionary. ugh. A different dictionary gives a different take on it; Merriam-Webster online says : [ > [@](#): > > B]usage \*\* The few commentators who have noticed hone in consider it to be a mistake for home in. It may have arisen from home in by the weakening of the \m\ sound to > \ or may perhaps simply be due to the influence of hone. Though it seems to have established itself in American English (and mention in a British usage book suggests it is used in British English too), your use of it especially in writing is likely to be called a mistake. Home in or in figurative use zero in does nicely. Sailboat ---
**Author:** ![Beadalin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/3be4f8/32.png) [@Beadalin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beadalin)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2005, 7:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-respond-when-someone-corrects-you-but-you-arent-wrong/319363/58 "2005-08-31T19:59:33Z")
> [@](#): > > “Pass the n-aw-choes.” > “You mean the n-ah-choes?” But… but… I don’t understand how those are pronounced differently. ---
**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:** [August 31, 2005, 8:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-respond-when-someone-corrects-you-but-you-arent-wrong/319363/59 "2005-08-31T20:00:51Z")
> [@ftg](#): > > So “Lee-nux” or “Lie-nux”. Long first vowel, only 1 “n”. BZZZT! LYE-nux is unacceptible by any standard. (This used to be the way I pronounced it until being repeatedly chastized). From the [Linux website itself](http://www.linux.org/info/): > [@](#): > > Many people are not sure of the pronunciation of the word Linux. Although many variations of the word exist, often due to native language factors, it is normally pronounced with a short " i " and with the first syllable stressed, as in LIH-nucks. ---
**Author:** ![Steve\_Wright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/848f3c/32.png) [@Steve\_Wright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Steve_Wright)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2005, 8:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-respond-when-someone-corrects-you-but-you-arent-wrong/319363/60 "2005-08-31T20:01:27Z")
My preferred method of dealing with such people is to disembowel them with nail scissors and then call a minion to clear away the mess. If I don’t happen to have nail scissors or a minion handy, I will offer a polite but firm correction. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-respond-when-someone-corrects-you-but-you-arent-wrong/319363.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-respond-when-someone-corrects-you-but-you-arent-wrong/319363.md?page=4)