# Irregardless, you drive me batshit. **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [January 17, 2008, 12:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/irregardless-you-drive-me-batshit/433807 "2008-01-17T00:08:52Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2008, 2:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/irregardless-you-drive-me-batshit/433807/21 "2008-01-17T14:11:58Z")
I enjoyed the Merriam-Webster Online definition of the word. > [@](#): > > \*\*irregardless \*\* > > Main Entry: ir·re·gard·less > Pronunciation: \ˌir-i-ˈgärd-ləs\ > Function: adverb > Etymology: probably blend of irrespective and regardless > Date: circa 1912 > nonstandard : regardless > usage Irregardless originated in dialectal American speech in the early 20th century. Its fairly widespread use in speech called it to the attention of usage commentators as early as 1927. The most frequently repeated remark about it is that “there is no such word.” **There is such a word, however**. It is still used primarily in speech, although it can be found from time to time in edited prose. Its reputation has not risen over the years, and it is still a long way from general acceptance. **Use regardless instead.** Please note my bolding to the above. It is a word, but please just use regardless instead, sums it up nicely. [QUOTE=wikipedia] **[Appearance in reference books](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Irregardless#Appearance_in_reference_books)** One way to follow the progress of and sentiments toward irregardless is by studying how it is described in references throughout the twentieth century. Webster’s New International Dictionary (2nd. Ed. Unabridged) described the word as an erroneous or humorous form of regardless, and attributed it to the United States. Although irregardless was beginning to make its way into the American lexicon, it still was not universally recognized and was missing completely from Fowler’s Modern English Usage,[3] published in 1965, nor is irregardless mentioned under the entry for regardless therein. In the last twenty-five years, irregardless has become a common entry in dictionaries and usage reference books. It appears in a wide range of dictionaries including: Webster’s Third New International Dictionary of the English Language Unabridged (1961, repr. 2002),[4] The Barnhart Dictionary of Etymology (1988), The American Heritage Dictionary (Second College Edition, 1991),[5] Microsoft Encarta College Dictionary (2001), and Webster’s New World College Dictionary (Fourth Edition, 2004).[6]This word was first seen in print in the Gordon family anthology. **Prescriptive vs. descriptive** The approach taken by lexicographers when documenting a word’s uses and limitations can be prescriptive or descriptive. The method used with irregardless is overwhelmingly prescriptive. Much of the criticism comes from the illogical double negative pairing of the prefix (ir-) and suffix (-less), and the argument that irregardless is not, or should not be, a word at all because it lacks the antecedents of a “bona fide nonstandard word.” A counterexample is provided in ain’t, which has an “ancient genealogy,” at which scholars would not dare level such criticisms. The descriptive approach to “irregardless” is to note that it is considered nonstandard by educated people. [/QUOTE] ---
**Author:** ![VunderBob](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/839c29/32.png) [@VunderBob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/VunderBob)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2008, 2:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/irregardless-you-drive-me-batshit/433807/22 "2008-01-17T14:20:21Z")
This thread is just stupid. ---
**Author:** ![Brown\_Eyed\_Girl](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/brown_eyed_girl/32/3574_2.png) [@Brown\_Eyed\_Girl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Brown_Eyed_Girl)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2008, 2:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/irregardless-you-drive-me-batshit/433807/23 "2008-01-17T14:27:03Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Webster’s New International Dictionary (2nd. Ed. Unabridged) described the word as an erroneous or \*_humorous form \*\* of regardless, and attributed it to the United States_ (Bolding mine.) The correct response would be to chuckle upon hearing the word. Maybe raise one eyebrow as well. :dubious: ---
**Author:** ![Ponder\_Stibbons](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ponder_stibbons/32/343_2.png) [@Ponder\_Stibbons](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ponder_Stibbons)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2008, 2:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/irregardless-you-drive-me-batshit/433807/24 "2008-01-17T14:55:12Z")
Not long after van Gogt had his little “accident” and was walking down the street, two Dutchmen looked at him in pity. “That’s a shame,” said the first. “Yes,” said the second, “that man has no **‘ear regard’, Les**.” Sorry. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Chao\_Goes\_Mu](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/the_chao_goes_mu/32/3191_2.png) [@The\_Chao\_Goes\_Mu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Chao_Goes_Mu)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2008, 3:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/irregardless-you-drive-me-batshit/433807/25 "2008-01-17T15:10:16Z")
[QUOTE=VunderBob] This thread is just stupid. [/QUOTE] Yeah, this thread just is stupid. “Irregardless” is kind of like “ain’t”, you’ll find it in the dictionary, it technically is a word, but it sounds like hell to most people. When I was in elementary school, “ain’t” wasn’t in any of the dictionaries we had access to at the school. We were forbidden from using it. By the time we got into middle school, it made the dictionary and most of my teachers, although still despising it, would let us use it in writing if we used it correctly, as a contraction of “am not.” It still sounds like shit. ---
**Author:** ![VunderBob](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/839c29/32.png) [@VunderBob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/VunderBob)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2008, 4:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/irregardless-you-drive-me-batshit/433807/26 "2008-01-17T16:01:33Z")
[QUOTE=The Chao Goes Mu] Yeah, this thread just is stupid. “Irregardless” is kind of like “ain’t”, you’ll find it in the dictionary, it technically is a word, but it sounds like hell to most people. When I was in elementary school, “ain’t” wasn’t in any of the dictionaries we had access to at the school. We were forbidden from using it. By the time we got into middle school, it made the dictionary and most of my teachers, although still despising it, would let us use it in writing if we used it correctly, as a contraction of “am not.” It still sounds like shit. [/QUOTE] **Chao** , I’m agreeing with you. ‘Just’ drives me batshit. Sarcasm was intended. I use ain’t for colloquial effect, but not in situations where proper speech is required. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Chao\_Goes\_Mu](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/the_chao_goes_mu/32/3191_2.png) [@The\_Chao\_Goes\_Mu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Chao_Goes_Mu)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2008, 4:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/irregardless-you-drive-me-batshit/433807/27 "2008-01-17T16:08:02Z")
[QUOTE=VunderBob] **Chao** , I’m agreeing with you. ‘Just’ drives me batshit. Sarcasm was intended. I use ain’t for colloquial effect, but not in situations where proper speech is required. [/QUOTE] Oh, no. I got your sarcasm and was playing along. Sorry for the confusion. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![tdn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/94ad74/32.png) [@tdn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tdn)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2008, 4:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/irregardless-you-drive-me-batshit/433807/28 "2008-01-17T16:24:41Z")
[QUOTE=PunditLisa] A lady on “Judge Judy” the other day said “In regeneration to that matter…” 🙂 I don’t think Judge Judy was impressed. [/QUOTE] The old bitty has gone soft on us. Back in the old days, if someone said “So I borrowed it to him” or “I lent it from her”, JJ would transform into Attila the Hun (wicked ugly version) and pluck the heart out of the hapless litigant. ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2008, 4:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/irregardless-you-drive-me-batshit/433807/29 "2008-01-17T16:34:18Z")
Er… supposing it IS a word, as M-W seems to think, shouldn’t it be the antonym of _regardless_? ---
**Author:** ![Northern\_Piper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/northern_piper/32/5304_2.png) [@Northern\_Piper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Northern_Piper)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2008, 4:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/irregardless-you-drive-me-batshit/433807/30 "2008-01-17T16:47:23Z")
meh, I could care less. ---
**Author:** ![scout1222](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/34f0e0/32.png) [@scout1222](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scout1222)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2008, 5:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/irregardless-you-drive-me-batshit/433807/31 "2008-01-17T17:15:59Z")
DON’T YOU EVEN START WITH THAT, NORTHERN PIPER 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Bosstone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/22d042/32.png) [@Bosstone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosstone)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2008, 6:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/irregardless-you-drive-me-batshit/433807/32 "2008-01-17T18:26:22Z")
[QUOTE=The Chao Goes Mu] When I was in elementary school, “ain’t” wasn’t in any of the dictionaries we had access to at the school. We were forbidden from using it. By the time we got into middle school, it made the dictionary and most of my teachers, although still despising it, would let us use it in writing if we used it correctly, as a contraction of “am not.” It still sounds like shit. [/QUOTE] Ain’t that the truth. ---
**Author:** ![Lightray](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lightray/32/391_2.png) [@Lightray](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lightray)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2008, 6:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/irregardless-you-drive-me-batshit/433807/33 "2008-01-17T18:34:45Z")
[QUOTE=Really Not All That Bright] Er… supposing it IS a word, as M-W seems to think, shouldn’t it be the antonym of _regardless_? [/QUOTE] Hey, after you’re done sorting out regardless v. irregardless, could you please have a go at flammable v. inflammable? kthx. ---
**Author:** ![aldiboronti](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9fc348/32.png) [@aldiboronti](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aldiboronti)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2008, 6:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/irregardless-you-drive-me-batshit/433807/34 "2008-01-17T18:57:25Z")
As **What Exit?** has shown, this word has been around a good while. Here’s the OED entry with cites: > [@](#): > > irregardless, a. and adv. > > Chiefly N. Amer. > > In non-standard or humorous use: regardless. > 1912 in WENTWORTH Amer. Dial. Dict. 1923 Lit. Digest 17 Feb. 76 Is there such a word as irregardless in the English language? 1934 in WEBSTER (labelled Erron. or Humorous, U.S.). 1938 I. KUHN Assigned to Adventure xxx. 310, I made a grand entrance and suffered immediate and complete obliteration, except on the pay-roll, which functioned automatically to present me with a three-figure cheque every week, ‘irregardless’, as Hollywood says. 1939 C. MORLEY Kitty Foyle xxvii. 267 But she can take things in her stride, irregardless what’s happened. 1955 Publ. Amer. Dial. Soc. XXIV. 19, I don’t think like other people do and irregardless of how much or how little dope would cost me [etc.]. 1970 Current Trends in Linguistics X. 590 She tells the pastor that he should please quit using the word ‘irregardless’ in his sermons as there is no such word. 1971 M. MCSHANE Man who left Well Enough iv. 96 The sun poured down on Purity irregardless of the fact that it received no welcome. ---
**Author:** ![Indistinguishable](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/90ced4/32.png) [@Indistinguishable](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Indistinguishable)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2008, 7:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/irregardless-you-drive-me-batshit/433807/35 "2008-01-17T19:03:13Z")
The people who actually use the word “irregardless” have a perfect handle on its meaning. It’s those who say it _must_ be defined as the opposite of “regardless” who lack (or pretend to lack) comprehension of the language. ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2008, 7:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/irregardless-you-drive-me-batshit/433807/36 "2008-01-17T19:13:17Z")
[QUOTE=Northern Piper] meh, I could care less. [/QUOTE] Damn. Beat me to it. The thing about “irregardless” is that some people seem to think they are showing how educumated they are by using it. It’s like people who misuse “whom”-- my feeling is that “who” is so commonly used for both words that if you don’t know how to use “whom” correctly, just use “who”. You know whom you are out there, too! ---
**Author:** ![Key\_Lime\_Guy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/48db29/32.png) [@Key\_Lime\_Guy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Key_Lime_Guy)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2008, 7:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/irregardless-you-drive-me-batshit/433807/37 "2008-01-17T19:55:18Z")
The best part of this thread is that, while complaining about the proper use of language, (at least) two posters couldn’t discern when the other was being sarcastic and knowingly responding with more sarcasm. Priceless. ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2008, 7:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/irregardless-you-drive-me-batshit/433807/38 "2008-01-17T19:57:24Z")
[QUOTE=Indistinguishable] The people who actually use the word “irregardless” have a perfect handle on its meaning. It’s those who say it _must_ be defined as the opposite of “regardless” who lack (or pretend to lack) comprehension of the language. [/QUOTE] I don’t have a problem with it meaning the same thing as “regardless” - see **Lightray’s** post re flammable/inflammable further up. I just don’t see the point; why on earth would you use it as opposed to regardless? “Inflammable” is the more conventional term in some places, but I bet you’d be hard-pressed to find anywhere on earth where “irregardless” is the more common usage… ---
**Author:** ![The\_Chao\_Goes\_Mu](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/the_chao_goes_mu/32/3191_2.png) [@The\_Chao\_Goes\_Mu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Chao_Goes_Mu)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2008, 8:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/irregardless-you-drive-me-batshit/433807/39 "2008-01-17T20:09:33Z")
[QUOTE=Really Not All That Bright] I don’t have a problem with it meaning the same thing as “regardless” - see **Lightray’s** post re flammable/inflammable further up. I just don’t see the point; why on earth would you use it as opposed to regardless? “Inflammable” is the more conventional term in some places, but I bet you’d be hard-pressed to find anywhere on earth where “irregardless” is the more common usage… [/QUOTE] That begs the question. D & R ---
**Author:** ![Ellen\_Cherry](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ellen_cherry/32/3600_2.png) [@Ellen\_Cherry](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ellen_Cherry)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2008, 8:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/irregardless-you-drive-me-batshit/433807/40 "2008-01-17T20:11:16Z")
I’m with you two. Northern Piper and myself could care less. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/irregardless-you-drive-me-batshit/433807.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/irregardless-you-drive-me-batshit/433807.md?page=3)