This has been making my stomach churn for some time now, and I’m quite convinced it is growing in momentum. The word you want it tack, people. This isn’t a simple typographical error. You are using the wrong word because you are parroting back what you thought someone else said without having the first clue what you are saying. No idea whatsoever.
Tact: Discretion, delicacy. As in: “use some tact when regurgitating words or phrases.”
Tack: Direction, approach. As in: “this isn’t working, let’s try a new tack.”
Now here’s the truly confusing part… “Let’s try a new tactic.” That’s fine too! Tactic: Method, approach. It works just as well because the meanings are similar, not because it sounds similar.
A new dictate; no tacks when you mean tact. This will make a tactile difference to the tracks made by tracts on the SDMB and prevent tat becoming tacky.
I shamefacedly admit that I always thought “tact” was appropriate in this particular instance as a shortening of “tactic”. Ah, well - live and learn :).
Clearly, we need to add sailing lessons to the educational curriculum. People would then no longer commit this particular offense against the language.
And I’d like to toss in the suggestion that if you don’t know that there’s a difference between accept and except, you shouldn’t be allowed to use either word.