# Misused words that get on your nerves **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [May 23, 2002, 10:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/misused-words-that-get-on-your-nerves/110459 "2002-05-23T10:04:39Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![flodnak](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/838e76/32.png) [@flodnak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/flodnak)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2002, 10:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/misused-words-that-get-on-your-nerves/110459/1 "2002-05-23T10:04:39Z")
Inspired by [**Narrad** ’s Pit rant](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?threadid=116471) about the popular misuse of the term schizophrenic: You’ve got a word like that, admit it. You know that in the big-picture scheme of things, it doesn’t matter; you may even have admitted you’re fighting a losing battle. But every time you hear the word misused, it takes you one step closer to going absolutely apedoodoo. What’s yours? Mine is “train”. We’ve got a toddler in the house, so we read a lot of picture books. For some reason, picture book authors rarely seem to know the difference between a locomotive or engine on the one hand, and a train on the other. A picture of a steam locomotive will be labelled “train”. This bugs me so badly that I confess I’ve gone so far as to cross out the word and write the correct term below it :o Doesn’t work well with alphabet books, thought. “S is for Snake, and T is for… um… diesel locomotive?” Fortunately, the day will come when totnak moves on to the Railway Series/Thomas the Tank Engine books. The good Reverend knew the difference, bless 'im, and so far the post-Rev Awdry books we’re read in the TtTE series have gotten it right as well. Until then, I’ll just fight the urge to scream every time I see a “train” that’s one element long. ---
**Author:** ![EchoKitty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/f4b2a3/32.png) [@EchoKitty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EchoKitty)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2002, 12:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/misused-words-that-get-on-your-nerves/110459/2 "2002-05-23T12:32:16Z")
Convinced vs. persuaded. Pushes me right over the edge. You can’t “convince” someone else. YOU can be convinced of something. You PERSUADE other people. ---
**Author:** ![auntie\_em](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/5e9695/32.png) [@auntie\_em](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/auntie_em)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2002, 12:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/misused-words-that-get-on-your-nerves/110459/3 "2002-05-23T12:41:38Z")
I hate it when people say _enthused_. And _orientated_. **EchoKitty** , I could very well be wrong (and could easily be convinced of such), but I thought you _could_ convince a person _of_ something (i.e., a statement of fact or opinion), but not _to do_ something (that’s where persuasion comes in). In other words, you could _convince_ me that Tom Jones is the greatest singer alive… but would have to _persuade_ me to go see him in Vegas with you. Is that wrong? ---
**Author:** ![Max\_Carnage](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/max_carnage/32/12775_2.png) [@Max\_Carnage](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Max_Carnage)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2002, 12:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/misused-words-that-get-on-your-nerves/110459/4 "2002-05-23T12:43:05Z")
Literally. As in “people who misuse the word ‘literally’ are literally the dumbest people in the universe.” ---
**Author:** ![Max\_Carnage](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/max_carnage/32/12775_2.png) [@Max\_Carnage](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Max_Carnage)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2002, 12:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/misused-words-that-get-on-your-nerves/110459/5 "2002-05-23T12:45:56Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by auntie em \* > \*\*I hate it when people say _enthused_. > > And _orientated_. > > **EchoKitty** , I could very well be wrong (and could easily be convinced of such), but I thought you _could_ convince a person _of_ something (i.e., a statement of fact or opinion), but not _to do_ something (that’s where persuasion comes in). > > In other words, you could _convince_ me that Tom Jones is the greatest singer alive… but would have to _persuade_ me to go see him in Vegas with you. > > Is that wrong? \*\* Interesting argument at [Dictionary.com](http://www.dictionary.com/search?q=convince) . I figure if you can be ‘convinced’ of something, someone or something has to be doing the ‘convincing.’ ---
**Author:** ![EchoKitty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/f4b2a3/32.png) [@EchoKitty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EchoKitty)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2002, 12:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/misused-words-that-get-on-your-nerves/110459/6 "2002-05-23T12:48:31Z")
Auntie em, now you’ve got me wondering…the way I understand it is I can’t say, “I convinced her…”, but you could say, “She convinced me that Tom Jones…” I could say “I persuaded her to believe that Tom Jones…” I’m at work, so I don’t have a good usage book. Maybe I can find something in cyberspace that will tell all. ---
**Author:** ![Honey](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/honey/32/5074_2.png) [@Honey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Honey)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2002, 12:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/misused-words-that-get-on-your-nerves/110459/7 "2002-05-23T12:59:53Z")
**Irregardless** -Please say Regardless **Nuculer** -Please say Nuclear **Ironic** - Alanis, I’m talking to you! And, I hate, hate the word **basically**. ---
**Author:** ![jjimm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba8739/32.png) [@jjimm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jjimm)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2002, 1:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/misused-words-that-get-on-your-nerves/110459/8 "2002-05-23T13:02:01Z")
“Comprised of”. No it isn’t. It either “comprises” something, or it’s “composed of” something. “Thusly”. No, it’s “Thus”. And the mixing up of “than” and “then”. How fucking stupid do you have to be to fuck that one up??? ---
**Author:** ![auntie\_em](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/5e9695/32.png) [@auntie\_em](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/auntie_em)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2002, 1:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/misused-words-that-get-on-your-nerves/110459/9 "2002-05-23T13:03:23Z")
Max, you are so smart. Of course, that whole little usage blurb at the bottom lost me at about midpoint, but I’m becoming convinced that my little “rule” for use of those two words no longer really applies. **EchoKitty** , check out the link supplied by Max Carnage, and see what you think. I’m going to go have some coffee, and then maybe read it again. ---
**Author:** ![EchoKitty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/f4b2a3/32.png) [@EchoKitty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EchoKitty)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2002, 1:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/misused-words-that-get-on-your-nerves/110459/10 "2002-05-23T13:06:23Z")
From The American Heritage Book Of Usage: "According to a traditional rule, convince is used to indicate mental acceptance, and persuade to indicate mental acceptance followed by action. Thus you convince someone of the truth of a statement or proposition but persuade someone to do something. By extension you use convince, but not persuade, with a that clause. Thus you should say By convincing me that no good could come of staying, he persuaded me to leave. 1 If you accept this distinction, then you should not use convince with an infinitive: He persuaded (not convinced) me to go. In an earlier survey, a majority of the Usage Panel upheld this distinction. But the use of convince with an infinitive has become increasingly common even among reputable writers. In addition, both persuade and convince see frequent use with that clauses to indicate the acceptance of truth: I convinced (or persuaded) the receptionist that the matter was urgent. Thus, the traditional rule does not appear to have much of a future. … Well, there I go with the antiquated usage again! A big round of applause to my father, the Grammar Nazi, who has difficulty changing with the times. He’s been drilling this into me since I was kneehigh to a grasshopper, and always uses the excuse of, “Well, if people didn’t misuse it all the time, it wouldn’t have become acceptable!” Thanks, Auntie. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Scarlett67](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/scarlett67/32/7387_2.png) [@Scarlett67](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scarlett67)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2002, 1:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/misused-words-that-get-on-your-nerves/110459/11 "2002-05-23T13:21:07Z")
This copyeditor maintains the traditonal distinction between _convince_ and _persuade,_ FWIW. I’d say that the term at the top of my peeve list is **tax return.** I have a friend who misuses this all the time, and it drives me batty. “I’m going to spend my tax return on X, Y, and Z.” **AAAAUUGHH!** Your **tax return** is the form you fill out and send in. Your **tax refund** is the money you get back (if you’re lucky) after you send in your tax return. ---
**Author:** ![Why\_A\_Duck](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/13edae/32.png) [@Why\_A\_Duck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Why_A_Duck)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2002, 1:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/misused-words-that-get-on-your-nerves/110459/12 "2002-05-23T13:27:05Z")
There is no “t” at the end of the word “across.” Deal with it. ---
**Author:** ![GrizzRich](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/7ba0ec/32.png) [@GrizzRich](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GrizzRich)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2002, 1:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/misused-words-that-get-on-your-nerves/110459/13 "2002-05-23T13:36:56Z")
-The written use of “would of” in place of “would’ve” and “should of” in place of “should’ve”. -The spoken or written use of “ironic” in place of “coincidence”. -The COMPLETE misuse (myself included!) of the word “hopefully”. -and finally, to Christine, my ex-manager, who used the words “flustrated” (in place of “frustrated”) and “blump” (in place of “blunt”) in THE VERY SAME SENTENCE! ---
**Author:** ![Psycho\_Pirate](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Psycho\_Pirate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Psycho_Pirate)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2002, 1:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/misused-words-that-get-on-your-nerves/110459/14 "2002-05-23T13:53:13Z")
“Ideal” used for “idea”. This drove me nuts growing up. “I have an ideal!” _AN IDEAL WHAT?!?_ :mad: ---
**Author:** ![stankow](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/cdc98d/32.png) [@stankow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/stankow)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2002, 2:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/misused-words-that-get-on-your-nerves/110459/15 "2002-05-23T14:11:11Z")
I’ll see the “literally,” “orientate” and “comprise,” and raise a “momentarily/presently/currently.” My father drilled those into me so hard that I cannot stop myself from correcting people. “Momentarily” is _for_ a moment, “presently” is _in_ a moment, and “currently” is _now_. ---
**Author:** ![auntie\_em](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/5e9695/32.png) [@auntie\_em](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/auntie_em)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2002, 2:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/misused-words-that-get-on-your-nerves/110459/16 "2002-05-23T14:12:01Z")
Well, this thread has me blushing! I’m guilty! I’m GUIIIIIIL-TEEEEEEEE! Not of all of them (oh, man, ditto on the _irregardless_), but I’m probably guilty of that _tax return_ thing, and am definitely guilty of the _comprised of_ faux pas… Now I have a question: Do you say _toward_ or _towards_? ---
**Author:** ![EchoKitty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/f4b2a3/32.png) [@EchoKitty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EchoKitty)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2002, 2:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/misused-words-that-get-on-your-nerves/110459/17 "2002-05-23T14:21:24Z")
Toward. Definitely toward. ---
**Author:** ![EchoKitty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/f4b2a3/32.png) [@EchoKitty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EchoKitty)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2002, 2:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/misused-words-that-get-on-your-nerves/110459/18 "2002-05-23T14:23:06Z")
Which is it: “in regard to” or “in regards to” ``` OR ``` “with regards to” or “with regards to” (this thread will make me mental!) ---
**Author:** ![EchoKitty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/f4b2a3/32.png) [@EchoKitty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EchoKitty)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2002, 2:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/misused-words-that-get-on-your-nerves/110459/19 "2002-05-23T14:23:43Z")
Which is it: “in regard to” or “in regards to” ``` OR ``` “with regard to” or “with regards to” (this thread will make me mental!) ---
**Author:** ![OldBroad](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/ed655f/32.png) [@OldBroad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OldBroad)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2002, 2:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/misused-words-that-get-on-your-nerves/110459/20 "2002-05-23T14:23:55Z")
AXE as in “I axed her where she bought her car.” [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/misused-words-that-get-on-your-nerves/110459.md?page=2)