# Simple factual errors that drive you nuts

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/simple-factual-errors-that-drive-you-nuts/486504>\
**Category:** In My Humble Opinion\
**Created:** [February 19, 2009, 3:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/simple-factual-errors-that-drive-you-nuts/486504 "2009-02-19T03:19:24Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 1\
**Showing post:** 65

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**Author:** ![bouv](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/bc8723/32.png) [@bouv](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bouv)\
**Post date:** [February 20, 2009, 4:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/simple-factual-errors-that-drive-you-nuts/486504/65 "2009-02-20T04:36:27Z")

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> [@Superfluous\_Parentheses](#):
>
> Are you complaining about the incorrect use of “decimated”, “intensive” or where the Mayas wiped out by something else?
> 
> edit: I assume it’s the latter.

It’s three things.

1. People tend to say “for all intensive purposes” when it should be “for all intents and purposes,”
2. As you mentioned, decimated is used wrong (means to reduce by 1/10.)
3. Using “peoples” instead of “people” cause it sounds “cooler” or something.

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