# There's no A in definitely, there's no D in privilege... **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [May 31, 2006, 11:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/theres-no-a-in-definitely-theres-no-d-in-privilege/358858 "2006-05-31T11:44:24Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![lissener](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lissener/32/6139_2.png) [@lissener](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lissener)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2006, 6:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/theres-no-a-in-definitely-theres-no-d-in-privilege/358858/61 "2006-05-31T18:46:13Z")
I host a trivia quiz at a bar in Seattle. Every once in a while I have a spelling round. This was inspired by reading threads here and coming across the word “definately” one too many times. I included “privilege” in that round as well. My next spelling round will include “memento” and “restaurateur.” ---
**Author:** ![picunurse](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/7bcc69/32.png) [@picunurse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/picunurse)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2006, 6:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/theres-no-a-in-definitely-theres-no-d-in-privilege/358858/62 "2006-05-31T18:46:36Z")
> [@David Simmons](#): > > Nor is there any “e” in “argument.” 😕 Of course, there is! argum_E_nt. (I couldn’t resist. 😃 ) ---
**Author:** ![gigi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a587f6/32.png) [@gigi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gigi)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2006, 7:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/theres-no-a-in-definitely-theres-no-d-in-privilege/358858/63 "2006-05-31T19:10:01Z")
> [@vetbridge](#): > > There is no “I” in team. But there is “eat me”. > [@Dung Beetle](#): > > The thing that really galls me is that the misspelled sign is a professionally made, permanent sign. Our Honda dealer has a row of parking spaces with lovely painted signs reading “Complementary Customer Parking”. I mean, yeah, I guess it goes well with the building (they’re different shades of gray). And of course: “Sorry for the inconvience”. ---
**Author:** ![gotpasswords](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/c57346/32.png) [@gotpasswords](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gotpasswords)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2006, 7:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/theres-no-a-in-definitely-theres-no-d-in-privilege/358858/64 "2006-05-31T19:24:40Z")
> [@David Simmons](#): > > Let’s face the awful truth. English spelling is a mess and the only real solution is just plain rote memorizig, or look it up in the dictionary. I’ve worn out 2 _Collegiates_ over the years. Time to start running down a third. Or try memorizing instead of memorizig. The one that bugs me is that there is no “z” in use. U-S-E. Not U-T-I-L-I-Z-E. There’s just not much excuse for the word ‘utilize’ to exist. Also no “z” in please, and the word has three vowels. If I could just smack everyone who writes “plz” (and its bastard brother “thx”) I’d be very happy. ---
**Author:** ![BiblioCat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ed8c4c/32.png) [@BiblioCat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BiblioCat)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2006, 7:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/theres-no-a-in-definitely-theres-no-d-in-privilege/358858/65 "2006-05-31T19:47:23Z")
> [@cowgirl](#): > > The one that kills me is _i.e._ and _e.g._ Constantly misused by otherwise intelligent people. Makes me very angry. > > Please remember, folks: **i** d **e** st (“that is”) and **e** xample **g** iven. More [here](http://www.epinions.com/user-review-7959-581C4E7-39207196-prod2). I was probably halfway through college before I finally figured out the difference between these two. The way I remember them is i.e. means “ **i** n **e** xplanation” and e.g. means “ **e** xample **g** iven.” Not exactly right, but it helps me keep them straight. ---
**Author:** ![Leaffan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leaffan/32/299_2.png) [@Leaffan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaffan)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2006, 7:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/theres-no-a-in-definitely-theres-no-d-in-privilege/358858/66 "2006-05-31T19:55:57Z")
There’s a sign on the wall at a store I frequent which reads: Please do not remove “carts” from store. I can’t, for the life of me, figure out why someone thought it was necessary to put quotation marks around carts. I mean, they are in fact … carts? ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2006, 8:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/theres-no-a-in-definitely-theres-no-d-in-privilege/358858/67 "2006-05-31T20:16:08Z")
> [@Leaffan](#): > > There’s a sign on the wall at a store I frequent which reads: > > Please do not remove “carts” from store. > > I can’t, for the life of me, figure out why someone thought it was necessary to put quotation marks around carts. I mean, they are in fact … carts? They’re also buggies. ---
**Author:** ![David\_Simmons](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/9de053/32.png) [@David\_Simmons](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/David_Simmons)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2006, 10:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/theres-no-a-in-definitely-theres-no-d-in-privilege/358858/68 "2006-05-31T22:00:08Z")
> [@Otto](#): > > That’s nothing, a few times I’ve worn out two collegians in one night. If their’s anyone I can’t stand its a palindromic braggart. ---
**Author:** ![fishbicycle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/aeb1de/32.png) [@fishbicycle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fishbicycle)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2006, 10:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/theres-no-a-in-definitely-theres-no-d-in-privilege/358858/69 "2006-05-31T22:48:40Z")
There is only one ‘s’ in “bus.” There are two in the plural, not three, and they are not together - “buses.” A buss is another word for “kiss.” Same goes for the stuff that comes out of an infection: there is only one ‘s’ in “pus.” Otherwise, it’s your face, or a cat. _“Get that puss off your face!”_ - Kevin Meaney’s mom ---
**Author:** ![gabriela](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/db5fbb/32.png) [@gabriela](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gabriela)\ **Post date:** [June 1, 2006, 12:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/theres-no-a-in-definitely-theres-no-d-in-privilege/358858/70 "2006-06-01T00:03:28Z")
I dunno if this counts, but I was on the stand yesterday answering questions for a defense lawyer who could not understand the difference between bleeding “beneath the scalp” and “inside the skull”. Didn’t matter if I used medical words (subgaleal hemorrhage, subdural hematoma) or “puddle of blood inside the scalp but outside the skull, versus bleeding on the brain”, he just didn’t get the distinction. The jury did, fortunately. Smarter than the defense. ---
**Author:** ![gabriela](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/db5fbb/32.png) [@gabriela](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gabriela)\ **Post date:** [June 1, 2006, 12:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/theres-no-a-in-definitely-theres-no-d-in-privilege/358858/71 "2006-06-01T00:04:42Z")
> [@fishbicycle](#): > > There is only one ‘s’ in “bus.” There are two in the plural, not three, and they are not together - “buses.” A buss is another word for “kiss.” > > Same goes for the stuff that comes out of an infection: there is only one ‘s’ in “pus.” Otherwise, it’s your face, or a cat. > > _“Get that puss off your face!”_ - Kevin Meaney’s mom One of the traditional hazings for women in surgery (at least when I was a surgery resident, back in the 1980’s) was to ask us how to spell “pus-sy.” Pronouced pus. Cee. The best answer I heard was “purulent”. ---
**Author:** ![Mindfield](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mindfield/32/19759_2.png) [@Mindfield](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mindfield)\ **Post date:** [June 1, 2006, 12:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/theres-no-a-in-definitely-theres-no-d-in-privilege/358858/72 "2006-06-01T00:09:09Z")
> [@Leaffan](#): > > There’s a sign on the wall at a store I frequent which reads: > > Please do not remove “carts” from store. > > I can’t, for the life of me, figure out why someone thought it was necessary to put quotation marks around carts. I mean, they are in fact … carts? For whatever reason (and I can’t for the life of me suss out the origins) some people use quotations for emphasis. Because, I suppose, an underscore, bold or italic type, or for cryin’ out loud even parenthetical _asterisks_ just don’t provide enough emphatic variety. “Sheesh.” ---
**Author:** ![fishbicycle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/aeb1de/32.png) [@fishbicycle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fishbicycle)\ **Post date:** [June 1, 2006, 12:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/theres-no-a-in-definitely-theres-no-d-in-privilege/358858/73 "2006-06-01T00:22:19Z")
One more: there is no such word as “perogative”. It is your _pre_rogative, not the other way around. Maybe if people would pronounce it properly it might help. ---
**Author:** ![blinkingblinking](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ea5d25/32.png) [@blinkingblinking](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/blinkingblinking)\ **Post date:** [June 1, 2006, 12:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/theres-no-a-in-definitely-theres-no-d-in-privilege/358858/74 "2006-06-01T00:29:52Z")
> [@Leaffan](#): > > There’s a sign on the wall at a store I frequent which reads: > > Please do not remove “carts” from store. > > I can’t, for the life of me, figure out why someone thought it was necessary to put quotation marks around carts. I mean, they are in fact … carts? I must agree. The one I see is You will love our “home-cooked” meals. Putting those quotes there means they are not home-cooked, surely. ---
**Author:** ![TJdude825](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/dec6dc/32.png) [@TJdude825](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TJdude825)\ **Post date:** [June 1, 2006, 2:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/theres-no-a-in-definitely-theres-no-d-in-privilege/358858/75 "2006-06-01T02:07:38Z")
> [@postcards](#): > > There’s no ‘D’ in ‘refrigerator’, either. But there IS in “fridge” which is extremely unfair. I think the worst thing ever is probably unneeded quotes. As in a sign reading: **There is “no” food allowed in this room "at all"** Nowadays, we all have bold and italic capabilities and we should all know how to use them. Or at the very least, use capital letters or grab a sharpie and underline the words. Seriously. ---
**Author:** ![TJdude825](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/dec6dc/32.png) [@TJdude825](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TJdude825)\ **Post date:** [June 1, 2006, 2:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/theres-no-a-in-definitely-theres-no-d-in-privilege/358858/76 "2006-06-01T02:09:44Z")
Uh, nevermind. I _thought_ I’d read the whole thread before posting. ---
**Author:** ![rinni](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/f6c823/32.png) [@rinni](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rinni)\ **Post date:** [June 1, 2006, 2:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/theres-no-a-in-definitely-theres-no-d-in-privilege/358858/77 "2006-06-01T02:29:54Z")
> [@gigi](#): > > And of course: “Sorry for the inconvience”. That’s the one I was originally\* coming in here to mention. There was a store back home in Nova Scotia with a professionally-made light-up sign that said “Kendra’s Convience”. Gah!!! I was at the doctor’s office yesterday and there was a little bucket proclaiming “Umbrella’s Only”. I get a kick out of misspelled food on menus. If they can’t spell it, how the heck do they pull off cooking it? 😛 Thanks, **lissener** , for fighting my ignorance on “restaurateur”. I have a friend with whom I got into a yelling argument with because he insisted that there was an “a” in definitely. This is a guy who claims he can spell better than I can. Ha! It is to laugh. And one more: There’s no “o” in “dalmatian”. It’s not a dalmation. It’s a dalmatian. I read a website once that said to think of the “o” as another spot, and so the “o” isn’t in the word because the dalmatians need all their spots. - On preview, I had originally typed “priginally”. Ha! ---
**Author:** ![fishbicycle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/aeb1de/32.png) [@fishbicycle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fishbicycle)\ **Post date:** [June 1, 2006, 2:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/theres-no-a-in-definitely-theres-no-d-in-privilege/358858/78 "2006-06-01T02:35:48Z")
Hey, **rinni** , thanks for reminding me: the name of that dog that so many people (even owners) misspell is **shih tzu**. There is no reference to feces in its name at all. ---
**Author:** ![rinni](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/f6c823/32.png) [@rinni](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rinni)\ **Post date:** [June 1, 2006, 2:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/theres-no-a-in-definitely-theres-no-d-in-privilege/358858/79 "2006-06-01T02:41:53Z")
> [@fishbicycle](#): > > Hey, **rinni** , thanks for reminding me: the name of that dog that so many people (even owners) misspell is **shih tzu**. There is no reference to feces in its name at all. Yes! That too. I also hate when people pronounce it “shit zoo”. It’s not a poop exhibit. ---
**Author:** ![Sierra\_Indigo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f0a364/32.png) [@Sierra\_Indigo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sierra_Indigo)\ **Post date:** [June 1, 2006, 3:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/theres-no-a-in-definitely-theres-no-d-in-privilege/358858/80 "2006-06-01T03:38:33Z")
There’s a sign in the toilets at work that’s eating at my brain at the moment - “Please be considerate of the person _that_ has to use this toilet after you”. Now I’ll cop to the fact that I don’t know that it’s wrong, but something keeps niggling in my brain and says “people aren’t thats they’re whos”. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/theres-no-a-in-definitely-theres-no-d-in-privilege/358858.md?page=3) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/theres-no-a-in-definitely-theres-no-d-in-privilege/358858.md?page=5)