# Um...I think you've gotten that saying wrong **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [August 31, 2010, 2:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/um-i-think-youve-gotten-that-saying-wrong/552130 "2010-08-31T14:15:04Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 5
**Author:** ![picunurse](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/7bcc69/32.png) [@picunurse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/picunurse)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2010, 1:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/um-i-think-youve-gotten-that-saying-wrong/552130/81 "2010-09-01T13:16:45Z")
> [@not\_alice](#): > > > [@Salem](#): > > > > My Ex would always say, if we were heading out somewhere early, that we had to get up at the “crack of doom”. I would say _DAWN. DAWN_. He would say DOOM. Every time. It was a telling misuse by Mr Negativity. > > Oh you mean at dark o’clock? We leave a little later… O’dark thirty. ---
**Author:** ![saje](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/saje/32/3631_2.png) [@saje](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/saje)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2010, 1:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/um-i-think-youve-gotten-that-saying-wrong/552130/82 "2010-09-01T13:56:24Z")
This one is written not spoken, but it bugs the hell out of me even as I can’t help laughing: “So I’m standing there looking at my poor dead dog and balling my eyes out…” A former boss had a few choice specimens: dust to dawn lights 50-50 hindsight a few bricks short of a picnic and she could not pronounce or spell ‘cordura’, it always came out ‘cadora’ and one the whole group got in a huge kerfuffle over: ‘nip it in the butt’ vs ‘nip it in the BUD’ (which of course is correct). I couldn’t believe how many think it’s the first one! ---
**Author:** ![Gus\_Gusterson](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/85f322/32.png) [@Gus\_Gusterson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gus_Gusterson)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2010, 1:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/um-i-think-youve-gotten-that-saying-wrong/552130/83 "2010-09-01T13:58:58Z")
There are far too many people who refer to Ground Zero in NYC as “hollowed ground”. Here’s just one: [http://media.www.thetriangle.org/media/storage/paper689/news/2005/06/24/EdOp/Sept-11.Memorial.Vandalized.By.Lunatics-959104.shtml](http://media.www.thetriangle.org/media/storage/paper689/news/2005/06/24/EdOp/Sept-11.Memorial.Vandalized.By.Lunatics-959104.shtml) ---
**Author:** ![saje](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/saje/32/3631_2.png) [@saje](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/saje)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2010, 2:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/um-i-think-youve-gotten-that-saying-wrong/552130/84 "2010-09-01T14:02:19Z")
> [@Ludovic](#): > > > [@ShallowEnd](#): > > > > Not phrases, but words that I wish people would pronounce correctly, Chaps and Forte. > > How would _you_ pronounce “Chaps”, and in what context? Chaps as in fellows is pronounced with a hard CH sound, as in choice. If you are talking about the garment cowboys wear over their jeans to ride in, it’s supposed to be a softer sch sound, sort of like Schnapps but without the N sound. But most english-style riders (at least east coast ones) pronounce it the hard CH way anyway. Forte is fort-ay (with a short ay, not aayy). ---
**Author:** ![Nzinga\_Seated](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/b5ac83/32.png) [@Nzinga\_Seated](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nzinga_Seated)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2010, 2:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/um-i-think-youve-gotten-that-saying-wrong/552130/85 "2010-09-01T14:13:38Z")
> [@saje](#): > > Forte is fort-ay (with a short ay, not aayy). I’m not certain of what you mean here. Do you mean the emphasis is on the first syllable, but most folks think it is on the second one? I remember reading somewhere that the word actually is pronounced just ‘fort’ but that so many people use hyperforeignism\* that now it is pretty much correct to just say it ‘fort-ay’. I have no clue if that is true, so I avoid saying the word at all. Figuring those things out just isn’t my…niche. ETA: \* I learned that word from one of the links in this thread. I am going to try to work it into my conversations more. ---
**Author:** ![Nava](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/da6949/32.png) [@Nava](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nava)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2010, 2:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/um-i-think-youve-gotten-that-saying-wrong/552130/86 "2010-09-01T14:18:20Z")
> [@ENugent](#): > > From a [NY Times](http://www.nytimes.com/2010/08/31/us/politics/31flag.html) story today: > > > [@](#): > > > > That means no pennants baring sports team logos, no Jolly Rogers, no rainbow banners celebrating gay pride and no historic flags showing a coiled rattlesnake **bearing** its fangs. > > I imagine the snake supporting a silver platter on its head, with its fangs nicely arranged to be served. And what are the sports teams logos wearing, that they are not bared? ---
**Author:** ![kittenblue](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/ba8739/32.png) [@kittenblue](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kittenblue)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2010, 2:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/um-i-think-youve-gotten-that-saying-wrong/552130/87 "2010-09-01T14:23:37Z")
> [@not\_alice](#): > > > [@Salem](#): > > > > My Ex would always say, if we were heading out somewhere early, that we had to get up at the “crack of doom”. I would say _DAWN. DAWN_. He would say DOOM. Every time. It was a telling misuse by Mr Negativity. > > Oh you mean at dark o’clock? The Buttcrack of Dawn is our favorite way to say that… ---
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2010, 2:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/um-i-think-youve-gotten-that-saying-wrong/552130/88 "2010-09-01T14:33:46Z")
> [@](#): > > Forte is fort-ay (with a short ay, not aayy). Boy, is that gonna open a can of worms. A lot of folks here think that should be pronounced “fort”, and have good reasons to bck it up. relevant link: > **[Forte](http://www.worldwidewords.org/qa/qa-for1.htm)** > > What’s the proper pronunciation of forte? ---
**Author:** ![Gyrate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gyrate/32/3588_2.png) [@Gyrate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gyrate)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2010, 2:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/um-i-think-youve-gotten-that-saying-wrong/552130/89 "2010-09-01T14:34:12Z")
> [@Nzinga\_Seated](#): > > > [@saje](#): > > > > Forte is fort-ay (with a short ay, not aayy). > > I’m not certain of what you mean here. Do you mean the emphasis is on the first syllable, but most folks think it is on the second one? > > I remember reading somewhere that the word actually is pronounced just ‘fort’ but that so many people use hyperforeignism\* that now it is pretty much correct to just say it ‘fort-ay’. I have no clue if that is true, so I avoid saying the word at all. Figuring those things out just isn’t my…niche. > > ETA: \* I learned that word from one of the links in this thread. I am going to try to work it into my conversations more. The problem is that people mix up the Italian “for-tay” (used in music to mean “loud”) and the French “fort” (for “strength”); they’re both spelled “forte” but the people tend to use the Italian pronunciation for the French meaning. ---
**Author:** ![Zeldar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/b77776/32.png) [@Zeldar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zeldar)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2010, 2:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/um-i-think-youve-gotten-that-saying-wrong/552130/90 "2010-09-01T14:34:14Z")
> [@Nzinga\_Seated](#): > > > [@saje](#): > > > > Forte is fort-ay (with a short ay, not aayy). > > I’m not certain of what you mean here. Do you mean the emphasis is on the first syllable, but most folks think it is on the second one? > > I remember reading somewhere that the word actually is pronounced just ‘fort’ but that so many people use hyperforeignism\* that now it is pretty much correct to just say it ‘fort-ay’. I have no clue if that is true, so I avoid saying the word at all. Figuring those things out just isn’t my…niche. > > ETA: \* I learned that word from one of the links in this thread. I am going to try to work it into my conversations more. I’m right there with you on this and other words (phrases even) where there’s some dispute over correctness. Why bother? Synonyms or other ways of saying the same thing avoid the hassle and who needs the bother of being “corrected” over such trivial matters, especially when the philosophical issues of _descriptivists_ versus _prescriptivists_ get dragged in. You say potato, I say potato, and Dan Quayle says potatoe. If it’s such a big deal, say rice. ---
**Author:** ![saje](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/saje/32/3631_2.png) [@saje](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/saje)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2010, 2:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/um-i-think-youve-gotten-that-saying-wrong/552130/91 "2010-09-01T14:57:45Z")
> [@Gyrate](#): > > > [@Nzinga\_Seated](#): > > > > I’m not certain of what you mean here. Do you mean the emphasis is on the first syllable, but most folks think it is on the second one? > > > > I remember reading somewhere that the word actually is pronounced just ‘fort’ but that so many people use hyperforeignism\* that now it is pretty much correct to just say it ‘fort-ay’. I have no clue if that is true, so I avoid saying the word at all. Figuring those things out just isn’t my…niche. > > > > ETA: \* I learned that word from one of the links in this thread. I am going to try to work it into my conversations more. > > The problem is that people mix up the Italian “for-tay” (used in music to mean “loud”) and the French “fort” (for “strength”); they’re both spelled “forte” but the people tend to use the Italian pronunciation for the French meaning. You’re right, I was thinking of the musical one, not the “strong point”. ---
**Author:** ![YogSothoth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/8edcca/32.png) [@YogSothoth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/YogSothoth)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2010, 3:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/um-i-think-youve-gotten-that-saying-wrong/552130/92 "2010-09-01T15:42:44Z")
> [@Mean\_Mr.Mustard](#): > > > [@](#): > > > > It bothers me when people say “peaked”, as in “My interest was peaked” instead of “piqued” > > How can you tell which they are saying, since they’re pronounced the same? > mmm I can see sound! But rather I meant to say when I read people writing “peaked”… :o ---
**Author:** ![YogSothoth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/8edcca/32.png) [@YogSothoth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/YogSothoth)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2010, 4:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/um-i-think-youve-gotten-that-saying-wrong/552130/93 "2010-09-01T16:11:25Z")
> [@california\_jobcase](#): > > YogSosoth- do the users of “peaked” mean the definition here? - [pique - Wiktionary, the free dictionary](http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/pique) > > Or do they mean “aroused my interest” or “caught my interest” as I have heard sometimes? > Neither peaked nor piqued means that. > > [peaked - Wiktionary, the free dictionary](http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/peaked) > [http://www.onelook.com/?w=peaked&ls=a](http://www.onelook.com/?w=peaked&ls=a) Argh! I don’t know anymore! _holds head in corner and cries in fetal position_ ---
**Author:** ![Crackrat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/919ad9/32.png) [@Crackrat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crackrat)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2010, 4:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/um-i-think-youve-gotten-that-saying-wrong/552130/94 "2010-09-01T16:32:25Z")
> [@YogSosoth](#): > > > [@california\_jobcase](#): > > > > YogSosoth- do the users of “peaked” mean the definition here? - [pique - Wiktionary, the free dictionary](http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/pique) > > > > Or do they mean “aroused my interest” or “caught my interest” as I have heard sometimes? > > Neither peaked nor piqued means that. > > > > [peaked - Wiktionary, the free dictionary](http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/peaked) > > [http://www.onelook.com/?w=peaked&ls=a](http://www.onelook.com/?w=peaked&ls=a) > > Argh! I don’t know anymore! > > _holds head in corner and cries in fetal position_ Your link, under the verb section, definition 2, is “To excite to action by causing resentment or jealousy; **to stimulate** ; to prick; **as, to pique ambition, or curiosity.** ” Bolding mine. ---
**Author:** ![Heckity](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/a5b964/32.png) [@Heckity](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Heckity)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2010, 5:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/um-i-think-youve-gotten-that-saying-wrong/552130/95 "2010-09-01T17:04:15Z")
> [@FairyChatMom](#): > > My dad mixed a couple and came up with a gem once. He was leading a school fund-raising effort and he wanted to let everyone know that if we came up a little short, the principal had a plan to help us hit our goal. I think he meant to say “Ace up his sleeve” but he was also thinking “Ace in the hole.” He wound up declaring that the principal had an “ace up his hole.” > > :eek: > > 😃 > > Lucky for everyone, we met the goal and didn’t need that ace. Okay - that made me snort my coffee - thanks! My ex-MIL used to mix up everything: “if you get me another piece of cake, I’ll love you _internally_” Which I took to mean from the inside/out. She called her cholesterol levels her “colester-oil” levels. ---
**Author:** ![Zeldar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/b77776/32.png) [@Zeldar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zeldar)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2010, 5:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/um-i-think-youve-gotten-that-saying-wrong/552130/96 "2010-09-01T17:06:51Z")
> [@Heckity](#): > > > [@FairyChatMom](#): > > > > My dad mixed a couple and came up with a gem once. He was leading a school fund-raising effort and he wanted to let everyone know that if we came up a little short, the principal had a plan to help us hit our goal. I think he meant to say “Ace up his sleeve” but he was also thinking “Ace in the hole.” He wound up declaring that the principal had an “ace up his hole.” > > > > :eek: > > > > 😃 > > > > Lucky for everyone, we met the goal and didn’t need that ace. > > Okay - that made me snort my coffee - thanks! > > My ex-MIL used to mix up everything: > > “if you get me another piece of cake, I’ll love you _internally_” Which I took to mean from the inside/out. > > She called her cholesterol levels her “colester-oil” levels. This made me remember that my MIL (and others in her age bracket I have heard on the topic) refers to _Alzheimer’s_ as _Old-timers_. ---
**Author:** ![yanceylebeef](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yanceylebeef/32/12290_2.png) [@yanceylebeef](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/yanceylebeef)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2010, 5:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/um-i-think-youve-gotten-that-saying-wrong/552130/97 "2010-09-01T17:12:31Z")
> [@Siam\_Sam](#): > > And of course, it’s a “vicious circle” and NOT a “vicious cycle.” Ignorance fought! Thanks **Sam** , I never knew this and actually lookied it up. ---
**Author:** ![treis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/bc79bd/32.png) [@treis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/treis)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2010, 5:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/um-i-think-youve-gotten-that-saying-wrong/552130/98 "2010-09-01T17:57:43Z")
> [@Nzinga\_Seated](#): > > > [@treis](#): > > > > Really, cite? > > I don’t have a cite, but that is what I have always thought it meant. I actually didn’t even understand it the other way (in other words, when people used it the other way, I didn’t understand that stick = beating…I just thought they were misunderstanding the original usage). > > I seem to dimly remember an old fable or something about a mule with a stick and carrot tied in front of him. I’m not at all sure, though. ( I did find [this cartoon](http://www.cartoonstock.com/lowres/cga0172l.jpg)on google images) Yes, that carrot on a stick meme is well known, but it isn’t what people mean when they say we need to use “the carrot and the stick”. They mean that they need to use both punishment and reward, not dangle an impossible to acquire incentive. > [@yanceylebeef](#): > > Ignorance fought! Thanks Sam, I never knew this and actually lookied it up. There’s nothing wrong with using cycle instead of circle since those words are synonyms. There is no big book of metaphors that one must adhere to. ---
**Author:** ![OtisCampbellWasRight](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/d78d45/32.png) [@OtisCampbellWasRight](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OtisCampbellWasRight)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2010, 5:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/um-i-think-youve-gotten-that-saying-wrong/552130/99 "2010-09-01T17:58:36Z")
This one truly drives me crazy; and there are two variations of it to boot: When people say “Ex Cetera” or “Ek Cetera” instead of "Et Cetera. I mean, doesn’t the abbreviation ETC give you a clue? :smack: ---
**Author:** ![Bricker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/977dab/32.png) [@Bricker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bricker)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2010, 6:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/um-i-think-youve-gotten-that-saying-wrong/552130/100 "2010-09-01T18:16:09Z")
I was once indigently asked who appointed me Judge Judy and executioner. But it was a mute point. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/um-i-think-youve-gotten-that-saying-wrong/552130.md?page=4) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/um-i-think-youve-gotten-that-saying-wrong/552130.md?page=6)