# Word Choices - Pleaded vs Pled **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [November 16, 2015, 2:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/word-choices-pleaded-vs-pled/737693 "2015-11-16T14:05:08Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Charlie\_Wayne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/4bbf92/32.png) [@Charlie\_Wayne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Charlie_Wayne)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2015, 2:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/word-choices-pleaded-vs-pled/737693/1 "2015-11-16T14:05:08Z")
I just saw the thread started by Mangosteen discussing “sneaked” vs “snuck” and it got me thinking of several other word choices. I thought it might be a good general topic if it was opened up to other word choices. But let me start with a few of my own favorites. I am struck by the large number of people who choose to use “pleaded” as the past tense of “plead” instead of “pled”. The online dictionary cite below makes it look like they are both valid words. But I always thought the correct choice was “pled” as in … “The accused pled guilty”. Dang! Even the spell checker here flags “pled” as a misspelled word. Another frequent word choice is the verb “contract” or “contracted” as in “The patients became sick after they contracted Measles”. I always thought this word was pronounced with the emphasis on the 2nd syllable. But I hear all kinds of variations of this word and almost no one ever uses the word “contracted” with the emphasis on “tract”. Instead, I hear people saying “contacted” or “contract” with the emphasis on the wrong syllable. I get the impression that most people don’t seem to know you can use this word both as a legal agreement as well as the form “to catch some disease”. Another sad choice is “should of” instead of “should have”. Also “could of”, “would of”. Whenever I hear any of these three, it makes my skin crawl. I find these particularly unfortunate because they are so clearly wrong. Is it a sign of a crumbling educational system? Or is it a sign that I am just too damn picky? When writing anywhere on the net, it seems that if people mention incorrect word choices - no matter how delicately they try to make the point - they are roundly attacked for being a nit picking half wit (etc.) for being picky about spelling and grammar. This really saddens me and I have to try very hard to just keep my mouth shut. > **[Definition of plead | Dictionary.com](https://www.dictionary.com/browse/pleaded?s=t)** > > Plead definition, to appeal or entreat earnestly: to plead for time. See more. But what do you think? Do you have some examples that irk you? Please feel free to post those word choices. I’d love to see some other examples. As far as Mangosteen’s thread goes, I apologize if it appears that I am hijacking that thread. Note to mods: Please feel free to merge this thread with his. I just thought it might be an interesting thread if it was opened up to more word choices. The following is a Wiki entry that discusses several wods that end with “onym” - such as antonym, synonym, homonym, etc. I know there are more of these. But I just can’t think of any offhand. > **[\-onym](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/-onym)** > > The suffix -onym (from Ancient Greek: ὄνυμα, lit. 'name') is a bound morpheme, that is attached to the end of a root word, thus forming a new compound word that designates a particular class of names. In linguistic terminology, compound words that are formed with suffix -onym are most commonly used as designations for various onomastic classes. Most onomastic terms that are formed with suffix -onym are classical compounds, whose word roots are taken from classical languages (Greek and Latin).\[ Fo... antonym: a word with the exact opposite meaning of another word; an antithesis: often shown in opposite word pairs such as “high” and “low” (compare with “synonym”) capitonym: a word that changes its meaning (and sometimes pronunciation) when it is capitalized, such as March and march or Polish and polish. contronym or antagonym or autoantonym: a word that may have opposite meanings in different contexts, such as cleave meaning “stick together” or “split apart” heteronym: a word that is spelled in the same way as another but that has a different sound and meaning, for example “bow” as in “bow of a ship” or “bow and arrow” (compare “homonym”) homonym: a word pronounced like another, but differing in meaning or derivation or spelling - isonym: 1: a word having the same root or stem as another - also known as paronym. Compare exonym, heteronym, paronym, and synonym.synonym: metonym: a word that substitutes a part for the whole it is associated with, for example “crown” for “monarch”; metonymy is the figure of speech incorporating a metonym necronym: a reference to or name of a person who has died. numeronym: is a number-based word. paronym: a word that is related to another word and derives from the same root; a cognate word, such as dubious and doubtful patronym or patronymic: a name adopted from the father’s or ancestor’s name, for example “Johnson” from “John,” “MacDonald” from “Donald,” “O’Brien” from “Brien,” or “Ivanovich” from “Ivan” tautonym: a binomial or scientific name in the taxonomy of living things in which the generic and specific names are the same, such as Gorilla gorilla; ---
**Author:** ![Inner\_Stickler](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/inner_stickler/32/318_2.png) [@Inner\_Stickler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Inner_Stickler)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2015, 6:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/word-choices-pleaded-vs-pled/737693/2 "2015-11-16T18:04:40Z")
> [@Charlie\_Wayne](#): > > Another sad choice is “should of” instead of “should have”. Also “could of”, “would of”. Whenever I hear any of these three, it makes my skin crawl. :dubious: ---
**Author:** ![Dragwyr](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dragwyr/32/2855_2.png) [@Dragwyr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dragwyr)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2015, 6:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/word-choices-pleaded-vs-pled/737693/3 "2015-11-16T18:51:12Z")
My pet peeve on this is “Commentator”. A commentator is not one who “Commentates”, he just “comments”. ---
**Author:** ![Charlie\_Wayne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/4bbf92/32.png) [@Charlie\_Wayne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Charlie_Wayne)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2015, 7:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/word-choices-pleaded-vs-pled/737693/4 "2015-11-16T19:15:41Z")
> [@Inner\_Stickler](#): > > :dubious: Would you mind if I ask what that smilie means? Do those phrases bother you too? Or do you object to my saying they are wrong? I’m asking because I don’t recognize that smilie. I’ve never seen it before. I hope you won’t mind my asking you to explain it to me? ---
**Author:** ![Inner\_Stickler](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/inner_stickler/32/318_2.png) [@Inner\_Stickler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Inner_Stickler)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2015, 8:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/word-choices-pleaded-vs-pled/737693/5 "2015-11-16T20:39:49Z")
Of is pronounced by everyone as /əv/ (using the IPA, a standard phonological transcription alphabet) or perhaps less academically as “uv”. The contracted have in could’ve, would’ve and should’ve is also pronounced as /əv/. To hear someone saying /əv/ instead of /əv/ is impressive indeed. ---
**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2015, 9:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/word-choices-pleaded-vs-pled/737693/6 "2015-11-16T21:11:56Z")
> [@Inner\_Stickler](#): > > Of is pronounced by everyone as /əv/ (using the IPA, a standard phonological transcription alphabet) or perhaps less academically as “uv”. The contracted have in could’ve, would’ve and should’ve is also pronounced as /əv/. To hear someone saying /əv/ instead of /əv/ is impressive indeed. :dubious: “Could’ve,” “would’ve,” etc. are contractions of “could have” and “would have,” not “could of” and “would of.” ---
**Author:** ![suranyi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e36b37/32.png) [@suranyi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/suranyi)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2015, 9:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/word-choices-pleaded-vs-pled/737693/7 "2015-11-16T21:29:18Z")
> [@panache45](#): > > :dubious: > > “Could’ve,” “would’ve,” etc. are contractions of “could have” and “would have,” not “could of” and “would of.” The point is that in spoken language, there’s no way to tell the difference between “could’ve” and “could of”. You can’t tell someone is speaking wrong by the way he pronounces this. The OP said whenever he HEARs this it makes his skin crawl. You cannot hear the difference between these two. ---
**Author:** ![Inner\_Stickler](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/inner_stickler/32/318_2.png) [@Inner\_Stickler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Inner_Stickler)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2015, 9:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/word-choices-pleaded-vs-pled/737693/8 "2015-11-16T21:29:28Z")
> [@panache45](#): > > :dubious: > > “Could’ve,” “would’ve,” etc. are contractions of “could have” and “would have,” not “could of” and “would of.” No shit, really? ---
**Author:** ![Asimovian](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/asimovian/32/172_2.png) [@Asimovian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Asimovian)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2015, 9:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/word-choices-pleaded-vs-pled/737693/9 "2015-11-16T21:29:53Z")
> [@panache45](#): > > :dubious: > > “Could’ve,” “would’ve,” etc. are contractions of “could have” and “would have,” not “could of” and “would of.” But isn’t that exactly what he just said? > [@Inner\_Stickler](#): > > The contracted **have** in could’ve, would’ve and should’ve is also pronounced as /əv/. [emphasis added] The point as I took it is that it would be difficult, if not impossible, for anyone listening to know whether a speaker is saying “could of” or “could’ve.” ---
**Author:** ![Omar\_Little](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/omar_little/32/269_2.png) [@Omar\_Little](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Omar_Little)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2015, 9:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/word-choices-pleaded-vs-pled/737693/10 "2015-11-16T21:49:58Z")
Don’t ever underestimate the auditory cognition of Charlie Wayne! ---
**Author:** ![Inner\_Stickler](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/inner_stickler/32/318_2.png) [@Inner\_Stickler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Inner_Stickler)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2015, 9:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/word-choices-pleaded-vs-pled/737693/11 "2015-11-16T21:58:48Z")
Yes, Asimovian and Suranyi have correctly interpreted my meaning. I am surprised as I assumed that the first sentence would be where people might misread, not the third! This is as good a time as any to admit that I dislike it when people pronounce words with the -es plural ending with what I learned in grade school as the long E sound. I understand though I don’t agree with the choice to say a word like processes in this manner as the speaker usually, though not always, is attempting to draw a distinction between processes as a noun and processes as a verb. But when whassisname was on Trevor Noah last week and throwing biasEEs around, I was on edge like a long-tailed cat at a rocking chair convention. ---
**Author:** ![california\_jobcase](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/9d8465/32.png) [@california\_jobcase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/california_jobcase)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2015, 10:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/word-choices-pleaded-vs-pled/737693/12 "2015-11-16T22:10:37Z")
Well, it is one crisis but many crises. Thesis, theses also. Dude was probably just trying to sound smart. Oh, yeah- I like pled because it has fewer syllables. It also follows the style of lead, led, bleed, bled, and feed, fed. ---
**Author:** ![Paintcharge](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/paintcharge/32/7946_2.png) [@Paintcharge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Paintcharge)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2015, 10:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/word-choices-pleaded-vs-pled/737693/13 "2015-11-16T22:16:01Z")
When people say “try and” do x instead of “try to.” Drives me nuts. ---
**Author:** ![Heckity](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/a5b964/32.png) [@Heckity](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Heckity)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2015, 10:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/word-choices-pleaded-vs-pled/737693/14 "2015-11-16T22:35:48Z")
I understand that it’s a regional thing - but when I hear someone “drug something” rather than “dragged something” it takes me a minute to realize there were no pharmaceuticals involved. ---
**Author:** ![Charlie\_Wayne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/4bbf92/32.png) [@Charlie\_Wayne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Charlie_Wayne)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2015, 11:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/word-choices-pleaded-vs-pled/737693/15 "2015-11-16T23:06:52Z")
> [@Inner\_Stickler](#): > > Of is pronounced by everyone as /əv/ (using the IPA, a standard phonological transcription alphabet) or perhaps less academically as “uv”. The contracted have in could’ve, would’ve and should’ve is also pronounced as /əv/. To hear someone saying /əv/ instead of /əv/ is impressive indeed. I guess I should have said that I see people write “would of” instead of saying “would of”. I see that fairly often on the net. Don’t you see that too? People write “could of”, “should of” and “would of”. I often wonder if they do it on purpose to try and get a reaction of whether it’s a symptom of a poor educational system. I have no idea. I’ve always been afraid to call people on that. People do not react very well when criticized about their spelling or grammar. Many people behave as if you did something very bad to them when you criticize their spelling or grammar. ---
**Author:** ![Charlie\_Wayne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/4bbf92/32.png) [@Charlie\_Wayne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Charlie_Wayne)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2015, 11:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/word-choices-pleaded-vs-pled/737693/16 "2015-11-16T23:10:11Z")
> [@Inner\_Stickler](#): > > Yes, Asimovian and Suranyi have correctly interpreted my meaning. I am surprised as I assumed that the first sentence would be where people might misread, not the third! > > This is as good a time as any to admit that I dislike it when people pronounce words with the -es plural ending with what I learned in grade school as the long E sound. I understand though I don’t agree with the choice to say a word like processes in this manner as the speaker usually, though not always, is attempting to draw a distinction between processes as a noun and processes as a verb. But when whassisname was on Trevor Noah last week and throwing biasEEs around, I was on edge like a long-tailed cat at a rocking chair convention. A long-tailed cat at a rocking chair convention. I got a good LOL from that. Heh. I’ve never heard that before. ---
**Author:** ![BigT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigt/32/12044_2.png) [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2015, 1:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/word-choices-pleaded-vs-pled/737693/17 "2015-11-17T01:36:32Z")
I use “pled” for the legal sense (“He pled guilty” or “She pled her case”) but “pleaded” for the synonym with “beg.” ---
**Author:** ![Charlie\_Wayne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/4bbf92/32.png) [@Charlie\_Wayne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Charlie_Wayne)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2015, 1:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/word-choices-pleaded-vs-pled/737693/18 "2015-11-17T01:45:09Z")
> [@Inner\_Stickler](#): > > Of is pronounced by everyone as /əv/ (using the IPA, a standard phonological transcription alphabet) or perhaps less academically as “uv”. The contracted have in could’ve, would’ve and should’ve is also pronounced as /əv/. To hear someone saying /əv/ instead of /əv/ is impressive indeed. I just saw an example today after I read your post. I won’t identify the writer. I think that could be considered rude. But I will send you a private message so you can see for yourself. I’m serious. It was just a short time after reading your post that I read this other post. ---
**Author:** ![Senegoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/senegoid/32/6606_2.png) [@Senegoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Senegoid)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2015, 2:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/word-choices-pleaded-vs-pled/737693/19 "2015-11-17T02:47:32Z")
The good people of KickStarter funded my proposal to found a foundation, but the fundamentals didn’t add up, and the project foundered. ---
**Author:** ![thelurkinghorror](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7c8e57/32.png) [@thelurkinghorror](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thelurkinghorror)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2015, 4:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/word-choices-pleaded-vs-pled/737693/20 "2015-11-17T04:51:20Z")
I have only really encountered “pleaded” when a legal blog or something is speaking of a legal case, and it does make me cringe a little. For all intensive purposes, it’s a mute point and the words are body alright. If you disagree, we’ll go mono e mono! [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/word-choices-pleaded-vs-pled/737693.md?page=2)