# Words or phrases used/misused where you work that drive you crazy **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [April 16, 2003, 6:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-or-phrases-used-misused-where-you-work-that-drive-you-crazy/169136 "2003-04-16T18:36:54Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 5\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![Dante\_Hicks\_1](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dante_hicks_1/32/7236_2.png) [@Dante\_Hicks\_1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dante_Hicks_1)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2003, 6:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-or-phrases-used-misused-where-you-work-that-drive-you-crazy/169136/61 "2003-04-18T18:27:11Z")
“I could care less” rather than “I couldn’t care less.” If you could care less, then why don’t you? ---
**Author:** ![mhendo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mhendo/32/3159_2.png) [@mhendo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mhendo)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2003, 6:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-or-phrases-used-misused-where-you-work-that-drive-you-crazy/169136/62 "2003-04-18T18:32:11Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by godzillatemple \* > \*\*As I recently discovered in another thread, it actually _is_ a big joke and not just a case of everybody being ignorant at once. Apparently, somebody did indeed once write that by mistake, and the misspelling has since become very popular on message boards. Don’t ask me why… > > On a related note, my number one all-time greatest linguistic pet-peeve is seeing supposedly well-educated people use “loose” instead of “lose” when writing (_e.g._, “I have to hurry or else I’ll loose my place in line”). > > I know that in the grand scheme of things it’s really not a big deal, but whenever I see it I want to whip out the ol’ flamethrower… > > Barry\*\* Thanks for the explanation, Barry, although knowing the reason that people write “cow-orker” does not make me any more kindly disposed towards this “word.” While it might be a joke, it’s getting pretty damn old. I also agree with you about the (mis)use of “loose” and “lose.” ---
**Author:** ![sycorob](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9de0a6/32.png) [@sycorob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sycorob)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2003, 6:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-or-phrases-used-misused-where-you-work-that-drive-you-crazy/169136/63 "2003-04-18T18:47:55Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by mhendo \* > \*\*Actually, this thread might be a good place for me to bitch about a word, often used on these Boards, that really drives me crazy: > > cow-orker > > It’s fucking “co-worker” people!!! > > Unless i’m missing some big joke, it seems that every time i see someone talking about a colleague on this Board, the person in question is apparently someone who “orks” cows. \*\* Definately didn’t start here on Straight Dope. Cow-orker is referenced in various Dilbert books - meaning that your co-worker is no smarter than a barnyard animal. Clever when first used, but I’m a little tired of it now. Probably doesn’t help, does it. ---
**Author:** ![ReBusEniGma](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/d9b06d/32.png) [@ReBusEniGma](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ReBusEniGma)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2003, 11:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-or-phrases-used-misused-where-you-work-that-drive-you-crazy/169136/64 "2003-04-21T23:07:53Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by mhendo \* > \*\* While the “g” may not be enunciated separately from the “n,” its presence does change the way the word is pronounced, so it’s not correct to say that the “g” is silent. As missbunny suggested, if you removed the “g” from these words and pronounced them phonetically, the pronunciation would change to “go-in,” “run-in,” etc > > A letter is only truly silent if it is not pronounced separately, and if it’s presence alongside other letters does not change the way those letters are pronounced. For example: > > “condemn” could be pronounced the same way if the final “n” were removed, so the “n” is silent. > > “chaotic” could be pronounced the same way if the “h” were removed, so the “h” is silent. \*\* :::mischievous grin::: **mhendo** , I still respectfully disagree with you. BTW, this is not a nitpick, its phonemics! I know I know, it’s IMHO, but indulge me just a little I’m just a little confused at the logic used here. Based on the above explanation, which phonics rule are you referring to? Why would we want to drop the ‘g’ in the first place? It may change the sound of the word, but so would changing any letter. (?) Additionally, whether that changed the word’s sound or not, it would still be spelled wrong. In the suffix -ing, if the G is not enunciated or not pronounced, is it not silent then? How do you pronounce the word “Gnat”? I hear about as much noice from that G as I do from the little feller on the end of “sing”. What sound does it make? I think that the definitions of ‘not pronounced’ and ‘silent’ are fairly synonymous. Any thesaurus will confirm. As Mr. **Snake-Hips** stated in such sweet subtlety, “The G is not silent, it’s just not pronounced”. [I wish I would have thought of saying that. :::bowing in reverence to Mr. \*\*Snake-Hips’\*\* marvelous wordsmithing:::] 😃 . The issue IMO is not in which letter you drop (in reference to dropping the ‘g’) and maintaining pronunciation but rather in applying the particular pronunciation and phonetic rules that pertain to that construct. Here’s where I think the discrepancy lies: While many loosely (and lazily, admitting my own guilt) _refer_ to the NG in -ing as a blend or Consonant Blend, it’s true grammatical term is a _Consonant Digraph_. There really are differences between the two and different rules apply to each phoneme. In short: With **Consonant Blends** you pronounce the two letters together but usually still hear each individual letter. **Consonant Digraphs** on the other hand, you can not; it’s _one_ unique sound. The very definition of a digraph being: _A pair of letters representing ONE amalgamated speech sound._ In the metaphorical sense, fused consonants. The same applies to vowels. In the word “Chaotic”, CH is also a digraph, as is MN and CK. There are many. Examples of ending word **Consonant Blends** would be LK (hulk), ST (twist, which is a double blend), LF (wolf) or ND (blend). NG is a Consonant Digraph, thus ONE speech sound. Some people pronounce the NG in “si **ng** ” the same as in “si **ng** le”, ergo my original beef of the G in the suffix -ing being anything other than…er…unpronounced shall we say. –\*Hmmm, I should have just stated it that way in my first response to the OP (without reference to a K-like sound). Probably would have saved a lot of time! Ah well, I enjoy the discourse anyway \* 🙂 That’s it. :::sighs::: Perhaps one day I’ll learn the art of succinct posts. ---
**Author:** ![litost](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c4cdca/32.png) [@litost](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/litost)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2003, 12:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-or-phrases-used-misused-where-you-work-that-drive-you-crazy/169136/65 "2003-04-22T00:15:19Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Avarie537 \* > \*\*A note on the “-ing” issue … My best friend in grade school pronounced it “een,” as in, “Did you go swimmeen yesterday?” and “We were playeen dodgeball at recess.” > > I work with Japanese people. I won’t even BEGIN to discuss misused/mispronounced words!! \*\* I am pretty convinced it is a MidWestern thing. CNN’s Aaron Brown does the same thing. Here’s hoping he is from the Midwest! [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-or-phrases-used-misused-where-you-work-that-drive-you-crazy/169136.md?page=3)