# Yet another "improper word usages that drive me nuts" thread **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [November 25, 2008, 11:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yet-another-improper-word-usages-that-drive-me-nuts-thread/474495 "2008-11-25T23:41:52Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 5\ **Page:** 5
**Author:** ![Spectre\_of\_Pithecanthropus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spectre_of_pithecanthropus/32/12343_2.png) [@Spectre\_of\_Pithecanthropus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spectre_of_Pithecanthropus)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2008, 7:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yet-another-improper-word-usages-that-drive-me-nuts-thread/474495/81 "2008-11-29T07:58:06Z")
> [@seodoa](#): > > Oh! Overlook is another good contranym. How about “sanction” as a noun, which is a punitive or restrictive measure by the international community against a nation for some transgression, but the verb “to sanction” means to condone or allow? ---
**Author:** ![Spectre\_of\_Pithecanthropus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spectre_of_pithecanthropus/32/12343_2.png) [@Spectre\_of\_Pithecanthropus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spectre_of_Pithecanthropus)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2008, 8:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yet-another-improper-word-usages-that-drive-me-nuts-thread/474495/82 "2008-11-29T08:04:45Z")
> [@seodoa](#): > > At my school, both the textbook and the curriculum insists that we teach “I’m sleepy/happy/sad/crazy/whatever” as responses to the greeting “How are you?” This has always bugged me a little bit, since, in normal English usage, we don’t expect an honest reply. I Speaking of this sort of usage, I distinctly remember in primary school (for me, 1964 to 1969), the teachers would never say that so-and-so was out “sick”. They would always tell us instead that the kid was **ill** , which on the other hand one never heard elsewhere in conversation. I suppose the idea then was that “be” must take an adverb. I can just imagine the thought process one might go through: > [@Pervoid logic](#): > > “How are you?” “I am not well at all. My skill and effectiveness, at the whole process of being, is pretty lousy today I am not well at all. I suck at being, righteously, today, and if my job requirement were that I be, I would get fired if this went on too long. I would have to say, in short, I am ill.” . Do teachers still insist on “ill” in this context? ---
**Author:** ![SeaDragonTattoo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/df705f/32.png) [@SeaDragonTattoo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SeaDragonTattoo)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2008, 12:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yet-another-improper-word-usages-that-drive-me-nuts-thread/474495/83 "2008-11-29T12:14:17Z")
> [@Spectre\_of\_Pithecanthropus](#): > > I’ve been seeing “sentance” around here lately. I can’t believe that there are people who do not know the correct spelling of that word. That, and “definately”, both of which are sending my spell checker into fits as I type this. Really, people, is it that hard to run the spell check? Google tool bar, easy and free to all. When did things start to happen “On accident”? I’ve certainly done things by accident, but _on_ one? I hear this all the time now and it’s making me crazy. ---
**Author:** ![ftg](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ftg/32/2801_2.png) [@ftg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ftg)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2008, 1:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yet-another-improper-word-usages-that-drive-me-nuts-thread/474495/84 "2008-11-29T13:47:35Z")
> [@seodoa](#): > > Blame Scott Bakula and Dean Stockwell, I know I do. Missed the whole point of my post did we? ---
**Author:** ![Baal\_Houtham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/baal_houtham/32/13604_2.png) [@Baal\_Houtham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baal_Houtham)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2008, 4:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yet-another-improper-word-usages-that-drive-me-nuts-thread/474495/85 "2008-11-29T16:12:38Z")
> [@ftg](#): > > One of my pet peeves. “Quantum” (“how much” meaning a vague amount) has been around for over 2000 years! The Physics usage is recent by comparison. My AH computer dictionary gives the Physics meaning as _fourth_. Why on Earth do people thing that it can _only_ be used in a Physics context now is beyond me. > > A little knowledge means you can worry about something else. Hmmm, I think I’m missing the point of your post too. * * * Weighing in on the various usages under discussion–because usage and opinions ultimately decide such issues, although it sometimes takes centuries: “Unique” can be a comparative term, because things can be unique in a limited context or unique in all the universe. “Completely unique” implies the latter. A unique answer in a classroom is likely unique in a very limited sense. Using “literally” to mean its opposite bothers me. It was interesting to read the olde verse using “no love lost,” but I grew up learning the present meaning and consider it a useful expression. Likewise, “quantum leap” is a useful and clear expression. It means a change or insight that involve a fundamental change. You’ve moved to a different (energy) state instead of screwing around with tweaks in the old one. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yet-another-improper-word-usages-that-drive-me-nuts-thread/474495.md?page=4)