Comments on: The Currently Most Frequently Misused Word in the English Language http://www.anwyn.com/2008/01/28/the-currently-most-frequently-misused-word-in-the-english-language/ Sometime editor, all-the-time mother, delivering facts, reviews, commentary, and rants. Occasionally in that order. Fri, 05 Sep 2008 22:10:08 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.0.4 by: Anne http://www.anwyn.com/2008/01/28/the-currently-most-frequently-misused-word-in-the-english-language/#comment-204824 Thu, 31 Jan 2008 21:53:30 +0000 http://www.anwyn.com/2008/01/28/the-currently-most-frequently-misused-word-in-the-english-language/#comment-204824 Sometimes "ain't" is the only right word to use. Such as, "That ain't so." I can live without "comprise" because it's such a sissybritches word to begin with, used to sound smart instead of comprehensible. (I can be incomprehensible without sounding smart.) Please, help yourself. Make lots of arrests. Somebody needs to, 'cause it just ain't right. I don't care who said it. Sometimes “ain’t” is the only right word to use. Such as, “That ain’t so.”

I can live without “comprise” because it’s such a sissybritches word to begin with, used to sound smart instead of comprehensible. (I can be incomprehensible without sounding smart.)

Please, help yourself. Make lots of arrests. Somebody needs to, ’cause it just ain’t right. I don’t care who said it.

]]> by: Anwyn http://www.anwyn.com/2008/01/28/the-currently-most-frequently-misused-word-in-the-english-language/#comment-203446 Wed, 30 Jan 2008 01:37:35 +0000 http://www.anwyn.com/2008/01/28/the-currently-most-frequently-misused-word-in-the-english-language/#comment-203446 I've seen its cousin, an't, in Jane Austen, but that was for "are not." We come at this from slightly different angles--my primary editorial concern is readability. I can see how ain't might have been considered a bit clumsy in that regard, but I think your point about the missing contraction would weigh more. I too wonder how it fell out--misuse is as good a guess as any, probably better. I’ve seen its cousin, an’t, in Jane Austen, but that was for “are not.” We come at this from slightly different angles–my primary editorial concern is readability. I can see how ain’t might have been considered a bit clumsy in that regard, but I think your point about the missing contraction would weigh more. I too wonder how it fell out–misuse is as good a guess as any, probably better.

]]> by: Xrlq http://www.anwyn.com/2008/01/28/the-currently-most-frequently-misused-word-in-the-english-language/#comment-203439 Wed, 30 Jan 2008 01:23:54 +0000 http://www.anwyn.com/2008/01/28/the-currently-most-frequently-misused-word-in-the-english-language/#comment-203439 As a recovering linguist, it's not my place to be for or against any particular expressions. I do find it odd, though, that <i>ain't</i> fell out of favor, resulting in the lexical gap described above. I don't know what caused the word to fall from grace. Maybe the fact that people started using it in the plural, and in the second and third person? As a recovering linguist, it’s not my place to be for or against any particular expressions. I do find it odd, though, that ain’t fell out of favor, resulting in the lexical gap described above. I don’t know what caused the word to fall from grace. Maybe the fact that people started using it in the plural, and in the second and third person?

]]> by: Anwyn http://www.anwyn.com/2008/01/28/the-currently-most-frequently-misused-word-in-the-english-language/#comment-203418 Wed, 30 Jan 2008 00:51:50 +0000 http://www.anwyn.com/2008/01/28/the-currently-most-frequently-misused-word-in-the-english-language/#comment-203418 Well, before I answer, can you confirm that that really is your position rather than a great yawning sarchasm proffered for me to tip myself into? :) Well, before I answer, can you confirm that that really is your position rather than a great yawning sarchasm proffered for me to tip myself into? :)

]]> by: Xrlq http://www.anwyn.com/2008/01/28/the-currently-most-frequently-misused-word-in-the-english-language/#comment-203387 Tue, 29 Jan 2008 23:50:58 +0000 http://www.anwyn.com/2008/01/28/the-currently-most-frequently-misused-word-in-the-english-language/#comment-203387 I can deal with old-fashioned as long as it works in favor of linguistic freedom as well as against it. Can I count on your support for rehabilitating the much-maligned <i>ain't</i> as the accepted contraction for "am not" that it once was? We're still missing a contraction in that department, and the English has never been the same since, as evidenced by that grammatically retarded tag question "Aren't I?" Yes, I are. I can deal with old-fashioned as long as it works in favor of linguistic freedom as well as against it. Can I count on your support for rehabilitating the much-maligned ain’t as the accepted contraction for “am not” that it once was? We’re still missing a contraction in that department, and the English has never been the same since, as evidenced by that grammatically retarded tag question “Aren’t I?” Yes, I are.

]]> by: Anwyn http://www.anwyn.com/2008/01/28/the-currently-most-frequently-misused-word-in-the-english-language/#comment-203065 Tue, 29 Jan 2008 15:28:20 +0000 http://www.anwyn.com/2008/01/28/the-currently-most-frequently-misused-word-in-the-english-language/#comment-203065 Xrlq--Not false arrest, just arrest under a very old statute. :) What can I say, I'm an old-fashioned girl. Xrlq–Not false arrest, just arrest under a very old statute. :) What can I say, I’m an old-fashioned girl.

]]> by: Chuck Bell http://www.anwyn.com/2008/01/28/the-currently-most-frequently-misused-word-in-the-english-language/#comment-203021 Tue, 29 Jan 2008 14:01:24 +0000 http://www.anwyn.com/2008/01/28/the-currently-most-frequently-misused-word-in-the-english-language/#comment-203021 I love the language police! Maybe we can get "parent" out of the verb category. I love the language police! Maybe we can get “parent” out of the verb category.

]]> by: Xrlq http://www.anwyn.com/2008/01/28/the-currently-most-frequently-misused-word-in-the-english-language/#comment-202941 Tue, 29 Jan 2008 12:00:06 +0000 http://www.anwyn.com/2008/01/28/the-currently-most-frequently-misused-word-in-the-english-language/#comment-202941 Regarding the "misuse" of which you speak, <a href="http://www.m-w.com/dictionary/comprise" rel="nofollow">Merriam-Webster writes</a>: <blockquote> Although it has been in use since the late 18th century, sense 3 is still attacked as wrong. Why it has been singled out is not clear, but until comparatively recent times it was found chiefly in scientific or technical writing rather than belles lettres. Our current evidence shows a slight shift in usage: sense 3 is somewhat more frequent in recent literary use than the earlier senses.</blockquote> Another false arrest by the Language Police, I say. Regarding the “misuse” of which you speak, Merriam-Webster writes:

Although it has been in use since the late 18th century, sense 3 is still attacked as wrong. Why it has been singled out is not clear, but until comparatively recent times it was found chiefly in scientific or technical writing rather than belles lettres. Our current evidence shows a slight shift in usage: sense 3 is somewhat more frequent in recent literary use than the earlier senses.

Another false arrest by the Language Police, I say.

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