Words that get on your nerves

I doubt it is either of the above, certainly not the last, lack of education perhaps? Personally with me it could be old age fog or just too much vino! I had to read twice what you had written as I did not notice it the first time around. To be honest my first reaction is why is "no" not quoted or in bold! Ha! We all have our foibles .

 

My maternal grandmother was born in the East End of London but brought up in Thaxted, Essex. She had a lovely soft Essex accent, very unlike the "Essex babe" accents heard on TV these days.

I'm trying to be less of a pedant about English usage since reading about the history of some of the words and expressions which used to make me hot under the collar. Apologies to other GW refugees, who will have heard this before... David Crystal's excellent book "The story of English in 100 words" has caused me to shut up about the difference between "uninterested" and "disinterested". I would use "disinterested" to mean impartial or unbiased, and "uninterested" to mean indifferent, not having interest in something, and got grumpy when the words were used interchangeably. However... when the words first appeared in the 18th century, they had the opposite meaning. Uninterested meant impartial, and disinterested meant having no interest in something. Within a few years, though, each had established the opposite meaning. That changed again by 1750, so that either word could be used for either meaning. It was Dr Johnson who tried to separate them for his dictionary, giving each the meaning which I'd use today...

 

It's from "The Simpsons". It's "I don't know" said without closing your lips at all!

 

@Liriodendron , I’ve read some of David Crystal’s books. I find him … well, annoying comes to mind.

 

For those interested in the development of English language I suggest reading Melvin Bragg’s The Adventure of English … it’s very readable.
The Adventure of English: The Biography of a Language

 

It's a good thing we're all different, @Ben Cotto . I find David Crystal's books fascinating...

 

'THINK'.....
I have no problem with the word when used correctly but what's all this 'everythinK',SomethinK,anythinK? I've even heard news reporters say it

 

Shouldn’t that be ‘everyFinK, someFink, anyFinK’ @lolimac?

 

My computer put a space after @Ben Cotto in my post above, @shiney , before the full stop. And now it's put one after your name, before the comma... I share your distress!

 

Whoa don't get me started on that one @Plantminded

 

I haven't had/taken the time to go back all of the posts so I hope these aren't duplicates.

Let me axe you a question.... what are they going to do with the newcular waste?

 

'Co parenting'
Sigh.....

With you on that newcular one @CanadianLori