Every day I realize at about 9 pm that I have not yet written a post for the following morning. And every day at about 9:01 pm I feel like I've been hit by a bus. It's not a good combination. So my apologies once again, but this will be short.
However, short does not indicate a lack of importance. Tonight I'm going to highlight two words that are misspoken much more often than they are used correctly. One, in fact, is not even a word.
1. Prerogative = a right or privilege. It is your prerogative to vote for the candidate of your choice. This word is most often pronounced per-ogative. But look at it closely. PRE-rogative.
2. Irregardless = not a word. The word you're looking for here is regardless, which means despite the circumstances. The terror threat was high, but she went on her trip to the Middle East regardless. Just know this: irregardless is never a word. Ever. Its use is rampant though. Even the spell checker in my computer thinks it's a word, as evidenced by the lack of a squiggly red line under it. And dictionary.com lists it as the nonstandard form of regardless.
People, this is how non-words become words—by constant use in spite of the fact that they are NOT WORDS. Do your part to save the English language! Stop using this non-word today!
3. A few others that have come across my desk recently:
verb batim: Apparently our current president says this all the time, not knowing it is one word, verbatim.
preventially: We think the writer meant potentially.
apart: a preposition that means a little distance away. This does not mean a portion of or included in one of the subdivisions of. That is written a part, as in I want to be a part of that group.
Ben and I sat through a 30-minute orientation lecture when Abbey first went to Liberty University. The guy giving the lecture had put a great deal of effort into a PowerPoint presentation, but every time he meant a part he wrote apart. Page after page after page of putting distance between students and the school when he meant them to be A PART of the school. It was so sad. Ben offered him my editorial services, but he had no idea what we were talking about.
The moral of the story? Everybody needs an editor. If you write, you need someone to proofread your writing. Every article I ever publish gets edited by at least one person, but usually two, because you know what? I'm human too. This is why editors have jobs.
Be thankful ~
ps. I just have to add this:
Lose = to miss from one's possession. Be careful you don't lose your wallet!
Loose = not fastened or securely attached. That button is loose.
I just read this on SportsInjuryClinic.com regarding plantar fascitis:
As the fascia thickens it looses flexibility and strength. This says the opposite of what they mean. Remember: everybody needs an editor.
1 comment:
I try to proof read, but it's true, inevitably something slips my notice.
Sorry you're still not feeling well. Even if you didn't write another post, I want you to know I've appreciated the time you've spent this month educating us. God bless your day.
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