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Super day yesterday. I managed to get one more article written and another of two remaining interviews out of the way. I worked a bit with Anne on our big project, then got some work done on my own project, which I hope to launch sometime in October. Or November. Whenever.
Today I’ll be writing up another article, then I hope to be hearing back from a referred client on an editing project. I love referrals. It makes my marketing that much easier.
Some definitions on my mind this week:
Irony (via Dictionary.com): the use of words to convey a meaning that is the opposite of its literal meaning. Example: Arianna Huffington on Morning Joe yesterday talking about how we need to create jobs to spur the economy – but she doesn’t mean she’s actually going to pay her writers…
Another keen definition for you:
Marketing (via Wikipedia): the process used to determine what products or services may be of interest to customers, and the strategy to use in sales, communications and business development. To all you fools advertising “marketing” jobs that my kid and other marketing majors apply for, that does NOT mean cold calls or telemarketing calls. Stop lying to everyone.
In fact…
Telemarketing (again via Wikipedia): a method of direct marketing in which a salesperson solicits prospective customers to buy products or services, either over the phone or through a subsequent face to face or Web conferencing appointment scheduled during the call. Note who’s doing the selling – a salesperson, not a marketing person. That’s who has developed the method being used by the salesperson.
Here’s a definition I’m tossing in just because:
Literally (from Dictionary.com): actually; without exaggeration or inaccuracy. So when I heard them say on tv that “It was literally the last straw” I should expect to see just one more straw in the entire universe. Since I was able to get my Starbucks iced chai and there were straws left over, I’m guessing someone was misinformed.
In fact, the misuse of such words makes me…
Weary (from Answers.com): physically or mentally fatigued. I mean those words make me tired. All you who say things like “I’m weary of him because he’s been violent in the past”, you’re actually telling me that instead of being wary (cautious) of some crazed lunatic, you’re actually about to fall asleep because he bores you no end.
What definitions are working you up lately?
One that drives me up a wall (but not literally) is "I could care less." Um, no. If people would think about what that means, they'd realize it doesn't make sense. The saying is "I couldn't care less."
I hate that one as well, Eileen. Or this – "irregardless." Huh? Though it shows up in a dictionary, it has been hotly debated as an actual word. The "ir" is like adding "that" to every sentence – it's just extra letters.
I agree with Eileen. Usually, if one of my characters uses the first phrase, that character is not long for this world! 😉
I may write an urban fantasy where the Grammar Fairy whacks people for misuse of language.
I'm worked up at being called "the help" by the Client from Hell instead of being valued as a professional in my field.
The HELP? Is he serious?? Too bad you couldn't introduce him as "the tyrant" or address him as Clueless One. Damn. That's demeaning. It's not surprising given his total lack of respect for your time and abilities, but it's like salt rubbed in a wound.
May the check clear quickly and you be rid of him sooner rather than later.
I so agree with your points, though for some reason, I'm guilty of "literally" misuse. I know the right way to use it, but I still use it incorrectly sometimes.
People must grow wary of my misuse. Ha! I also dislike "wary" for "weary."
As for "irregardless," my aunt says it all the time. But I love her dearly, so it doesn't bother me when I hear it from her.
Now Eileen's "I could care less" problem? Oh, I can't stand that one, either. Eileen's right!
One that bothers me: "Should of." Oh, dear, that's not right.
Also, is anybody else bothered by "try and…"? That seems sloppy and lazy to me instead of the better "try to."
Finally, people are really beginning to misuse "there's" when the proper use would be "there are." I hear it all the time even among newspeople, who should know better.
I could literally go on all day. 🙂
We are a transitional language, Gabriella. The sad part about that is that crap like you've described works its way into our language.
"Supposably." That one drives me insane. But my least favorite "A whole nother" – it would be like saying "be fricking have" instead of "behave."
Maybe it's a geographical thing, but I've never heard anyone substitute "weary" for "wary."
Devon, when you write the book with the grammar fairy, I'll be first in line to buy it.
"Should of" doesn't bother me when it's spoke, since I can pretend I simply misheard "have" as "of." But in written form? Cringe.
One commonly misused word that annoys me is "unique." How often do you hear people (and publicists) claiming something is "very unique"? Either it's unique or it's not. From my trusty old Pocket Oxford Dictionary: Unique: being the only one of its kind; having no like or equal or parallel.
And you all know how much I loathe hearing people say "gifted" when they mean "given" or "gave."
As a knitter, one thing that really bugs be is when knitters (and editors of knitting publications) insist on using "knit" as the past tense. "When I knit this scarf…" funny how they never use "crochet" as past tense. I've seen past-tense sentences like this: "For Christmas gifts last year, I crocheted five scarves and knit two sweaters." I guess it can technically go either way, but the inconsistency makes me want to rip my hair out.
Oddly enough, my wife and I were talking about "literally" last night. She has some grammar scold in her office who goes nuts when people (mis)use it.
My instinctive response is that it's a useful colloquialism, and not the most egregious of grammar sins out there. (The problem is more when people, um, literally use it every other sentence in an attempt to sound smart.)
So, lo and behold, I came across this article from Slate a few years back: The Word We Love to Hate. Literally.
Turns out it's been employed as an intensifier since the 1600s, and some pretty heady company has used it (Twain, Joyce). I also like its status as a contranym (like cleave), but that's just my inner grammar geek talking.
My conclusion? Literally ain't the grammar hill upon which to die…figuratively speaking, of course.
Not a definition, but when someone says "thank you," you're supposed to say "you're welcome" not thank the person back… I get it, but…
Jake, oddly enough I was more frustrated with Jane Austen's splitting of her verb with an adverb than anything. I don't mind "literally" being used properly. I mind it being used to describe something that isn't literal. I mean, can you imagine someone literally blowing up? LOL
It must be local, Paula. Husband and I both hear it. We talked about it last week (hence this post). Your list of misused words is a good one. I don't like "unique" being coupled with "very." I'm not a big fan of "very" anyway. Kind of a bullshit word, so to speak. It says nothing.
Anne, I hear you. It's becoming widely used, isn't it?