"Our language is the reflection of ourselves.
A language is an exact reflection of the character and
growth of its speakers."
~ Cesar Chavez
American farm worker, labor leader and civil rights activist, who, with Dolores Huerta, co-founded the National Farm Workers Association.
American farm worker, labor leader and civil rights activist, who, with Dolores Huerta, co-founded the National Farm Workers Association.
(1927 - 1993)
While March may represent madness to some, whether it is on the
basketball court or otherwise, language need not be made up of misstatements,
misnomers, or mis-communication. Below is a list of thirty-one (one for each
day of the month) statements, words or expressions that get used both ways that
are presented here. Please take a look and determine which you believe to be
un-foolish and correct versus what is madness in the statement, and even
maddening to one or many:
1) I could care less
vs. I couldn't care less
2) One in the same
vs. One and the same
3) Each one worse
than the next vs. Each one worse than the last
4) On accident vs. By
accident
5) For all intensive
purposes vs. For all intents and purposes
6) Extract revenge
vs. Exact revenge
7) Momento vs. Memento
8) Irregardless vs.
Regardless
9) Orientated vs.
Oriented
10) Sorta vs. Sort of
11) Made a 360 degree change
vs. Made a 180 degree change
12) It's a doggy-dog world
vs. It's a dog-eat-dog world
13) Waiting with baited
breath vs. Waited with bated breath
14) Pawn off vs. Palm off
15) Take a different tact
vs. Take a different tack
16) It's a mute point vs.
It's a moot point
17) Hunger pains vs. Hunger
pangs
18) Wet your appetite vs.
Whet your appetite
19) Pour over vs. Pore over
20) Tow the Line vs. Toe the
Line
21) Peak or peek my
interest/curiosity vs. Pique my interest/curiosity
22) Tongue and cheek vs.
Tongue in cheek
23) Take for granite vs.
Take for granted
24) First-come, first-serve
vs. First come, first-served
25) Deep-seeded vs
Deep-seated
26) Shoe-in vs. Shoo-in
27) Make due vs. Make do
28) By in large vs. By and
large
29) Do diligence vs. Due
Diligence
30) Case and point vs. Case
in point
31) Flustrated vs. Frustrated or Flustered (separately)