Fustrating, Frustrating; Supposably, Supposedly
Nov 2nd, 2006 by dank
Is it just me, or is it really really annoying when people say words wrong? It’s not just that they are mispronouncing the words, they actually don’t know that the letters that make up the word are different than the way they are saying them.
Take for example the word frustrating, or frustrated, or whatever form of the word you want to use. I know someone who uses this word often, yet somehow either believes that the “r” doesn’t exist, or finds it too hard to pronounce it. He says “fustrating.” I get very fRustrated every time I hear him say it. I’ve tried saying the word back to him putting extra emphasis on the “r” sound, but it isn’t catching on with him. The weird thing is that this is an educated, smart dude. That makes it extra fRustrating.
I’m thinking about doing an intervention. To this point, I’ve just tried to be polite and ignore it. Should I confront him? Get it out in the open? Your input is appreciated.
Another annoying word that is commonly mispronounced is supposedly. How many times have you heard people pronounce it “supposably?” It drives me crazy! I listen to talk radio sometimes in my car and one of the hosts of a popular morning drive time show here in Utah consistently pronounces it as “supposably.” And what’s worse, this guy is actually a newspaper columnist for the Salt Lake Tribune. Unbelievable. He actually makes a living by writing the English language yet he is unaware that the word is SUPPOSEDLY.
Oooo, you’ve hit one that I have strong feelings on as well. What is the deal with mispronounced or made up words? Ever said you are doing to “unthaw” or “dethaw” something? Essentially you are saying you are going to freeze it. Neither of those words exist. You thaw something out of the freezer. I’ll invite a friend over here that I know has more examples to comment on because we have had this conversation before.
I’ve got to admit, this really erks the heck out of me. I know someone (not saying any names) who always says “fanthom” rather than “fathom”, as in being able to fathom an incredible idea. But, don’t DARE correct the person. That’s a no-no. Better to think you’re right and sound like an idiot. Okay, maybe that’s a bit harsh. Better to think you’re right and sound like… hmmm… how can I put this nicely… gimme a minute… Got it! Better to think you’re right and sound like an idiot. Hey, if the shoe fits…
Romell - this reminded me now of one I forgot! I grew up in Washington (State) and one that gets our goat (us Washitonions) more than anything is the phantom “R” that some people, and yes I am pointing the virtual finger at a particular region in the east) insist on throwing in there. Warshington? Huh?!?!
Oh this irks me too! The one that gets me the most, is that at my workplace, so many people, and even executive level, say “aks” instead of “ask”. “So I aksed her….” Drives me crazy!!
How about the old “I says.” “I was talking to my sister and she says…” That’s another irker for me. I could go on all day. The aks one is great, or is it axe? LOL
This is so me. I am very easily annoyed by people adding or omitting letters from words. One of the worst~ A man I work with says the word ideal all of the time. The problem is that he is not referring to the best situation, but an idea that he has had. He also uses the supposably word. There are many other examples from this same person, however I will refrain, as I could go on and on and on….
My ant was trying to be hep with me one day, so in making convertsation wit me, she says, “Books of Mormon” to me. Yeah! I says, “Get atta hee-a!” How ’bout dat, huh?
What about when you’re IMing with your teenaged niece or nephew and they spell the same way that they talk? This makes me nuts! Here’s an example:
“Yo Aunty, wuz up wit u? My car iz runnin louzy theze dayz. How u bin?”
When some kid sends me a message like this, I just want to reach into my monitor and grab him or her by the shirt collar and ask them, “Where in the world did you go to school, Cracker Jack High?”
My Pop always said I should have joined the convent. I would have made a really good mean nun.
Jeremy, I grew up in Illinois. I can identify with you on the Warshington thing. I always knew if a person was not a native of the state when they called it Illi-noise. :)
There’s a guy on sports radio here in Phoenix who says “supposably”all the time. It drives me crazy. On the same station, there’s another “journalist” who says things like “Me and Bob went to lunch.” I would like to know what college these people attended so I can can make sure I don’t send my children there.
“Supposably” gets on my last nerve too. Almost like fingers on a chalkboard. I mentioned it once to someone who says it that way and they told me it was a real word and to go look it up. Being the always inquisitive researcher that I am, I did. Guess what I found…it’s a word! An honest real word, or so says the Oxford English Dictionary (my reference of choice). So I went back to him with my findings. I told him he was correct…sortof…but he was using it incorrectly! By the way, it works for presumed as well as supposed. Supposedly and presumedly are past tense and supposably and presumably are future tense. They are based on the words supposable and presumable, which means they are capable of being supposed or presumed. Go figure!
My husband and I won’t listen to MI Ch 5 news as the ‘reporters’ have to be the worst educated in the country..
‘I went accrosT the street.’ is a common mispronounciation in MI and yes… Point it out and they deny vigerously that they ever said it. Hey I can’t spell very well,(lol) but at least I can speak the language correctly.
Michigan has to have the poorest educators in the whole country, because ‘most everyone’ uses the worst possible grammer.
Thank God, some people who think like I do…everyone I know thinks I am a pain in the *** because I hate the fact that so many people kill the English language. My friend always says supposably even though I have corrected her many times. I hate when people say pitcher for picture it drives me crazy…I hear it on the TV all the time and from people who should know better. What’s with it? Isn’t that the first thing you learn in school?