LA_MERC_MadMAX
April 1st, 2004, 06:15 PM
Sometimes people get their colloquial phrases confused, and sometimes they think their version makes sense. I'm wondering if other people have noticed such things, and possibly collected them in the dust bin of their memories, as I have.
For example, when changing plans, someone might say, "Let's try a new tact." This sort of makes sense, because plans might be tactics, but of course the phrase is supposed to be "new tack," a sailing metaphor.
Another example: "that peaked my interest," as if it brought my interest to a new height. The phrase is "piqued my interest."
One guy I knew didn't quite get the phrase, "I'd just as soon do X as do Y." He thought it was, "I'd just assume." Again, it sort of makes sense; one might assume that he would do one, but he might do the other.
There are various misuses of the words that sound like "sight": instead of "cite a reference," some assume you should "sight a reference" (makes sense, you look for it) or "site a reference" (you find a place for it in your bibliography).
Another thing that bothers me are redundant phrases, after acronymes, i.e., "I need to stop by the ATM machine", which in reality means, "I need to stop by the Automatic Teller Machine machine".
Other perhaps less used examples would be:
AC current (Alternating Current): also DC current (Direct Current)
RF frequency (Radio Frequency): as opposed, for example, to audio frequencies.
SAT test (Scholastic Aptitude Test)
START Treaty: (Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty)
HIV virus
TCP/IP protocol and its cousins the POP, IMAP and SMTP protocols.
OPEC countries (Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries)
the NATO organization (North Atlantic Treaty Organization)
EMP pulse (Electro-Magnetic Pulse)
the DMZ zone (De-Militarized Zone)
GUI (pronounced gooey) interface (Graphical User Interface). Also SCSI interface: (Small Computer Systems Interface).
RISC computers (Restricted Instruction Set Computer)
LCD Display (Liquid Crystal Display)
ICU unit (Intensive Care Unit)
Any other similar pet peeves?
For example, when changing plans, someone might say, "Let's try a new tact." This sort of makes sense, because plans might be tactics, but of course the phrase is supposed to be "new tack," a sailing metaphor.
Another example: "that peaked my interest," as if it brought my interest to a new height. The phrase is "piqued my interest."
One guy I knew didn't quite get the phrase, "I'd just as soon do X as do Y." He thought it was, "I'd just assume." Again, it sort of makes sense; one might assume that he would do one, but he might do the other.
There are various misuses of the words that sound like "sight": instead of "cite a reference," some assume you should "sight a reference" (makes sense, you look for it) or "site a reference" (you find a place for it in your bibliography).
Another thing that bothers me are redundant phrases, after acronymes, i.e., "I need to stop by the ATM machine", which in reality means, "I need to stop by the Automatic Teller Machine machine".
Other perhaps less used examples would be:
AC current (Alternating Current): also DC current (Direct Current)
RF frequency (Radio Frequency): as opposed, for example, to audio frequencies.
SAT test (Scholastic Aptitude Test)
START Treaty: (Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty)
HIV virus
TCP/IP protocol and its cousins the POP, IMAP and SMTP protocols.
OPEC countries (Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries)
the NATO organization (North Atlantic Treaty Organization)
EMP pulse (Electro-Magnetic Pulse)
the DMZ zone (De-Militarized Zone)
GUI (pronounced gooey) interface (Graphical User Interface). Also SCSI interface: (Small Computer Systems Interface).
RISC computers (Restricted Instruction Set Computer)
LCD Display (Liquid Crystal Display)
ICU unit (Intensive Care Unit)
Any other similar pet peeves?