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Linguistic peeves

Posted: 18:00 Sat 02 Apr 2016
by jdaw1
This thread is hold admissions of pet linguistic peeves, and to reports sightings of them.

These do not include apostrophe crimes (which have their own thread), nor grammatical errors (also reported in the apostrophe crimes thread). This about those technically linguistic correct matters that niggle.

What bothers you?

Re: Linguistic peeves

Posted: 18:00 Sat 02 Apr 2016
by jdaw1
On a daily basis

If you mean “every day”, say so. If you mean “every day since late 2014”, say so. If you mean “most days”, “occasionally”, or some other non-numerical proportion of recent days, say so. But the days are not a basis, so please don’t say “on a daily basis”.

As recently used by the BBC when reporting on the Nagorno-Karabakh ‘frozen conflict’.

Re: Linguistic peeves

Posted: 19:10 Sat 02 Apr 2016
by djewesbury
'Ourselves' for 'us'.
'Yourself' for 'you'.
'Myself' for 'me'.

For example, "Please give ourselves a call if your car still isn't working."

Save our pronouns.

Re: Linguistic peeves

Posted: 05:02 Sun 03 Apr 2016
by flash_uk
You should of gone to Specsavers.

Re: Linguistic peeves

Posted: 12:22 Sun 03 Apr 2016
by PhilW
"I will revert later" (in response to a question).

Revert does not mean reply, respond or follow-up; it means to return to previous condition or state.

Some people seem to have recently started using it incorrectly to mean reply, respond or follow-up; this seems to have been initially by people for whom English is not their first language and some in the the American business community. Sadly, it seems to have been picked up and used by some in UK business communications as well. Revert means to return to previous condition or state; it does not mean to respond, reply or follow-up!

Re: Linguistic peeves

Posted: 16:20 Sun 03 Apr 2016
by LGTrotter
I have had to drive past a sign of late saying "Dual this road now", constant exposure to this has left me traumatised.

I also had someone use the fine word 'crepuscular' when they meant twilight, crepuscular refers to the low light levels at both ends of the day and not just the evening. Petty, I know but this seems to be the spot for it.