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What mis-stated phrases or words do you feel still need to be corrected (online or in person) in 2025? (lemmy.world)

submitted 10 months ago* (last edited 10 months ago) by SLVRDRGN@lemmy.world to c/asklemmy@lemmy.world

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Please state in which country your phrase tends to be used, what the phrase is, and what it should be.

Example:

In America, recently came across "back-petal", instead of back-pedal. Also, still hearing "for all intensive purposes" instead of "for all intents and purposes".

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[-] magnetosphere@fedia.io 4 points 10 months ago

People’s names. I think it’s dismissive/disrespectful to mispronounce someone’s name.

[-] dharmacurious@slrpnk.net 5 points 10 months ago

I have a rare last name (for the US anywa), and the pronunciations I get are amazing. My favorite was Mr. Tubbo, at the bank. I've also gotten Tugboat. My name has no G in it.

Whenever I go somewhere where I know I'll have to spell my name (like the bank, gov offices, et cetera) I always offer them a dollar if they can pronounce it. I've had to pay a dollar one time in 30 years, and that's only because she was involved with a French company. It never really bothers me when people can't pronounce it. What bugs me is when I tell them how to say it and they still can't get it. It's spelled all fucked up and French, but it's only 2 syllables, and a very, very simple name to pronounce. But they can't get the spelling out of their head, and fuck it up every time

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[-] Majorllama@lemmy.world 4 points 10 months ago

I learned recently that I was using the word "hydroscopic" incorrectly to describe something that repels water. A hydroscope is a device to observe things under water.

Hydrophobic is what I was looking for.

I only realized I had been using the term incorrectly when I got into 3D printing and learned all about the hygroscopic filaments involved lol. I had and epiphany and realized the mistake I had been making for my entire life. And nobody corrected me!

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[-] 8000gnat@reddthat.com 4 points 10 months ago

Idiocracy is literally a documentary anymore

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[-] whotookkarl@lemmy.world 4 points 10 months ago

Yeah /yĕ′ə, yă′ə, yā′ə/ is a different word than Yea /yā/

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[-] RememberTheApollo_@lemmy.world 4 points 10 months ago

The vast majority of these issues could be solved if people a) read any halfway-decent book, b) and didn’t choose to remain willfully ignorant. It’s fine to misunderstand or just not know something. We’ve all been there, we’ll be there again. NBD. But to be shown or offered the correct way and still choose to do it wrongly? That’s not cool at all.

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this post was submitted on 29 Jan 2025

284 points (100.0% liked)

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