Linguistic Pet Peeves

dbabz · Sep 17, 2016

This one isn't as common, but I'm hearing it more often recently and it's driving me nuts: using the word "misnomer" to mean error or misconception. A misnomer is something that is inaccurately named like Guinea Pig, which is a rodent from the Andes, not a pig from Guinea. Think of the root "nom" as in nom de guerre or nom de plume. I hear members of the media misusing it all the time.

dawniepoo · Sep 17, 2016

"Could of". I just want to punch the person in the face.

Me too!!!!!!! Could of and should of are torturous to read

NuGuyNurse2b · Sep 17, 2016

^ I see the word "penultimate" misused a lot, too. People see it and think it means the "ultimate of ultimates" apparently (based on the context like "we had the penultimate experience!") when all it means is second to last.

NuGuyNurse2b · Sep 17, 2016

"OfTen" drives me crazy, too. I grew up being told the t was silent, and it seems to be a trend that has become popular in the past 10 years or so, so much that it is now acceptable. But I don't like it.

I've always heard the T pronounced and actually it's when I hear "offen" that's when my hair sticks up. it's like people who say ax for ask.

dawniepoo · Sep 17, 2016

"OfTen" drives me crazy, too. I grew up being told the t was silent, and it seems to be a trend that has become popular in the past 10 years or so, so much that it is now acceptable. But I don't like it.

I looked this one up in the dictionary. It does have both pronunciations. I would never judge somebody by this. I say often often :)

Cowboyardee · Sep 17, 2016

Someone's probably said it by now, but as far as nursing goes I really hate it when someone tells me "the patient is alert and oriented x 2, but somnolent and has difficulty staying awake." It's as if they think 'alertandoriented' is a single word, Latin for 'oriented.'

Cat365 · Sep 17, 2016

Not linguistic exactly but I hate the current trend of young people to rise up at the end of every sentence, making a statement into a question. I'm going to hang out with my friends (frunds) tonight? And we're going to dinner?

We have a charge nurse that does this. I keep thinking she is asking me a question and I answer it. Then she looks at me like I'm crazy.

My younger brother still gets teased about the time when he was little and my dad told him to behave. He looked up and said "I am have".

Mine was the tree in my grandmothers front yard. I was a preteen before I realized it was a weeping willow. I always thought it was a leaping willow. I loved that tree and couldn't figure out why it was sad.

Linka · Sep 21, 2016

Could have went the other way UGHHHHHHHHHH:no:

Past participles have been my grammar pet peeves for a while.

Also, my husband likes to create pleonasms, I just can't think of an example right now.

I got over could of hallelujah!!

Linka · Sep 21, 2016

^ I see the word "penultimate" misused a lot, too. People see it and think it means the "ultimate of ultimates" apparently (based on the context like "we had the penultimate experience!") when all it means is second to last.

I first learned Oxford English, knew this word and used it- until I realized that not a lot of people had heard about it. I actually thought for a while this word was not American English.

missnursingstudent19 · Sep 21, 2016

You can "ask" me, but please don't "axe" me!

kakamegamama · Sep 22, 2016

meanmaryjean said:

Y'all is not a word, or even a proper contraction.

Actually, "y'all" is a variant of "you all" . Y'all | Definition of Y'all by Merriam-Webster

kakamegamama · Sep 22, 2016

Referring to a patient having a great deal of pain as "painful". Mrs. Smith, POD 1, with a bilateral total knees is very painful.
No, the recovery is painful, not the patient.

However, I have cared for some patients who were painful.....and, worked with fellow nurses who were painful as well ;-)