Common sayings that are commonly misstated

[steamthief]

I think "I'm at my wit's end" is correct. Are you saying there's a place called Wick?

Might it be a pre-electricity reference to a candle wick?

The actual whole quote as I always knew it is
"Music hath charms to sooth the savage breast."

There you go!

LOL, the James Brown quote in your sig is wrong- it's "I don't know karate, but I do know KA-RAZY!"

No, you're wrong. Do a search, there was a multi-page debate on this subject a few years ago.

And since you're being so persnickety, your handle is wrong. It's either Holmes or Homie. Choose wisely.

 

[MatticusMania]

Sangwich = Sandwich
Ax = Ask
Buh 'en = Button (Push the Buh'en)
Impor 'ant = Important
Di 'ant = Didn't
Wa'ent = Wasn't

Whatever you do, DON'T read anything by Irvine Welsh!

 

[TNCreature]

My wife mangles sayings all the time.
She takes "down to the wire" and "crunch time" and gets "down to the crunch-wire"
LOL

 

[MatticusMania]

Might it be a pre-electricity reference to a candle wick?

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'At wits end' is actually correct. It means to be at the end of ones wit. Though, I see how 'at wicks end' could make some sense, it wouldnt apply to such a situation where one is at the end of their wit, rather it would mean something more akin to one running out of time, as if the wick has burnt to its end.

http://www.goenglish.com/AtWitsEnd.asp

 

[gigslut]

"Hard road to hoe" You don't hoe a road, you hoe a row, in a garden or field, so you can plant seeds in it.

 

[bassteban]

Not a saying, but I could kick someone who says *expresso*

Dude on *Auction Kings*(a dolt)repeatedly pronounced calliope(kuh-LYE-oh-pee)as cal-ee-ope(last syllable rhyming w/grope). Dolt. :scowl:

 

[bassteban]

BTW, this might actually belong in OT(non-music related).

 

[bass12]

A bunch of my "favourites" have already been mentioned. "Nother" always makes me think the person using the word is uneducated - as does the misuse of the word "literally". "Awesome" and "Epic" are way past their "best by" dates and are nothing short of irritating at this point. I'm glad someone pointed out "begs the question" as that particular gem misused English is becoming increasingly widespread. Also, I've always been bothered by "my bad". I mean, what kind of English is that? "My bad" sounds like something a three year old would say... Oh and then there's "alternate" in place of "alternative". That one's so rampant that it's even made it's way into modern dictionaries.

 

[MatticusMania]

Oh and then there's "alternate" in place of "alternative". That one's so rampant that it's even made it's way into modern dictionaries.

"Alternate" does have a definition that does not mean the same as "alternative".

al·ter·nate/&#712;ôlt&#601;r&#716;n&#257;t/Verb: Occur in turn repeatedly: "bouts of depression alternate with periods of elation".
Adjective: Every other; every second (of a series).
Noun: A person who acts as a deputy or substitute.

al·ter·na·tive/ôl&#712;t&#601;rn&#601;tiv/Adjective: (of one or more things) Available as another possibility.
Noun: One of two or more available possibilities.

 

[HolmeBass]

Might it be a pre-electricity reference to a candle wick?


There you go!


No, you're wrong. Do a search, there was a multi-page debate on this subject a few years ago.

And since you're being so persnickety, your handle is wrong. It's either Holmes or Homie. Choose wisely.

I've listened to the track hundreds of times, it's "Ka-razy".

http://www.lyricsmania.com/the_payback_lyrics_james_brown.html

http://www.stlyrics.com/lyrics/grandtheftautosanandreas/thepayback.htm

Ok here's one that agrees with you:
Link Removed

But this one says "Ka-razy" too...
Invalid Link Removed

http://www.azlyrics.com/lyrics/jamesbrown/thepayback.html

http://www.songmeanings.net/songs/view/72505/

Link Removed

Hmm, another "Ka-razor" match...
[Invalid or Expired Link Removed]

http://www.lyricsmode.com/lyrics/j/james_brown/payback.html

Ok, so of the nine top links on a Google search of "James Brown lyrics The Big Payback" six say it's KA-RAZY and three say it's KA-RAZOR, so I will admit maybe you have a point, but I have to listen to it again, as I said I've heard the song 100's of times and I and everyone I know think it's "KA-RAZY"...

My username is 100% correct, my last name is Holme. So you're definitely wrong about that.

 

[bass12]

"Alternate" does have a definition that does not mean the same as "alternative".

al·ter·nate/&#712;ôlt&#601;r&#716;n&#257;t/Verb: Occur in turn repeatedly: "bouts of depression alternate with periods of elation".
Adjective: Every other; every second (of a series).
Noun: A person who acts as a deputy or substitute.

al·ter·na·tive/ôl&#712;t&#601;rn&#601;tiv/Adjective: (of one or more things) Available as another possibility.
Noun: One of two or more available possibilities.

Yes, I know it does. My objection is with its being used as a substitute for "alternative". You will now find entries in various dictionaries that suggest "alternate" and "alternative" may be used interchangeably.

 

[bass12]

Ok, so of the nine top links on a Google search of "James Brown lyrics The Big Payback" six say it's KA-RAZY and three say it's KA-RAZOR, so I will admit maybe you have a point, but I have to listen to it again, as I said I've heard the song 100's of times and I and everyone I know think it's "KA-RAZY"...

That's where you let common sense kick in. Why on earth would James be saying that he knows "ka-razor"?

 

[MatticusMania]

You will now find entries in various dictionaries that suggest "alternate" and "alternative" may be used interchangeably.

I see. No bueno.

 

[gigslut]

When I go to the store the clerk says "Please enter your PIN number"

PIN = Personal Identification Number, so does she want me enter my Personal Identification Number number?

And when I ask for cash back they tell me i have to get it at the ATM machine.

 

[gigslut]

"With all do respect"

 

[dvh]

"With all do respect"

With all DUE respect is correct. Are you confusing homonyms? Or have you seen it written as "do"?

 

[funkingroovin]

All of the above(my head nearly exploded reading through them),and I'd like to thank all of you for posting here as proof that I'm not the only "Grammar Nazi" left,as those around me often point out.

A few of my favorite idiocies..

"Prolly" instead of "probably"

"Gonna" instead of "going to"(oddly,the spell-check didn't light up when I typed this?,)

"Uber" used as an adjective or prefix--It means "over" or "across",it does NOT mean "super"!!

"Ain't got no" instead of "don't have any"

"Me and him's gonna" instead of "He and I are going to"

"oww'nt no" meaning "I don't know"..and many other similar headaches..

 

[Batmensch]

Another one I see a lot (usually on court shows for some reason) is
"He borrowed me 500 dollars" instead of "He laoaned me 500 dollars"

 

[ma4rk]

people who spell it Base instead of Bass

 

[gigslut]

With all DUE respect is correct. Are you confusing homonyms? Or have you seen it written as "do"?

It was in quotes for a reason. I'm knot confusing them, but others dew. That's why I rote it that weigh.