Completely unimportant language misuses that bug you

[Rockphed]

"Make due": it should be "make do".

Can you provide some context for this please?

[Peelee]

Can you provide some context for this please?

A few years ago I wanted to make stroganoff, and only found out well after I started cooking that I didn't have any cream of mushroom soup, so I had to make do with cream and mushrooms.

[Lvl 2 Expert]

A few years ago I wanted to make stroganoff, and only found out well after I started cooking that I didn't have any cream of mushroom soup, so I had to make do with cream and mushrooms.

I wanted to properly finish my paper, but the deadline was moved forward, so I had to make due.

[Bohandas]

I don't like the term "self addressed stamped envelope". I'm not sure that "self" can modify "address" in he way that the phrase intends; it's generally an adverb rather than an adjective. As such even if the usage is technically correct it's a poor choice of words because the meanig is ambiguous and the other possible meaning better fits the way the words are typically used.

[factotum]

I don't like the term "self addressed stamped envelope".

How else would you say that, though? (Also, whenever I see that phrase it's usually got a hyphen, e.g. "self-addressed stamped envelope", which maybe removes a bit of the ambiguity).

[Peelee]

I wanted to properly finish my paper, but the deadline was moved forward, so I had to make due.

Oh I like that one.

[Xuc Xac]

I wanted to properly finish my paper, but the deadline was moved forward, so I had to make due.

But you didn't make it due, the person who moved the deadline did.

[Jay R]

I don't like the term "self addressed stamped envelope". I'm not sure that "self" can modify "address" in he way that the phrase intends; it's generally an adverb rather than an adjective. As such even if the usage is technically correct it's a poor choice of words because the meanig is ambiguous and the other possible meaning better fits the way the words are typically used.

Whatever else it may be, the meaning is certainly not ambiguous. It's a phrase that everybody understands.

[snowblizz]

I don't like the term "self addressed stamped envelope". I'm not sure that "self" can modify "address" in he way that the phrase intends; it's generally an adverb rather than an adjective.

This reminds me of something my mother always complains about. Switching up "self" and "alone". I'm not sure if English does distinguish in the same way, and it's possible this is where the change in useage comes from.

But basically "I am eating (by) myself" means you have mastered the ability to hold your own fork and don't need your parents to feed you. Whereas "I am eating alone" means there's only you present.

Does English similarly make a distinction?

[factotum]

Does English similarly make a distinction?

Well, "I am eating by myself" could mean either--e.g. you're eating without assistance or you're eating alone. "I am eating alone" can only mean the latter.

[Aedilred]

This reminds me of something my mother always complains about. Switching up "self" and "alone". I'm not sure if English does distinguish in the same way, and it's possible this is where the change in useage comes from.

But basically "I am eating (by) myself" means you have mastered the ability to hold your own fork and don't need your parents to feed you. Whereas "I am eating alone" means there's only you present.

Does English similarly make a distinction?

"I am eating by myself" could be taken to mean either. As could "I am eating on my own", I think. Ultimately context will determine which is meant.

Since you put the "by" in brackets, "I am eating myself" could, depending on emphasis, either mean "I am eating without help" or "I am consuming parts of my own body".

I am honestly not sure whether the underlying grammar supports this usage in full but it has been at the very least an acceped colloquialism for as long as I can remember and probably longer.

I don't like the term "self addressed stamped envelope". I'm not sure that "self" can modify "address" in he way that the phrase intends; it's generally an adverb rather than an adjective. As such even if the usage is technically correct it's a poor choice of words because the meanig is ambiguous and the other possible meaning better fits the way the words are typically used.

Isn't it being used as an adverb here? "Addressed" is an attributive verb, modified by "self". As noted above there is usually a hyphen, too.

[Vinyadan]

"cunning-edge".

[Rockphed]

"cunning-edge".

Is that what you call an intelligent knife?

[thorgrim29]

It might be a descriptor for inventions made by a family of British manservants who come up with plans worthy of foxes elected chair of cunning studies at Cunning University.

[Xuc Xac]

I hate seeing people write "ect" at the end of a list. How do these people pronounce "et cetera"?

[georgie_leech]

I hate seeing people write "ect" at the end of a list. How do these people pronounce "et cetera"?

In my experience... ex-set-tra

[veti]

Since you put the "by" in brackets, "I am eating myself" could, depending on emphasis, either mean "I am eating without help" or "I am consuming parts of my own body".

It could also mean "speaking for myself, I am eating". Where "myself" is used to emphasise that the action is personal, and not necessarily shared by others. Say, if your companion isn't hungry because he had a big meal earlier, but you didn't and you are.

I don't know if it's come up already, but I'll never get used to the American idiom "I could care less". It makes me wince every time.

[Peelee]

It could also mean "speaking for myself, I am eating". Where "myself" is used to emphasise that the action is personal, and not necessarily shared by others. Say, if your companion isn't hungry because he had a big meal earlier, but you didn't and you are.

I don't know if it's come up already, but I'll never get used to the American idiom "I could care less". It makes me wince every time.

You'd need a comma between "eating" and "myself" for that interpretation to work, though.

Also, the saying is, "I couldn't care less." It's just said wrong increasingly often.

[halfeye]

Also, the saying is, "I couldn't care less." It's just said wrong increasingly often.

That's general english from everywhere though, it's the mis-speaking of it that's unusual (and spreading, despite being wrong).

[Bohandas]

Whatever else it may be, the meaning is certainly not ambiguous. It's a phrase that everybody understands.

Only because they're familiar with the idiom. The problem is that it you weren't familiar with the idiom it would sound like it means that you wrote the address yourself, rather than that it's addressed to yourself.

[Bohandas]

Isn't it being used as an adverb here? "Addressed" is an attributive verb, modified by "self". As noted above there is usually a hyphen, too.

As near as I can tell it's being used to create the incorrect formation "self address", which is then converted to a verb by the addition of "-ed". "self" modifying "addressed" directly would mean that you were the one who addressed it, not that it was addressed to you.

[Peelee]

Only because they're familiar with the idiom. The problem is that it you weren't familiar with the idiom it would sound like it means that you wrote the address yourself, rather than that it's addressed to yourself.

As near as I can tell it's being used to create the incorrect formation "self address", which is then converted to a verb by the addition of "-ed". "self" modifying "addressed" directly would mean that you were the one who addressed it, not that it was addressed to you.

You know you can just hit the Edit button to avoid double posting, especially when you're addressing the same thing in both posts. Or use the Multiquote function, if you don't like editing.

[Sir_Norbert]

Only because they're familiar with the idiom. The problem is that it you weren't familiar with the idiom it would sound like it means that you wrote the address yourself, rather than that it's addressed to yourself.

Surely you mean that if you weren't familiar with the idiom, it would sound like the letter is addressed to (or by) itself.

[Vinyadan]

[factotum]

Spoiler

Show

Note to any USAians who might take that seriously--only the first two are actually true.

[Peelee]

Note to any USAians who might take that seriously--only the first two are actually true.

Lies and falsehoods!

[Lissou]

Shouldn't start the lies with such an obvious one. Make is something believable, and then gradually increase the ridiculousness of it. I could have fallen for it if they'd done that.

[Yuki Akuma]

Note to any USAians who might take that seriously--only the first two are actually true.

As a fellow Briton I am shocked and apalled at your refusal to follow our nation's most sacred of traditions: playing along with absolutely any joke aimed at us because honestly we probably deserve it.

[snowblizz]

They should put the 4th one in "British" as 'Pat' (and his cat).

[Grey_Wolf_c]

Shouldn't start the lies with such an obvious one. Make is something believable, and then gradually increase the ridiculousness of it. I could have fallen for it if they'd done that.

Agreed. I'f they had gone with "Dough Nuts", and possibly "Post Carrier" I would've been a lot more doubtful about the next few after that. As it is, the joke falls a bit flat.

Grey Wolf