Misunderstood Words or Phrases (tense, sentence, speech, song)
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'Beg the question' refers to a logical fallacy. It's a kind of circular reasoning where the 'proof' amounts to a presupposition that a contention is true. For example if someone said "Pres. Obama is the smartest president of my lifetime," then someone else said "how do you know?" and the response was "I can tell by listening to him that his IQ is higher than any of the others," this would be an example of 'begging the question.' Fallacy: Begging the Question
Very often the phrase is misused, even by professional communicators, to mean 'provoke the question.'
I've always used it in this context. And I even know about the logical fallacy .
I will stop this instant.
Quote:
Originally Posted by saibot
I haven't read through the whole thread so I apologize if some of these have been mentioned.
"a butt-load" instead of "a boat-load" of something.
"That peaks my curiosity."
The classic, "The proof is in the pudding."
[/b]
Who knows? Maybe they are full of it. (butt-load)
Piquing curiosity is an interesting one, in particular. To pique means to irritate. I never hear the idiom used that way; only as if to draw great attention to a curiosity as in to bring it to a peak.
I did not know the saying the proof is in the pudding is supposed to be the proof of the pudding (is eating it). Thanks[/i]?
Quote:
Originally Posted by bjh
Seeing this one more and more: in the grocery story isle, instead of aisle. It's only an isle in places like Hawaii.
I'll, isle, aisle. We be crazy in English.
Quote:
Originally Posted by K-Luv
Also, peruse. Peruse is to intently study, to scrutinize; not to quickly glance over.
Did not know this. Big thank you.
Quote:
Originally Posted by bjh
I hear ya. Yet language changes, too. Words gather different or nuanced meanings over time. If words or phrases get used in an incorrect way long enough and pervasively enough, then the misunderstood version can become one of the accepted forms.
You have to wonder if people got their knickers in a bunch way back when ragman roll was evolving into rigmarole.
It appears the all the changes in language comes about from the lesser educated. However, I am disconcerted at the rate at which it is evolving. The advent of technology and the residual of Whole Language spelling is hastening it.
Quote:
Originally Posted by K-Luv
"very unique"...if something is unique it is already one of a kind so then how can something be very one of a kind? It is either unique or it isn't.
I've always thought that unique is subject to gradation.
A 1969 GTO is a relatively unique car. It's even more unique if it is a convertible, all original, with hideaway headlights, matching numbers, and a Judge package. *shrug*
Quote:
Originally Posted by old_cold
Ask most police officers and they 'll tell you why this makes a certain kind of sense.
Or an ER nurse.
Oregon has been mentioned (Or-i-gun) but Nevada has not. It's Ne-va-duh. Not Ne-vah-duh. The first a in Nevada rhymes cat. If you are making the first a a short o sound, stop it. Stop it now.
Oregon has been mentioned (Or-i-gun) but Nevada has not. It's Ne-va-duh. Not Ne-vah-duh. The first a in Nevada rhymes cat. If you are making the first a a short o sound, stop it. Stop it now.
Oregon has been mentioned (Or-i-gun) but Nevada has not. It's Ne-va-duh. Not Ne-vah-duh. The first a in Nevada rhymes cat. If you are making the first a a short o sound, stop it. Stop it now.
That's the way we Salt Lakers can spot tourists. They come to ski at Alta but pronounce it "Ahl-ta." Like I tell people, the altitude's pretty high at Alta, and the first syllable is pronounced the same way in both cases. After skiing, they head down to Zion (National Park) but mispronounce it, too. It rhymes with "lion," not with "try on."
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.
[/i]?
It's only an isle in places like Hawaii. 
