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Two literary pet peeves

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Christopher S Penn

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I read quite a bit of feedback and writing on a daily basis, from moderating forums to emails to blogs, and there are two word misuses that top my list of minor annoyances:

1. Ironic.

2. Tragedy.

Just as quick review, in case your mom wasn’t as diligent about English as mine was…

1. Ironic is the opposite of what was intended. For some reason, folks use it as a synonym for coincidence. As George Carlin pointed out, a diabetic getting hit by a truck is an accident. A diabetic getting hit by a sugar truck is poetic coincidence. A diabetic getting hit by an insulin truck – now that’s irony!

2. Tragedy isn’t something sorrowful or disastrous. We have words for that – sorrowful and disastrous. In its original form, tragedy is a specific calamity that’s the direct result of a character flaw, usually hubris. A death isn’t tragic unless the person brought it on themselves through a character flaw that led them to die. An airplane crash isn’t tragic unless the pilot, in his hubris, was saying in the cockpit, “I’m such a good pilot I can fly blindfolded! See? ”

Does anyone care about the misuse of these terms? Besides standup comedians (we miss you, Mr. Carlin), probably not. However, when I’m reading (particularly blogs and web sites of prospective future employees or other folks who I’m asked to evaluate), you certainly accrue bonus points if you’re using the language well.

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Comments

25 responses to “Two literary pet peeves”

  1. Stacy Crosby Avatar
    Stacy Crosby

    Although I agree they are commonly misused, perhaps it is not because of a lack of understanding on the part of the writer, so much as it is a general trend towards a new meaning based on people's perception of life?

    For example the word “gay” used to mean “happy”, and “stupid” really meant “dumb”.

    Words, like life, are constantly evolving works of art 🙂

    Reply
  2. Stacy Crosby Avatar
    Stacy Crosby

    Although I agree they are commonly misused, perhaps it is not because of a lack of understanding on the part of the writer, so much as it is a general trend towards a new meaning based on people's perception of life?

    For example the word “gay” used to mean “happy”, and “stupid” really meant “dumb”.

    Words, like life, are constantly evolving works of art 🙂

    Reply
  3. Marko Avatar
    Marko

    With respect, I give you only 65% on this one. Although the origins of tragedy relate to character flaws in medieval writings, it clearly ALSO means something sad and/or disastrous. If you pick up any dictionary (that isn't 600 years old lol) you'll see this.

    What bugs me…. is improper use of 'I' as in 'something tragic happened to Jim and I'. It should be, 'something tragic happened to Jim and me'.

    Also alot is 2 friggin words…. a lot.

    Reply
  4. doughaslam Avatar
    doughaslam

    Great reminders, Chris. I suspect you miss William Safire as well.

    Reply
  5. doughaslam Avatar
    doughaslam

    Great reminders, Chris. I suspect you miss William Safire as well.

    Reply
  6. Christopher S. Penn Avatar
    Christopher S. Penn

    I forget also that a lot refers in strict usage to a lot – an actual parcel of land, or a batch of things.

    Reply
  7. Christopher S. Penn Avatar
    Christopher S. Penn

    I forget also that a lot refers in strict usage to a lot – an actual parcel of land, or a batch of things.

    Reply
  8. Christina Avatar
    Christina

    Thank you for admitting that one's mastery of language influences perception, because sometimes I feel like I'm the only trying not to judge everyone by their mess-ups.

    Someone: “She can call me, or vice-uh versa.”
    Me: “Grrrr.”

    But I also agree with Stacy — we need to be aware when a word is actually evolving, not just being misused.

    Reply
  9. Christina Avatar
    Christina

    Thank you for admitting that one's mastery of language influences perception, because sometimes I feel like I'm the only trying not to judge everyone by their mess-ups.

    Someone: “She can call me, or vice-uh versa.”
    Me: “Grrrr.”

    But I also agree with Stacy — we need to be aware when a word is actually evolving, not just being misused.

    Reply
  10. Jen Rampage Avatar
    Jen Rampage

    Yeah, like Alanis Morrisette's song should have been called, “Isn't It A Bummer.”

    And, don't even get you started about that Bee Gees song.

    Reply
  11. jlbraaten Avatar
    jlbraaten

    Yeah I admit I learned something today. Thanks for that, Chris.

    As long as everyone is heaping on their complaints about misusing the English language, I hate how people refer to timezones as though we're ALWAYS in standard time (e.g., “Let's have the call at 2pm EST.”) EST is Eastern Standard Time. EDT is Eastern Daylight Time. Know whether we're in Daylight Saving's time or not and then use the appropriate acronym, darnit.

    Reply
  12. jlbraaten Avatar
    jlbraaten

    Yeah I admit I learned something today. Thanks for that, Chris.

    As long as everyone is heaping on their complaints about misusing the English language, I hate how people refer to timezones as though we're ALWAYS in standard time (e.g., “Let's have the call at 2pm EST.”) EST is Eastern Standard Time. EDT is Eastern Daylight Time. Know whether we're in Daylight Saving's time or not and then use the appropriate acronym, darnit.

    Reply
  13. doughaslam Avatar
    doughaslam

    Great reminders, Chris. I suspect you miss William Safire as well.

    Reply
  14. Christopher S. Penn Avatar
    Christopher S. Penn

    I forget also that a lot refers in strict usage to a lot – an actual parcel of land, or a batch of things.

    Reply
  15. Stacy Crosby Avatar
    Stacy Crosby

    Although I agree they are commonly misused, perhaps it is not because of a lack of understanding on the part of the writer, so much as it is a general trend towards a new meaning based on people's perception of life?

    For example the word “gay” used to mean “happy”, and “stupid” really meant “dumb”.

    Words, like life, are constantly evolving works of art 🙂

    Reply
  16. Christina Avatar
    Christina

    Thank you for admitting that one’s mastery of language influences perception, because sometimes I feel like I’m the only trying not to judge everyone by their mess-ups.

    Someone: “She can call me, or vice-uh versa.”
    Me: “Grrrr.”

    But I also agree with Stacy — we need to be aware when a word is actually evolving, not just being misused.

    Reply
  17. Marko Avatar
    Marko

    With respect, I give you only 65% on this one. Although the origins of tragedy relate to character flaws in medieval writings, it clearly ALSO means something sad and/or disastrous. If you pick up any dictionary (that isn't 600 years old lol) you'll see this.

    What bugs me…. is improper use of 'I' as in 'something tragic happened to Jim and I'. It should be, 'something tragic happened to Jim and me'.

    Also alot is 2 friggin words…. a lot.

    Reply
  18. canamgirl Avatar
    canamgirl

    Haha…thank you! Someone else who cares about what words actually mean!! It wasn't my mother's fault, in my case, but rather my high school English teacher; isn't it ironic? :p

    Reply
  19. Jen Rampage Avatar
    Jen Rampage

    Yeah, like Alanis Morrisette’s song should have been called, “Isn’t It A Bummer.”

    And, don’t even get you started about that Bee Gees song.

    Reply
  20. jlbraaten Avatar
    jlbraaten

    Yeah I admit I learned something today. Thanks for that, Chris.

    As long as everyone is heaping on their complaints about misusing the English language, I hate how people refer to timezones as though we’re ALWAYS in standard time (e.g., “Let’s have the call at 2pm EST.”) EST is Eastern Standard Time. EDT is Eastern Daylight Time. Know whether we’re in Daylight Saving’s time or not and then use the appropriate acronym, darnit.

    Reply
  21. canamgirl Avatar
    canamgirl

    Haha…thank you! Someone else who cares about what words actually mean!! It wasn’t my mother’s fault, in my case, but rather my high school English teacher; isn’t it ironic? :p

    Reply
  22. danieljohnsonjr Avatar
    danieljohnsonjr

    Good points, Chris. My personal pet peeves are more related to grammar misusage, especially with the apostrophe. Many people like to use the apostrophe to signify plural when it's actually supposed to indicate possession.

    Reply
  23. danieljohnsonjr Avatar
    danieljohnsonjr

    Good points, Chris. My personal pet peeves are more related to grammar misusage, especially with the apostrophe. Many people like to use the apostrophe to signify plural when it's actually supposed to indicate possession.

    Reply
  24. danieljohnsonjr Avatar
    danieljohnsonjr

    Good points, Chris. My personal pet peeves are more related to grammar misusage, especially with the apostrophe. Many people like to use the apostrophe to signify plural when it’s actually supposed to indicate possession.

    Reply
  25. danieljohnsonjr Avatar
    danieljohnsonjr

    Good points, Chris. My personal pet peeves are more related to grammar misusage, especially with the apostrophe. Many people like to use the apostrophe to signify plural when it's actually supposed to indicate possession.

    Reply

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