Words, usages, and phrases that annoy the shit out of you...

You're right, of course, and I am usually on that side of usage disputes (verbing, for example). But one can have preferences, and be sensitive to the preferences of one's target audience.

myriad as a noun was around for centuries before it was used an as adjective, so "isn't technically wrong" is kind of an understatement

― the absence of bikes (f. hazel), Monday, March 4, 2024 2:22 PM (thirty-three minutes ago) bookmarkflaglink

guess what, lots of things that make people sound stupid have been established practice for centuries

Today I learned that the use of "myriad" as a noun annoys people. Don't really know why though. Might be an 'American thing'.

it always raises an eyebrow when a writer chooses this word, presumably to sound highbrow, but then fumbles the application

so you know this is the origin of myriad used as an adjective, right

if we try real hard, we might just recreate this thread

Taking Sides: Another Think Coming v Another Thing Coming

viking as a gerund

today i vike
yesterday I viked
I has have had been viked
many times before

It's necessary that you be viking

its viking sleep?

Motorviking

https://y.yarn.co/c827194a-05a1-4a56-af47-c9d064d0013e_text.gif

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aPbG8aBhfDE

i'm a viking girl, in a viking world

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xO_VONrCJQE

so you know this is the origin of myriad used as an adjective, right

― the absence of bikes (f. hazel), Monday, March 4, 2024 3:08 PM (one hour ago) bookmarkflaglink

yup! i am really talking about a style choice, and an awareness of readers' perceptions. you could make the same argument about "self-depreciating," which emerged long before "self-deprecating" and is technically correct, but if a writer used it i would question their judgment for sure. sometimes writers make subtle choices that i appreciate, not because the writer is 100% correct, but because they've managed to avoid awkward or unwelcome associations etc etc

I'm one-upping the haters and using myriad as a pronoun

myriad, meriad, mineriad

Shibboleths are kind of gross.

if you're referring to how Minnesotans pronounce "boat," i agree

i am really talking about a style choice, and an awareness of readers' perceptions

show me a sound linguistic basis for this perception and maybe I'll pay attention.

I've read the recent posts and have concluded that "myriad" is a cool word

As I have said, I write and edit for a living. Of course I have opinions but the audience that matters is the person approving my timesheet or signing my paycheck. If they don't like something, I don't argue.

Going against the grain here - I have only ever used myriad as an adjective and didn't know it could be used as a noun.

i use myriad as an adverb

Hard to say how often we'll need to cover this ground, but in the world I inhabit both usages are understood and accepted by ordinary readers or listeners, so both are acceptable in informal prose or speech. If you're working in an academic or professional capacity that is more strictly rule-bound than informal prose or speech, then you'd better follow the rules or be seen as being in error.

such a pleasant sounding word

how do we feel about howard cosell mentioning 'a veritable cornucopia of [noun]'

it's fine either way; he's dead

Aimless is right. I would never correct someone speaking or writing in a casual context. But at work I have to adhere to the standards of my profession, even though they are somewhat arbitrary.

Why did everyone online start saying "my brother in christ" all the time. Yer not religious, wtf is going on.

omg 'bro' has gotten out of hand. don't get me wrong, i'm fine with it, but every sentence cmon

My bro in Christ

Trayce I hate that one. It's meant as a zing I think

Going against the grain here - I have only ever used myriad as an adjective and didn't know it could be used as a noun.

That's not going against the grain btw.

is "on accident" an American thing? gets my hackles up

i detest “on accident,” no idea origin. as annoying as pronouncing jaguar “jagwire.” unless it’s a bike cable.

jag-you-war is just ridiculous, but is at least how the milkshakes sang it.

Never heard (of) it.

... 'on accident' that is... and 'jagwire'.

To British ears, the common US pronunciation of jaguar sounds more like jag-wah than jag-wire

On accident is Southern, if I’m not mistaken.

I think on accident is cute

same as eggspecially

“oh god that guy… what a total jagwire”

Xp alba, the greatly predominant (ime) us pronunciation is JAG-war, which is i think the one you mean. starting in the 90s i started to hear JAG-wire. i sorta think it’s a southernism and has spread in part as a result of the creation of the nfl football team jacksonville (FL) jaguars est 93 first season 95.

as to brit pronunciation i assume it must go deeper than medway

In "Maneater," Darryl Hall definitely sings "jag-you-are," but that may just be artistic license.

I think the more common English pronunciation (not sure if different in Scotland/Wales) is jag-you-uh not jag-you-are - in the Milkshakes song they kind of use both, jag-you-are when it rhymes with car and jag-you-uh the rest of the time

Well you pronounce the r in Scotland but the same otherwise.

yeah I thought that might be the case

Terry Hall does the same in Rat Race - bar/jag-you-are

I think the more common English pronunciation (not sure if different in Scotland/Wales) is jag-you-uh not jag-you-are - in the Milkshakes song they kind of use both, jag-you-are when it rhymes with car and jag-you-uh the rest of the time