Accent Expert Breaks Down Language Pet Peeves | WIRED

[@jessicaashley8153]

I saw someone in the comments of his other videos call him dialect daddy. I think about that often.

[@mariahpokedawg7124]

😂😂😂😂😂😂😂

[@yagermeister123]

Father phonetics

[@EdricHsu]

Grammar Grandma

[@Malum09]

That's his official moniker now

[@cassiopeiaartco]

I mean...that person wasn’t wrong 👀

[@damondominique]

this is the linguistics class i never knew i needed

[@errorsan9]

lmao i saw you earlier in a ''what not to wear in russia'' video

[@neon6847]

omg yoooooo

[@pretzellina]

Fancy seeing you here Damon!

[@japanda1995]

oh hey there damon dominique

[@jellyfish2556]

Omg hi Damon! Love your videos!

[@JoeNotExotik]

Can we get him to talk about curse words? Origins and how people became offended by them? This would be interesting to see.

[@mortalterminus]

Vsauce did a video on that a while back kzbin.info/www/bejne/epWalYSebdpnfsU

[@sarahelizabeth2769]

Yas! Sorry, yes!

[@brookem4835]

I wrote my masters thesis on this topic! It was fascinating.

[@katybechnikova2821]

Yeah, they can't they would get demonetised. :D

[@Nicol3sChann3l]

@@brookem4835 I wrote my Bachelors thesis on the same topic :D

[@droryben-menachem6223]

Regarding the verb usage of the word "table" - I learned long ago that it means the opposite in the UK than in the US - "to table something" in the US generally means to set a topic or situation it aside for discussion later, but in the UK, it means to bring it to the group for immediate discussion.

[@bedrock30_40]

Really shows the difference in American vs. British customs/ideals

[@netgnostic1627]

In Canada, some people use the British way, some the American way. Very confusing!

[@RickMyBalls]

@@netgnostic1627 I thought Canada's English was more similar to British than US.

[@shaneguy5762]

A parliamentary process origin?

[@rawkhawk414]

@@netgnostic1627 I was gonna say the same thing. bleeuughhghgghghgh. I never use this expression as a result lol. Also, if I might add a little Canadian tangent. I used to pronounce the word inventory the British way until getting made fun of enough to stop. How lovely. So now I say "inn - v'n - Torie" instead of "in - VENT - urry". But I prefer the second pronunciation because to me it's like an inventory would have things you could use to invent? lol. So it's like, a list of materials on hand? I started using "inventory" at a young age because it's what they called your "bag" in older Pokemon games lol.

[@byoung1520]

An old boss used to tell us "mock my words..." and we all did mock them when he wasn't around

[@GatCat]

Oh this made me laugh out loud.

[@cintia5479]

YO LMAOOO

[@marleejohn3519]

Sounds like your boss was Michael Scott... 😂

[@Catmom2004]

Thanks Bryan, I truly needed a laugh tonight. LLAP

[@anonomyssymymy5115]

Maybe it was his accent...please see his other video about dialects...

[@turtlenecksok]

i didn’t understand how differently vocal fry was perceived in a feminine vs. masculine voice until this demonstration. that is so interesting!

[@mattb1568]

Same! I was cracking up, the bias has never even occurred to me.

[@SalamanderMagic]

It was pretty shocking. Somehow on a female voice it sounds more bored or annoyed, while on a male voice it’s just... kinda gravelly. Weird

[@graceperkins5641]

Salamander I wonder if it has something to do with pitch? Men and women who speak with the fray and have deeper voices it doesn’t sound annoying I believe. But to me men and women who have higher voices and they fray it’s sounds annoying to me. When the guest voice coach was doing it it didn’t sound annoying at all.

[@MusicLoverInTheSky]

Same! When I heard Erik doing it, I was reminded of male actors giving speeches in movies or something like that. He sounded profound, serious, respectable... a bit attractive, even. But the woman? She sounded so bored and like she'd rather do anything else than what she was currently doing. So uninterested. The bias surprised me greatly.

[@DocKrazy]

I honestly didn't notice a difference...

[@stefanrhys44]

Eliza had the slickest “hii” I’ve ever heard in my life

[@jiitkha]

0:58 You're welcome

[@Angel_Billy4-30-23]

@@jiitkha Thanks. But yeah she did. Real smooth.

[@AD-wg8ik]

She sounded like Siri

[@dragonguy3725]

Fr Fr

[@taytemusic7750]

yeah had to watch that a couple times not gonna lie

[@userb8a]

This is the most educated _"everybody just chill"_ I've ever seen.

[@lusandantintili8668]

"Hi Eliza" Eliza: "Hi" Me: OMG SO SMOOTH, SO HEAVENLY, THE MOST ICONIC HI I'VE EVER HEARD

[@Molly-ml1wn]

I'm glad I'm not the only the person who had this intensely specific reaction!

[@ruthronnieofficial]

I FELT SO GOOOOOD 🤣🤣🤣 I thought I was the only one

[@kelseyburkum3527]

My first thought was, does she narrate audiobooks?

[@dancingdoungnut]

that’s how you know you’re socially awkward, when normal conversation stands out 😂😂💀

[@RebornLegacy]

@@dancingdoungnut LMAO! TooMeIrl This happens to me all the time.

[@claireb.6713]

The paint matches his eye color... they really did that.

[@hungry.nezuko3742]

Must be his house though 😂

[@anhart5100]

No it’s just a hole in his eye

[@mishtaromaniello8295]

anhart Lmfao

[@FCastle23]

anhart He’s an eye hold?

[@Octodactylpus]

Fun fact! Blue eyes are caused by a lack of the melanin pigment (or collagen deposits), and light bouncing off the Iris, "scattering" the light, and reflecting back blue tones (the same reason the sky reflects blue). So when you put someone with blue eyes in front of a blue-ish screen, often their eyes appear to match more closely because it's reflecting back the light- also why blue eyes seem to "change colours" more often depending on how much light is refllecting!

[@OmegaSoypreme]

What I love about Erik is that he's an expert on language and uses that expertise to tell us to not get so hung up on the rules of language.

[@danidejaneiro8378]

It’s true. People that most get their knickers in a twist about language use rarely know much about the reality of language use.

[@yeah_no_whatever]

Right, because part of what he wants his audience to be aware of is that language, like anything else that makes up society and culture, is continually, albeit slowly, changing and adapting in time.

[@utsavmaheshwari859]

No real linguist is a prescriptivist.

[@deithlan]

Everyone who actually starts studying language will quickly come to realize that language prescriptivism (saying this and that is wrong and you should use such and such instead), for everyday use at least, is pretty stupid 😁

[@margaretmaynard7]

⁰

[@roxanne8662]

Australians with thick accents use uptalk ALL THE TIME. I am an Aussie and you get used to distinguishing between a real question and aussie uptalk. i remember reading an article about how UK employers found people who uptalked a lot were less desirable and seen as insecure, but not if they were australian. I think it’s because we learn to uptalk while saying what we mean with confidence (because uptalk is used so commonly when not posing a question).

[@quintas66]

"Don't take things for granite." "My sediments exactly." ~Johnny Hart (BC, The Wizard of Id)

[@rheinhartsilvento2576]

Brillant 🤣😅😆

[@katniptime4me]

Rules that are written in stone. 😎

[@rafaeterna1081]

@@katniptime4me ba dum tssss

[@joneszzy6189]

😆😆

[@MegaMagicGoat]

Oh my God I've never seen anyone reference the Wizard of Id, I read so much of it when I was younger

[@lindsiegrey]

My sisters ex boyfriend used to say “You never know what the future has installed for you”

[@sheem.2450]

😂

[@ANTSEMUT1]

Pictures the future as some weird looking handyman.

[@Bendigo1]

Well he does have a good point.

[@Bendigo1]

@@pupip55 the actual saying is : "you never know what the future has in store for you" in store not installed

[@Bendigo1]

@@pupip55 thats why its funny to some people and annoys others and some just don't even know the difference.

[@gracejuice]

seeing “should of” instead of “should’ve” makes me wanna cry

[@NiMissNi]

Also "now and days"

[@Rohishimoto]

you shouldn't of told me your weakness

[@amwhik]

Agreed

[@sophiewells9755]

also when ppl online write about how they find smth rlly upsetting by going "i literally balled" or "i was balling so hard" like pls i'm begging u to learn how to spell bawling

[@amwhik]

@@sophiewells9755 I was bowling so hard I had a strike

[@FrenchCruller03]

My pet peeve is when people say wreck havoc, instead of wreak. If you wreck havoc, you essentially create order, lol.

[@cockeyedoptimista]

Cute! I think people are afraid to use proper language. Like it makes them look stuffy or not cool. It's like when people don't want to stand straight.

[@boxman5381]

No people just use words in different ways over time their is no true correct or wrong way of speaking the way we talk is constantly changing and that’s just how it works

[@proudanachronist9314]

@@cockeyedoptimista All I can say to that is that their values must be very different than mine!

[@cockeyedoptimista]

@@boxman5381 That's true, but also people just don't want to bother learning the right use of a word so those of us who take the time become obsolete because of these inattentive folks and it's annoying.

[@cockeyedoptimista]

@@proudanachronist9314 Thanks for the comment.

[@WeDontWantYourWar]

First time I was in the US, I was blown away by always being asked if I wanted a SUPER SALAD with my dinner.. It was only 7 years later I was told it was a Soup OR Salad.

[@dang2443]

"blown away"? By a salad. Mkay....

[@persephonebh4592]

🤣🤣🤣

[@strangeaslife]

@@dang2443 clearly they aren't a native English speaker so chill. I wonder how many languages you speak, much less perfectly. Pft

[@jypsych3556]

My first language was technically Spanish BUT I’m more fluent in English and let me tell you, that happens to me still😭😭 every time I’m like how does this always happen😭😭

[@cassieee42069]

I've been laughing at this comment for 20 minutes. Thanks for posting it

[@paigemeredith2329]

When people say “I could care less” but should be saying “I couldn’t care less”

[@9thgalaxy778]

YES!!!!

[@alicia_grace]

that bothers me so much lol

[@randomperson2559]

Fr

[@Warkipine]

I like to think of it as a threat. "You know how much it looks like I don't care right now? Well, I could care (even) less."

[@alicia_grace]

@@Warkipine that could be reasonable, but usually it’s used in the sense that someone is trying to demonstrate how nonchalant they are about something

[@dar2996]

Erik: "They're called eggcorns" Me: "Oh, you mean bon apple tea"

[@rebekaah]

Teeth*

[@prettyrat.]

bone*

[@Mr.Scootini]

*bomb*

[@rubyruby1043]

Bun apple teeth

[@Holly_Ho]

I love egghorns

[@elle6952]

The oe person who could correct almost anyones speech and he tells us to take it easy. Amazing. Love his energy.

[@philipreid2542]

*anyone's

[@cstrouts]

Most hated eggcorn: "I could of" instead of "I could've"

[@JonH611]

Could of, would of, should of.. made it a contraction with have! 🤬

[@TheDenisedrake]

Yea! Why is everyone afraid of the word "have"?

[@frigginjerk]

@@JonH611 How about "shouldn't've"? The impressive double contraction. Which makes me wonder-- are there any triples? ..."Shouldn't'ven't"? Is that a word? Like, expressing regret for failing to do something? "I shouldn't have not done that," turns into "I shouldn't'ven't done that."

[@Johnny-wv9cn]

Should be "I could of" instead of "I could have". People understand could've but sometimes people think it means "could of"instead of "could have".

[@kitty2894]

YES

[@RB-H]

“Could care less” is mine. Basically saying you still have some care available.

[@saberwing753]

But late on the reply, but I’d like to mention I’ve won an argument because the opposing party used that and I told them their opinion was moot due to the fact that they can’t even speak English properly despite it being their first language.

[@RB-H]

@@saberwing753 Haha! I see “could care less” quite often.

[@Platanov]

I've always seen that phrase as ironic, something like "I could, technically, care less, but only a little", rather than as an eggcorn of "I couldn't care less". Like it has that 90's "talk to the hand" flavor of sarcasm. Maybe that's just my brain rationalizing it though :p

[@isaknilsson71]

@@Platanov Agreed, I tend to interpret it as "I could care less, but only if I really tried" in order to feel less peeved :D

[@Urfcannon]

you mean you do care? lmao

[@austinmoon6974]

Another folk etymology example: “Goodbye” used to be a contraction of “God be with ye”. Eventually people started saying “Bye” as a shorthand for “Goodbye”, turning the definition of “Goodbye” to something more similar to “Good parting”.

[@Crosshill]

when i realized that the danish farvel for goodbye just literally meant fare-well and that farewell is the same deal, iunno you feel pretty blind

[@mahraba874]

I would’ve never known this

[@airotkiv]

it's crazy because in German the equivalent to Goodbye is Auf Wiedersehen (as in a phrase for more formal settings), which literally means "May we meet/see each other again", so it'd actually be more similar to saying "see you". But in my head "Good-bye" and "Auf Wiedersehen" mean the exact same thing, because they're used in the same context. But then you have the German phrase "mach's gut", which would translate to something way closer to the literal meaning of farewell/goodbye and is way less formal, so it would be used in the same context as "see you" in english. So the literal meaning is actually completely opposite to the context the phrases are used in in each language. Does that make sense?

[@dudedude3926]

“God be with you” is how you greet people in Gaelic, too!

[@laurac86]

Wow that’s really interesting, I never knew that! Thanks for sharing 😊

[@karenwagner6880]

My husband came up with a wonderful word that doesn’t exist but should. He said he was “flustrated.” I think it’s a brilliant combination of being frustrated, heightened with the embarrassment of being flustered. I nominate this for the next Merriam-Webster go round!

[@lizardas]

Your husband didn't invent that word. It's a very common mispronunciation that has been around for decades.

[@ravenlit]

That's a fun portmanteau that I may, in fact, steal.

[@nerdmylord]

I wish I could just absorb his cerebral juices. His intelligence is so savoury.

[@LillibitOfHere]

I am both inspired by and grossed out by the creativity of your language.

[@nerdmylord]

@@LillibitOfHere LOOOL XD

[@user-th6rh8zp3t]

wow so creepy

[@iansalinas412]

ya he sounds really smart. I think it's the way he talks

[@cassandrasmith9004]

Dude, prion diseases aren’t cool.

My Spanish teacher once said that language behaves like a living organism; it spreads, evolves and also dies.

[@LindaC616]

Lol, then why can't we kill upspeak and vocal fry!?!?🤣

[@adamgillespie3393]

@@LindaC616 you can't really kill it but it dies off if people stop using it

[@STICKSAND]

its true i was the teacher

[@sirshrooma]

@@LindaC616 Because people have such intense feelings for it. The best way to kill an idea is to be indifferent, and forget.

[@idkwuzgoinon]

Best way to put it

[@Proseless]

can’t help but feel like this guy looks like a roman emperor.

[@TeamCat1128]

Or the model for David

[@SittingGC]

I think you mean Dennis Reynolds

[@peterhansen1670]

I think he pulled off the vocal fry of the Gettysburg Address because he looks a bit like Lincoln.

[@astrolillo]

A Hollywood version perhaps, Romans did not look Anglo despite of what your deficient education made you believe

[@tonatiuhcortes9968]

Yeah he literally does

[@suz5191]

I love this video so much. I was such a stickler for "grammar rules" when I was a kid but I've since taken a genuine interest in languages and linguistics and discovered the concept of descriptive linguistics and came to favour that way more than the prescriptive variety. These two just inspire me to pursue further studies in linguistics :)

[@jimib3]

My sister thought it was “hammy-down” her whole life, as opposed to “hand-me-down.”

[@maiaallman4635]

Very funny!

[@cathkails]

'cause the clothes were always too big and it made her feel hammy in them? 😂

[@morganjohnson9945]

I was just coming to the comments to say the same thing! 🤣

[@-yo5hc]

ME TOO

[@Feroste]

I thought this for a while as a kid.

[@noahstonemusic]

Can we all take a second to appreciate what a specimen of a man this guy is.

[@TheUndersized]

kinda disappointed I had to scroll down this much to find a comment like this

[@CaffeinatedCoffee15]

Yes lmao. Those arms and that chest, just choke me already 😂

[@kuzivastephaniekainga1835]

I concur. I enjoy watching his videos. I learn something new and enjoy the view 😅

[@Peace4Leisure91]

Actually, the word specimen originally has nothing to do with men who were special.

[@randomuserwitharandomname6183]

Just a second? 😍

[@norawin]

I took a linguistic anthropology course in college and that was when I finally realized: the more you learn about language, the more you realize that breaking the "rules" is a key component of communication. It's how languages evolve.

[@blackeyedsusan727]

Agreed. But the stupid errors so many people make cannot be regarded as "evolution"

[@ismellpedo]

@@blackeyedsusan727 The languages does evolve though. Regardless of whether it's a "stupid error", if enough people do/say it then the language will change, it will grow and evolve into something different then what it was prior to that "stupid error".

[@amandawalker1196]

This should be a top comment

[@Sofiaode18]

Which is why petty people who are hung up on dictionary definitions and proper grammar are uptight fuckwads.

[@gee_emm]

Slang is the poetry of everyday speech. It’s breaking the rules, for the fun of it. 🤷🏾‍♀️

[@simonpryor877]

This guy is literally the smartest guy I’ve ever heard of. Really nice that he’s able to quickly diagnose all these pet peeves. Watching this video gave me a new leash on life, so now I want to have a burger with him. Hopefully the waiter doesn’t take too long to quickly table us because nice food is something I’d literally hate to have to agonisingly wait around for. Woodchuck.

[@SpiceWeazel]

I recognize your effort, and for that I respect you.

[@edumazieri]

More people should finish their arguments with Woodchuck. Woodchuck.

[@cherylkalberer1045]

Actually, this comment literally made it worth watching this video.

[@Freakazoid12345]

@@cherylkalberer1045 not figuratively?

[@Freakazoid12345]

This is the same guy who's said that he doesn't understand language or the point of words having a meaning to them. This guy might be smart, but he definitely doesn't sound that way based on what I've heard him say. He's actually argued for words to be misused.

[@divinecommerce3912]

As a math nerd, I always bite my tongue when people say they did a "360" when they mean 180... A full circle (360 degrees) gets you back to where you started, whereas 180 degrees is moving in the opposite direction. I don't love correcting people so I don't say anything, but I hope this helps someone LOL

[@scottjimenez653]

@@iiwi758 I see what you did there...;)

[@109eashisingh5]

@@iiwi758 🤣🤣🤣

[@rikkatheconure2395]

Thank you for not correcting them. Grammar policing is the second cringest thing you can do when talking to someone XD second only to making things out to be Sexist or racist when they aren’t

[@109eashisingh5]

@@NeevTHM it's math

[@109eashisingh5]

@@NeevTHM nope still math 🤣🤣🤣 maybe you are right but i never thought mathematics to be plural i mean its just one subject named mathematics and math is short for mathematics 😂😂 idk math sounds right somehow

[@cleogorzkowski2071]

People: angry about "literally" 😠😠😠 Dialect daddy: language is forever changing, peace and love on earth 💖😇🌈🌈🌈

[@Kaddywompous]

I literally couldn’t care less.

[@kaemincha]

we stan dialect daddy who has a fluid view on language 😍😍😍

[@xcx000]

@물건 period

[@ooo_Kim_Chi_ooo]

Well in a way its not good. It shows how some people are so unwilling to change what they are doing wrong or lacking of education that there comes a point when what we are saying wrong just becomes a moment when you just say I give up, I just accept it that people are wrong. You still sound completely silly and at times stupid if you say something wrong, whether its now socially considered "normal". If anything its just shows how lazy we've become as a society that we no longer care about how we speak to each other because,Yo brb txt meh ltr LOL!

[@jaojao1768]

@@ooo_Kim_Chi_ooo as Erik pointed out that has happened for the entire history of the English language. Do you think "shamefaced" is wrong because it was originally "shamefast"? Do you think people are lazy for not knowing when to use thou and thee anymore?

[@bethwalker8072]

Two Erik videos in a week? Even WIRED know he’s carrying the whole channel.

[@bethwalker8072]

LagiNaLangAko23 Oh yeah I rate her too

[@acgm046]

I miss the doctor who reviewed medical scenes in movies and series. Hopefully she's doing fine these days working in her field... [edit] There's a recent update of what she's been up to! Just as I expected, it's been beyond hectic for her dealing with both trauma patients and Covid. Dr Onishi is a warrior!

[@joshfedder5997]

Whaaaa where is the other one???

[@maggie9961]

The lawyer was also very fun!

[@ryanbrooks2434]

Him and almost impossible but idk if they r doing that anymore :(

[@ndschau]

I will “literally” die on the hill defending my peeve when people type “would of,” rather than “would’ve.”

[@baileyrob]

Because it is LITERALLY grammatically incorrect.

[@reshirman]

@@baileyrob I would of agree with you before, but after watching this video, I don't think so

[@baileyrob]

@@reshirman no, the meaning of 'of' in the place of 'have' is not correct no matter your dialect. They are too commonly used to be just considered 'basically the same word'.

[@reshirman]

@@baileyrob that would of been correct before, but not anymore

[@baileyrob]

@@reshirman I ofn't got a clue what you're talking about. Of you had your pills today?

[@Krispyboy55]

My god. I have never heard anyone saying “Hi” smoother than Eliza Simpson.

[@tontonseba]

Thank you. i was thinking the same and was looking through the comments to see if anybody else got soft knees when she said „hi“...

[@chris86simon]

James May.

[@tkmiller_author]

Robert or James Welsh 😊

[@MarisaMunoz0507]

I can’t stand when people say “I could care less” when they mean they don’t care. It’s “I couldn’t care less” !!!

[@brianamariiee6481]

Exactly! Lol I've been trying to say this but people get so mad when you correct them. It makes no sense and changes the meaning. You're trying to say you dont care and yet you are saying "well I could care less" like...what??

[@owenkey3239]

I had to look for this because so hate it so much as well.

[@haskellbob]

YES! That drives me crazy too. If they COULD care less, then they care at least a bit. But if they couldn't care less, they don't care at all. Jeez, some people just don't think!

[@seanfogerty6075]

the way i handle it is just to convince myself they’re being sarcastic. i know it’s not true but the lie helps ease the pain a little bit....

[@RedCanyonWolf]

I came to the comments to say exactly this

[@Jideku]

I prefer to replace "For all intents and purposes" with the far superior "Floral incandescent porpoises"

[@EzeICE]

I would have to agree with you on that one. And no, I'm not being ironic, I literally love it!

[@MasqueradeCrew]

Sounds like something Robin would say to Batman.

[@Hattes]

Porpoises - absolutely Incandescent - nah, one syllable too many

[@han5vk]

Can I buy those on Amazon?

[@Echo_Isles]

I am definitely using this in the future!

[@vintagetechno]

This guy just summarized my four year linguistics degree in 15 minutes!

[@pkpwnerful]

Get wrecked lmao

[@konroh2]

First, I highly doubt it. Second, nice use of exaggeration. Third, if you're serious you didn't study. Fourth, college was a waste of time for you.

[@stacksmalacks8826]

@@konroh2 wow youre such a fun dude

[@MattAndImprov]

When they mentioned "to table," I thought they might bring up the miscommunication over its meaning that delayed WWII by a few weeks. British table means discuss now. American table means discuss later. Everybody wanted to discuss now but instead they fought about whether or not to table. We can't table it (we can't delay). We must table it (we can't delay). It caused a delay. Now that's ironic. Don't you think?

[@whette_fahrtz]

It all depends on where the table is.

[@BeatsBeneath]

The first intelligent comment on here haha

[@australianwi-fi]

🎶 IT'S LIKE RAIaaaaAAAAN ON YOUR WEEDING DAY 🎶

[@KatlynnHahn]

Just commenting to let you know I greatly appreciated this tidbit of information.

[@dustbitten]

This reminds me of this workshop I went to where we were asked to write down on a piece of paper what “feast” meant to each of us using a synonym or simple phrase. Everyone had mostly written down different things. Communication is definitely a skill beyond linguistics, such as knowing* your audience and making the effort to confirm understanding which some may foolishly think they don’t have time for. It‘s always beneficial to speak simply or plainly rather than trying to sound smart but it can be hard to turn off for some and some concepts can be difficult to simplify.

[@MsCunningLinguistic]

Everyone else: [comments about the linguistics in the video] Me, a Norwegian: omg he has so many books about Scandinavian cooking

[@ameliaberk]

i'm not norwegian but i noticed that too! love it

[@andiemorgan961]

I was drawn to the bookshelf too.😄

[@ktb183]

Swedish christmas cooking, which made me curious as well :), maybe saw that because I am Swedish.

[@meganinnes2098]

I saw the comfort food and was like “hey I have that book! “ seeing that was a total unexpected happy surprise

[@helenvolden3696]

BRUNOST

[@echolotaliabrokenflight7279]

not me staring for 14 minutes at erik singer's bookshelf and wondering exactly what system he uses that puts GOTHAM next to Scandinavian Comfort Foods, The Swedish Christmas Table, and William Shakespeare

[@maggienbob1304]

😂😂😂 I "literally" got about halfway through your first sentence before bursting out laughing!! I was thinking the same thing! ..Almost darn near peed m' pants.

[@cr8865]

I was doing the exact same! ;)

[@sundalongpatpat]

Oh he uses the Putin-Dair Classification Sytem

[@lindariccijacobs]

someone with many varied interests

[@mjgerges]

I had the same thoughts ... an array of books with no particular order or grouping .. lol ;)

[@LK-3000]

Thank you for this video! I just now found this while looking for vocal fry info. This has been one of the most enjoyable presentations about language that I've seen/heard in a long time.

[@Hainero2001]

My pet peeve is when people hear "should've" and write it as "should of" not realizing that they are hearing a contraction of "should have".

[@titocristobal5573]

If that becomes an eggcorn, I would just assume people are getting dumber each year. Calm down, guys. Its just a typo.

[@Hainero2001]

@@titocristobal5573, it wouldn't be an illogical assumption.

[@titocristobal5573]

@MC King Oh my god. I haven't encountered that yet, but if I did, I think I would have a visceral reaction.

[@BigEyesSmallMouth]

Gaaahhh, I love you. Thanks for pointing this out.

[@Rai_S82]

I literally HATE that. It's way more than a peeve for me 😂

[@alexismann2069]

When people write “apart” instead of “a part.” (e.g. I’m so glad to be apart of this organization). They’re *literally* saying the exact opposite of what they mean.

[@Smsbulgaria]

Isn't it funny that "apart" is spelled together and "a part" separately? Really makes you think...

[@thejetstarjump]

I love your literal accentuation

[@alexismann2069]

Guy Flies haha thanks ;)

[@wafimarzouqmohammad8054]

Maybe and may be too.

[@Shrooblord]

@@wafimarzouqmohammad8054 that's horrid, thanks

[@EnderHeart5911]

I was always a bit annoyed when teachers would correct students who asked, “Can I go to the restroom?” If you look at Oxford Languages’ definitions, the word “can” also means “be permitted to”, so, “May I go to the restroom?” isn’t the only way to phrase that question.

[@Nae_Ayy]

ENGLISH MODAL PARTICLES USUALLY HAVE MANY DIFFERENT MOODS THEY CAN REPRESENT

[@pcarrierorange]

I suspect that definition is a product of incorrectly using the original term, in the same way “literally” is now in some dictionaries defined as “metaphorically”. The teacher is, then, begging the question (per XKCD 2039)

[@tlpineapple1]

@@pcarrierorange The issue is, society as a whole uses "can" and "may" interchangeably. It has been in the vernacular of the people for at least 4 generations now, hence why it is in dictionaries.

[@dorcasingasha8559]

The difference is in the implied politeness no the meaning itself

[@julesverneinoz]

What Dorcas said. While you might be annoyed, in a working environment where you want to set certain 'tones' in your communications, using the wrong implication can cause acceptance or anger. It might not matter as much if you're in the 'detail' level, but someone who can communicate and also do 'detail' gets more.

[@PtylerBeats]

The eggcorns remind me of when I was in high school and I learned that “if it’s any constellation” was actually “consolation.” I always assumed that “if it’s any constellation” referred to a bad situation that may paint a bigger picture. Like a single star is just one moment. But if you put all of the stars together, you get a constellation. So if there is a bad or sad moment, I would say, “If it’s any constellation,” followed by a silver lining or the final end result. Like yeah, you may have messed up in your band performance, but if it’s any constellation, I didn’t hear it and I thought he performance was quite good. That’s how I used it growing up, and I was so confused when someone corrected me

[@easternhills1329]

Lol. Reminds me of the "Knowledge is power, France is bacon" meme. xD

[@marci.abraham]

Ah yes....this is a perfect example of not reading enough (which I commented about somewhere up there ^^^). If you never see the words in print, you just rely on what you hear and make up the meaning to go along with it. I'm glad you learned the correct word! And you're here today still learning about language. My favorite mistake was "make due". I was in my 40s (and had studied languages for years and read a LOT of books) when I realized it was actually "make do". I literally died. 🙃

[@MinecraftTestSquad]

late comment I know but I think this eggcorn is lovely in its own way xD I love how you assigned that meaning to it and I like your reasoning so much

[@Kayizcray]

It's funny that most of this video is talking about letting language evolve, but the comments are full of people complaining about their own pet peeves 😂

[@pappanalab]

Ironic, no?

[@pappanalab]

Timothy Wright No need to be So rude. You obviously care enough to leave a comment .

[@pappanalab]

Timothy Wright Oh! Ok. Sorry about that

[@dabeage]

it's the difference between evolving and devolving....

[@pphead8224]

@@dabeage so where in the English language is devolving

[@eigengrau7283]

'of' -- "should of", "would of".. totally throws me off.

[@jacobnunthuk6377]

Delet dis

[@putrijoyceirawati2638]

Makes me want to punch my screen when someone does that.

[@sophiamura9484]

I mean, agree if someone deliberately types out the words “should of”, because that’s just not correct. But when you say “should’ve” out loud, that’s exactly what it sounds like lol

[@StellaPlayss]

Sophia Mura that’s what I was thinking.

[@sayven]

It makes it so much harder to read as well

[@lakritz8732]

The male vs female vocal fry comparison was eye opening

[@prince-rk7nl]

I think its less male v female and more high vs low pitch. I find everything more annoying in higher pitches

[@D3monB4dger8]

@@prince-rk7nl I think you’re onto something. For me, I think the user’s accent might also have something to do with it? I’d have to listen to a wider sample though.

[@mycroftdonnell]

I definitely heard it more clearly with the higher pitched voice

[@nerdycreole4518]

@@prince-rk7nl Women usually have higher pitched voices lol 😂

[@DanielWitch]

I felt like the guy was genuine, but the girl was almost preaching to me. Maybe I've seen too many feminists freakout videos.

[@Linusrox123]

Something I have heard at least 7 times are younger people saying "I'm weary of..." when they mean either wary of or leery of.

[@mirandaz1272]

I’m surprised he didn’t mention the word, “like”. Some people are bothered by that one hahahaha

[@sketchur]

Up-speak comes hand-in-hand with “like.” It's all valley girl talk... 😋

[@JETZcorp]

@Emma G It's just used as a different version of "uh" or "um". Count how many times people use those in a conversation sometime.

[@myungyaz]

english is my second language and i find myself say like a lot too, i find myself sooo annoying haha

[@Humptydumpipay]

i think those are called speech fillers? I'm not sure, but we were told in high school to avoid using those when giving formal speeches :D

[@dkjcb3993]

@@JETZcorp yeah, personally, 'uh' and 'um' just sound dumber? coz they're breathier, deeper sounds, which sound kinda out of place in a sentence full of actual words. Whereas, the word 'like' 𝘪𝘴 an 𝘢𝘤𝘵𝘶𝘢𝘭word and is around the same pitch and breathiness of the rest of the sentence, making it more fitting, even if definition-wise, it doesn't all that much.

[@ashleybellofsydney]

EGGCORN: My deaf stepmother says "Old Timers' Disease" when she really means "Alzheimer's Disease".

[@AnnaMaledonPictureBookAuthor]

So funny! It reminds me of my young sonwho used to say rubber balls instead of vegetables.

[@tmcleodjr]

Perhaps she's making a pun?

[@TalentGumbi]

This is funny 🤣

[@sandraeckelhofer]

ahahaha great one!!!

[@cielledoux3805]

But is she wrong tho

[@nathanhaimson]

As a barista, it bugs me a little when people pronounce espresso as "expresso", but I wouldn't correct them. I know what they meant, so it doesn't really matter.

[@Hanna-nv3du]

Lydia because it’s simply wrong I guess, it kind of bugs me too just because I know how to pronounce it and they’re not doing it the right way😂

[@brandeeisbomb]

I feel the same! Also when people say axe instead of ask

[@rafaeterna1081]

@sika no fvcking way haha, no one pronounce pizza as pixa right? right?

[@babygoatsmum4122]

@@rafaeterna1081 unfortunately some do..

[@xime321]

I mean spresso is an italian word, so i guess you can choose how to say it. Because espresso means pressed out, in spanish we translated it to it's literal meaning as expreso. So what you are getting is the same word with the same meaning but with the pronunciation in spanish and in italian.

[@rachelf5466]

This guy just voiced all my thoughts (as a hobby linguist) on language in a single video. I love how he talks about saying things "wrong" is just how language changes. My parents get caught up on the slang of "kids these days." "You guys give a bad meaning to everything"-- which is really the pot calling the kettle black because their generation had plenty of their own slang. The way I see it, often the purpose behind slang is to fill a need in a language that wasn't being met before, and a lot of our "accepted" words now were once considered slang. Slang is fascinating to me for that reason-- it's like watching language change right before your eyes. And also, who gets to dictate right and wrong when it comes to language? It really boils down to what the natives say. I learned Spanish in the US, so I learned lots of different kinds of Spanish all at once. I resisted saying "parquear" for "to park" for the longest time because I saw it as "wrong." However, I eventually came to realize that I had never once heard someone say the "correct" word, which was "estacionar." I realized that if the native speakers have no problem with parquear, then who was I to tell them that it was the "wrong" word? There really isn't a right or wrong.

[@corhydron111]

FUN FACT: With "literally" I've been able to observe a shift in my native Polish. Young people increasingly use two separate words for this: 1) "dosłownie", a word equivalent to "literally", which has been undergoing the same semantic shift as it does in English, now used as a non-literal intensifier 2) "literalnie", an English carbon copy neologism, used for *literally* literal things. Just an interesting way to solve this problem, I think.

[@ellax325]

That's pretty cool.

[@whateverforever9975]

Taaak!

[@TheYakusoku]

Maybe we can use "actually" more often? "I made a cloning machine last night. Look at this selfie I took. I am standing next to a clone of myself. I am ACTUALLY beside myself."

[@humphrke]

I've noticed I when I use literally my meaning depends on the tone. if I use literally in an exaggeration, it's pronounced in the standard form. I literally died. but if I say something and I mean it LITERALLY, I emphasize the literally, especially the t in literally, so its I LIT'rally got hit by a bus. the T sounds almost like a tch so its I LIT(CH)'rally

[@zackreed6010]

"Sinister" originally meant "left-handed" and I just love this ridiculous, fluid language of ours.

[@thejagman22]

Because being left-handed was correctly seen as being a sign of evil.

[@akizeta]

@@thejagman22 "Correctly"?

[@CharalamposKoundourakis]

@@akizeta That's correct.

[@jordanalmond3458]

FASCINATING!!

[@gisellepaz9069]

The word for right handed being "Dexter" as in dexterous.

[@jenniferbennett990]

The vocal fry ... she sounded disinterested while he had more gravitas. Crazy, cz it's literally just a cultural bias I hadn't noticed before. I'll be working on that.

[@rowanlavellan9755]

@absoftitanium I'm unsure if you're making a joke or are serious. Would you clarify?

[@giabarrone7422]

@@rowanlavellan9755 They cover it in the video. 'Uninterested' is the original, correct word. However, 'disinterested' replaced it in modern English.

[@bikinibottomfish]

@Marka Ragnos idk, personally i find creaky voice attractive

[@completelyinnocentfriendly2308]

Yeah I thought that he seemed more casual and she seemed more cool, like someone I'd admire

[@DadCanInJapan]

I didn't really hear the vocal fry when he spoke. It was much more noticeable when she did it, maybe because of my own bias, or maybe because she speaks at a higher pitch.

[@katysleta4285]

Thank you so much for emphasizing that the language is not static and that new or "incorrect" uses of words are a part of the language's evolution. So don't hate, embrace. (unless it's should of/should've :D)

[@donttryitgirl6532]

My favorite is “I could care less” Oh.... then....care less I guess? Hahaha guys it’s “couldn’t *** care less”

[@luisinacasirola]

HAHAHA I never heard someone saying it like that

[@christina_890]

you'd probably like David Mitchell's rant about the phrase 'I could care less'

[@whisperywind8768]

Omg yes! 😂

[@sumayaabdi5014]

Lol this was in an episode of victorious

[@CarlDillynson]

Yes! I really don’t like when people say that, haha.

[@octopusonrye7335]

I hate when people say: “I could care less”. If you could care less why don’t you? It’s: “I couldn’t care less”. It’s couldn’t, not could!

[@jamersbazuka8055]

It's couldn't, could not! 😉

[@LucySoo1]

I think it’s a very American thing to say ‘I could care less’. Gets on my nerves!

[@helpthehippiehottie]

it makes sense though. the fact theyre even engaging with the matter to the extent that they would provide this remark means they really think it's not worth their time to care at all, but they care enough to reply.

[@swtlikecndy4119]

Isak A. Maybe they weren’t asking to be part of the matter in the first place, but I think “I couldn’t care less” makes sense bc it means they didn’t care at all to begin with, so they actually can’t care any less

[@tenshimoon]

SAME. One of my slight linguistic pet peeves

[@MT-od1xi]

Or when Americans say “I could care less” instead of “I couldn’t care less”. If you could care less then you do care?

[@alexandria3583]

i was just about to comment this

[@syreetacunningham899]

I'm guilty of that

[@georgiacollins2025]

This annoys me so much!!

[@rafaelloroza9619]

Im impressed of how I've been saying this right no been a English native!! 🇧🇷

[@gojosatoru__]

i couldn’t care less because i don’t care at all.

[@tammiepowell2818]

I’m watching this 4 years after it was originally “aired” and just love it. My dad, who passed a year ago today, always had some great ones…Alzheimer’s to him was old timer’s. Uber to him was Hoover. The list could go on but it all gave a great chuckle instead of being a bit sad, so a big thank you!

[@damned0wl]

As a russian, I find the ability to "verb" nouns one of the most attractive features of the English language.

[@Seeker0fTruth]

Interesting!

[@maddox1050]

you just did it there!

[@bjhale]

Yeah, as an American, trying to guess the verb equivalents of nouns in Russian is nowhere near as easy. Like, throw in -овать or maybe a -нуть and add a random prefix...and maybe you'll be right. And don't even get me started on trying to determine what the perfective or imperfective aspect would be.

[@caswanden454]

Less widely known but no less exciting is the English ability to adjective nouns. In my final year of high school my classmates decided that "ruckus" was an adjective meaning wild, fun and cool - as in, "that was a ruckus party last night." Despite my initial protests that that wasn't how words worked, I eventually had to admit that it nicely filled a gap in the language.

[@zevo9314]

i like that they can come and go as a fad and you can get creative with them

[@giodc8599]

Erik needs a whole show for himself. It's as simple as that.

[@___LC___]

I love Erik.

[@leinaowens6665]

“I could care less” is my pet peeve. No. You COULDN’T care less. You’re saying it doesn’t matter to you, therefore you could not possibly care less. I could care less means that you currently care. I hate hate hate when people say it wrong, and my best friend says it wrong all the time. It takes every ounce of my self control to not correct her.

[@ericag5346]

Just say it in a nice way and teach her. She probably/ obviously doesn't know and you don't want her looking like an idiot in the office... do you? 😊

[@JESTER11X]

Everyone would always confront me about that its "actually 'you could care less' not 'you couldn't care less'" Took me 3 years constantly explaining it for my inner circle to finally understand

[@RascoBaby]

I always interpreted as being able to care less, but you don’t care enough to do so!

[@axlent123]

Agreed!

[@montinyek6554]

Lei T. Correct her then

[@maxryder9321]

I saw a TikTok saying this and I agree, literally doesn’t have a “new” meaning, e.g. “Im literally going to kill you” when someone is being annoying is just hyperbole, not a new meaning, just as you could equally say “I’m going to kill you” without changing the meaning of the word kill. Now I see that the first sentence is somewhat breaking the 4th wall by using the word “literally” without precisely meaning it, but it’s still the same phenomenon overall.

[@adriannelson4214]

So if "silly" used to mean "blessed", then slapping someone silly would mean approximately the same as beating the devil out of them.

[@killbill450]

Underrated comment

[@justinlang8881]

RIP devil

[@Meatwad0]

Oh my god😂😂😂

[@dianacherry1411]

I like the way you think lol

[@katmatally]

I relate it to The Fool in the Tarot -- the Fool is blessed

[@henryst5]

I know multiple people who think the phrase is “play it by year”, when it is most definitely “play it by ear”.

[@TheDenisedrake]

Haha! I wonder if they also "fly by the seat of their aunts"?

[@juliadandy6019]

Ugh, I have a hatred of “play by ear” that to this day I don’t know why hahahahaha never heard people saying “by year” though, that’s curious

[@jamestierney1072]

I like to say it both ways. “Play it by year” still works if you take the meaning of “year” to be “time”. As it we will determine what we’re doing in due time and “play it by ear” if we’re waiting on word about the plans we’re talking about.

[@salaltschul3604]

I've always wondered if the people who say those things have ever broken it down to realise what they're saying makes no sense....

[@linesandcircles7465]

Up until I read this comment, I was completely unaware that this eggcorn existed! I play music, so "Play by ear" is the only thing that makes sense!

[@danispainas]

When people say “I could care less” instead of “I couldn’t care less” it drives me mad because if you could care less you care a little then 😂🤦🏽‍♀️

[@katmahasti]

Dana Materi Yes!!! That is up there in my top five pet peeves.

[@candy2325]

Dana Materi oh that’s a good one! That phrase has been used wrong for sooo long!

[@wmichaelbooth]

On the other hand "I couldn't care less" is wrong unless it's actually the thing you care least about.

[@tomherman2144]

I take it as sarcasm, meaning "as if I could really care less", so in fact: "I couldn't care less." But I may just be being charitable.

[@gloriawang5608]

I've only ever heard people say it wrong so I didn't know that was the right way to say it LOL

[@DJTrek83]

When people say, "mute point", instead of, "moot point". Also, "On accident", instead of "by accident"

[@obie1103]

Normal people: "There's a right way say things. People should use it!" Linguists: "Language is fluuuuuiiidd!! Nothing is permanen! ANARCHYYYYYYYYYYY!!!!

[@kayv5840]

Hahaha, that's how I've been since taking semantics & linguistics courses. I care less & am not as rigid about language as before, but I know the rules & have helped teach English.

[@MK-xc7pl]

2b2t

[@eliya3424]

Yes! I used to be a stickler on English grammar (my first language) but with other languages that I have studied, I often say things I know are grammatically incorrect because I want to sound like a native, not a textbook.

[@awkwardme5375]

Permanent**

[@jellybaebi]

Onarchy? Anarchy. When I fight I make the other side panicky

[@RockinDemJeanz]

"PACIFICALLY" - specifically "SUPPOSEBLY" - supposedly In Western Sydney (Australia) these are used all the time. EDIT: One of my all time favourite Pauline Hanson-isms is the word "REZON-A-TATED" - resonated. As in; "thanks for that Kev, your words really REZON-A-TATED with me" 😂

[@DirtyDoge]

Supposably is a word, it means "as may be conceived or imagined." People don't alwys use it right, but I think there's a certain overlap to where you could use either, supposably.

[@jcims]

psketti

[@rhondafriscia5528]

Must of been there proximity to the Pacific. 😛

[@advisorywarning]

Rhonda Friscia their* I’m just teasin😜

[@caitlinmanton4707]

I'm in western Sydney right now. Your accuracy astounds me.

[@otheirony618]

“I could care less” I get irrationally angry over this one.

[@mariocastro6895]

I could care less

[@joefelice5062]

Pronouncing exspresso, exspecially, and should of... all make me justifiably angry.

[@wordsculpt]

Well, sometimes I actually could manage to care a little bit less. Not usually, but occasionally!

[@isitstupidtoaskquestions]

I could care less

[@sylviacarlson3561]

@@mariocastro6895 why?

[@buzbuz33-99]

Very entertaining and informative. For eggcorns, how about "Duck tape" (a tape created with duck fabric) evolving into "Duct tape" (even though the tape is not good at taping ducts, especially heating ducts).

[@Sam_Perman]

A good family friend of mine though it was “Gorilla Cheese” for 35 years until she saw it written on a menu and didn’t know what a “grilled cheese” was.

[@ancali]

😂🤣😂

[@Sam_Perman]

Katie W. Still not as bad as THIRTY FIVE YEARS

[@bganonimouse2754]

Holy smokes my toes even curled while hearing this, just ugh.

[@StarryNightt.]

@@katiew. Lmfaoo me too! Till I was like 8

[@elena2125]

People are just funny.😂

[@maggiepb4]

Idk who needs to hear this, but “definitely” and “defiantly” are two completely different words.

[@dallaswood4117]

ha i posted the same thing. i only ever see it typed that way though so people must be spelling definitely wrong and then auto correct kicks in?

[@thistvrighthere]

autocorrect needs to hear it

[@sierramelody3886]

The typo is usually definately tho

[@jtoatm5923]

Dallas Wood that’s defiantly true

[@eatsmylifeYT]

How about "could of" and "could have"?

[@liduinaliduina11]

Okay but what about the people that say “I could care less” instead of “I couldn’t care less”

[@acharich]

Ironically I once saw someone write a rant about the second statement on FB.. 💀

[@micheal2458]

@@acharich about the correct one? what was their issue with it?

[@jaxxiet5851]

@@acharich lolll

[@marcusnichols5595]

Hi Emma, David Mitchel has something to say about that; kzbin.info/www/bejne/pZ6agGODe9Cgptk

[@crewe99]

I was looking for this comment! Infuriating 🤬

[@minners19]

I find it FACINATING that in some languages, the tone of how you say something completely changes a word.

[@melonie_peppers]

This is very common in African languages especially Bantu languages. We sometimes just have 1 word used 7 times just depending on how you pronounce it will change meaning

[@einundsiebenziger5488]

... fascinating* ...

[@niemand262]

There's an old adage, "Never laugh at someone for mispronouncing a word. They likely learned the word by reading". I suppose there is an inverse adage, "Always laugh at someone for committing an Eggcorn, it means they learned a word by not reading".

[@FionaA17]

😂

[@minstrelcat1951]

😂😂😂😂

[@DasObscure]

I learned my English by watching TV starting at age 5, once I had learned my second language well enough to read the subtitles through which I understood the English spoken, and by age 7 I was more or less fluent in conversational English. So, the problem wasn't "not reading", I just mostly read in my 2 first languages that I was more surrounded by. I'd like to know how many languages these "spelling shamers" knew at the age of 5-7.

[@Beluchy59]

@@DasObscure I knew 3. I still get pet peeves in all of my languages. It’s one of the benefits of being fluent in more than one language lmfao

[@sottosopravoce]

But eggcorns are often mishearings of cliches writers are trying to avoid.

[@RealMexFoodShouldntGiveUDrrhea]

My mom (a native Spanish speaker) works with a lot of young people who always say, “I’m like....” She thought they were saying, “I’m Mike.” She thought it was an American phrase. 🤣

[@lalalovinlifelala]

that’s so sweet 🥺🥺🥺

[@SubhalakshmiKumar]

Him: Here are these language facts My brain: His eyes match the wall behind him

[@Natalie-ox7xm]

I totally lost some of the information being presented because of that!

[@amorerobinson4140]

Now I can’t unsee it 😂

[@cjjuszczak]

he has blue eyes, and a green wall though o.O

[@hiimjohnquinones2971]

Now it's bugging me that it's not a perfect match lol

[@emdivine]

I like the way your mind works..

[@done.6191]

"For all intensive purposes, dialect coach Erik Singer is literally an expert when it comes to language. " This sentence nearly broke me.

[@isaiahsanchevy9252]

I had a professor who was a lot like this guy. She made advanced grammar really interesting and fun.

[@terintiaflavius3349]

I just love magnificent teachers.

[@marina-qs6sh]

OMG and when people say “should of” instead of “should’ve”

[@shannkilian7642]

This is one of my absolute pet hates. It's amazing how often it's seen. Aaarrghhhhh...

[@shannkilian7642]

Some people even write it as "should of.."

[@marina-qs6sh]

@Milo S they even type it out though

[@happyviewer4872]

It drives me batshit!

[@hippihippihippi1]

Not to mention "firstable" instead of first of all

[@essentialrenee]

i wasn't prepared for eliza's sultry "hi".

[@jdavi6241]

@@koolmaaan the linguistic tonal style of that "hi" would be recognized as sounding sultry by most folks with an understanding of tonality. However, I don't think it was intentional on her part. You don't need to be attracted to someone to recognize and identify cultural associations of "sultriness" in the inflections of someone's voice.

[@dressyrbrunte100]

i reacted to it too omg

[@essentialrenee]

@@koolmaaan i wasn't looking at the video. just listening. her "hi" made me look. good job reaching though...

[@essentialrenee]

@@jdavi6241 thank you

[@QuantEdgeHub]

huuh omg right

[@strawberrybunny16]

I totally agree with this outlook- but I do wish there was a synonym for “literally” that could be solely used for its original meaning. Because it’s not *always* clearly understood, and I’ll take an exaggeration in the literal sense. And I guess that can happen with any exaggeration, but using a word that can *also* confirm something as literal and true, (“literally” could be used to prove that they are specifically NOT trying to exaggerate), really does create some miscommunications 😂

[@TheKeck]

A year later, just adding that I agree. 😆 The whole point of the word literally (in the sense we want to use it) is to get rid of an ambiguity that you expect the hearer to not understand.

[@renemccracken6319]

If my husband isn’t this understanding, calm, and accepting, I don’t want it

[@hkspowers003]

As a husband I strive to be more like this guy. What a pleasant person to be around, he really seemed so genuine and calm.

[@DavidDavid-jb1cy]

I don't think "he" would want to be called "it."

[@9009matorres]

hkspowers003 as a husband, please stfu forever.

[@mordecai8707]

David David relax softie

[@mordecai8707]

Senor Diego you’d be surprised at how easy it is to pickup on characteristics and qualities of people just by observing them. Not saying you should completely believe what you see on the outside as some people can put up a front but generally, it’s easy to understand a person, try people watching sometime 😭 a lot of women are good at it too

[@MikeCollar]

My favourite language change is 'awful'. It literally meant "awe-full" or "full of awe"... so not only were things like floods and war awful, but also sunsets and cathedrals. Then, when that shifted to only pertain to bad things, we had to come up with 'awesome' to fill the linguistic void.

[@kckazcoll1]

I hated when awesome became an expression that never went away...meaning awe-inspiring, originally

[@ratamacue0320]

Terrific.

[@arkansaspotter7250]

I have a co-worker who told me he loves English, which is his second language, because he loves how you can turn any word into a verb, like microwaving.

[@evanouchka3771]

You can literally turn anything into a verb in English, and I think that's a wonderful feature. A language where "he whooshed right past me" and "I zipped up my coat" are valid sentences should be celebrated.

[@ESCFanCH]

you can do it in Russian too. just put -ovat' on the end. :)

[@trollsymctroll5361]

Party

[@AR-ln7ip]

You can totally verb any word!

[@A_nony_mous]

I still use "nuke" as the verb for microwaving, although I've never used (or even seen) a nuclear weapon.

[@GehamArakelyan]

The thing that got me was when he said "coexist together" at the end

[@yp913]

One of my biggest peeves is the incorrect use of "accept" and "except".

[@yp913]

@lygophile LOL

[@lklivingstone7801]

We shouldn't except such mistakes. Excepting them would mean approving them.

[@ktwashere5637]

There's a certain episode of Friends you should never watch then. Or maybe you should?

[@ytreece]

Then and than

[@EliteProductions3129]

@Guess Who I can never keep these straight in my head. If something *affected* someone then it had an *effect* on them. But I swear I could switch them around and it be fine.

[@x.adrimarie.x]

People really are out here typing “collage” instead of “college” 😬

[@FuzzyElf]

These people are often attending "collage," too.

[@sparklingsequin2536]

FuzzyElf everyone has different, areas of strength...

[@kv8938]

sparkling sequin spelling "college" is a very hard skill to learn, yes

[@fificore]

I used to do that! 😭

[@legendsword7]

Do you mean "literally" out here?

[@ArkadianDream]

I don't know why anyone would consider the verbing of nouns a peeve. It's probably what I like most about english as a non native speaker, it makes it so fun and flexible

[@stephenb8353]

I think because more often than not, in my experience, its used in corporate jargon - to action, to sunset, to interface, to dogfood...

[@miso306]

It mostly just sounds really cheesy to me. Like they're trying to be quirky or creative, but it's so overdone that it's lame.

[@kryw10]

Someone told me once that English was hard to learn, but worth it because of it's flexibility, too. I think that's interesting.

[@bsgamesca8891]

Verbing really weirds the language, but that also makes it more efficient.

[@ExiledStardust]

Because it's hugely overdone, especially by marketers and creative writers trying to imitate Hemingway by paring down their sentences as much as possible by forcing nouns to do excessively heavy lifting.

[@kcindc5539]

Stephen Colbert in his former persona on The Colbert Report, famously said “you can verbize anything”. I agree

[@maplelog254]

The only thing that really bothers me is when people say something like "more better"

[@wernerhiemer406]

That is the equivaltent to german "am bestesten" when only "gut" good, "besser" better and "am besten" the best; exist. Called superlativum plus.

[@smallprisc]

This has roots probably in many languages. The chinese uses an equivalent of "more" to emphasize. I believe the Japanese and Koreans are the same as well... Most likely, people who say "more better" or similar speaks another language. I could be wrong though.

[@i.am.10vely]

I think people probably mean to say "much better" but more and much kind of sound similar and have similar meanings so that could be why they use them interchangeably

[@kub2039]

I can use “more better” as in good, better, more better, best.

[@booyah2217]

It's not as bad as "more perfect".

[@SWLinPHX]

Sometimes when I open my door slowly it has "vocal fry".

[@duchess8070]

this needs more likes

[@boghag]

That's "hingeal fry"

[@mitchell-407]

😂😂😂

[@jorgesoler7753]

if you pay close attention, you can make out the word "liiiiteralleeehh"

[@sheiladawg1664]

I still can't believe that's a thing and people *try* to talk that way.

[@amyparker9816]

The more I study linguistics, the more I let go of the stupid prejudices that I used to have....but I will never not be at least a little angry when I see someone write apart instead of a part. As in "I'm so glad I got to be apart of your special day!"

[@JacquelineUnderwood]

Wait but don’t they have different meanings? I thought apart means separated and a part means a piece of.

[@amyparker9816]

@@JacquelineUnderwood Exactly, they do have different meanings. That's why it annoys me so much when people say apart, when they meant to say a part.

[@hartmarque]

@@amyparker9816 I agree. "Everyday" is the one that does it for me.

[@danaglabeman6919]

I agree with you, because there's a huge difference between making a so-called mistake where everyone understands what you mean and people are just being sticklers, vs. your example where the mistake changes the meaning of the speech. That's just bad communication.

[@poke-champ4256]

@@hartmarque wait one second.İsnt everyday correct?i always thought its typical for english to merge words together and create a new one thats used a lot like anyone,everybody, anyhow,anywhere and all these kinda words

[@Nano0k]

My secret pet peeve is knowing to say something as “long/short-lived” with a long “i” sound, to indicate possession of a long or short life, but never actually say it to save time. I always congratulate other, braver souls than myself who do so. Has happened a couple of times in three decades.