OK, I'm a word snob

[Kings Gambit]

Here’s one folks might need to know better.. What’s the distinction between “line” and “rope” on a sail boat. Shouldn’t “learn the ropes” actually be “learn the lines?” Is it “Hand me that line” or “Hand me that rope?”

What is that rope?” “3/8 in polyester Yacht Braid.”
What is that line? “The foreguy.”

 

[...3TacksontheWater]

Here’s one folks might need to know better.. What’s the distinction between “line” and “rope” on a sail boat. Shouldn’t “learn the ropes” actually be “learn the lines?” Is it “Hand me that line” or “Hand me that rope?”

What is that rope?” “3/8 in polyester Yacht Braid.”
What is that line? “The foreguy.”

Good points Kings Gambit! "Technically", there are no ropes on a sailboat. The term rope is used when raw material is on a spool in a shop. Once it is cut, spliced or fashioned for a specific job, it becomes a line, a sheet, foreguy or rode, as the case and function may be.

George

 

[Richard19068]

Good points Kings Gambit! "Technically", there are no ropes on a sailboat. The term rope is used when raw material is on a spool in a shop. Once it is cut, spliced or fashioned for a specific job, it becomes a line, a sheet, foreguy or rode, as the case and function may be.

George

Bell rope. Man rope. Foot rope. Bolt rope. ??? And I think there are other "ropes".

 

[SFS]

... Honestly, how hard is it to learn the difference between effect and affect?..

This was once my pet peeve. Now it is adverse and averse. And don't get me started on imply versus infer.

 

[Gene Neill]

The misuse and the overuse of "literally" makes me want to pound my head through drywall.

People use it two or three times in a single sentence these days.

 

[dmax]

Agree, I saw a quote in an article where a person actually said "my head literally exploded".

 

[jssailem]

The saying I hear from many young folk, that elicits a "Why, bless your heart" (in my mind), is:
"To be perfectly honest".
Variations include: "Honestly, I find...", "If I am being perfectly honest!", "Let me be honest with you!" etc...

When I hear that, my non-confrontational self starts looking for the door.

On the other hand, I have at times openly questioned, "Well, how much of the last 10 minutes of conversation has been a bloody lie?"

 

[SFS]

Bless your heart can also mean something COMPLETELY different in the Deep South.

 

[Kings Gambit]

Don't forget "irregardless", the conflation of the actual two words regardless and irrespective.

 

[Kings Gambit]

Don't forget "irregardless", the conflation of the actual two words regardless and irrespective.

And my all-time favorite, the expression "mitigates against" when it should be "militates against."

 

[Kings Gambit]

And then all those other common demonstrations of illiterate usage, e.g., "most unique", "more perfect", "highly ubiquitous", "pretty sure", etc.