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- Go to O English . . . Thou art a crazy, mixed-up language!
Re:
That can happen too, lion. I'm one of those people who never forgets a face, but am only about 50/50 when it comes to names! I'm glad you don't worry about getting words mixed up. However, now that the seed has been planted . . . 
posted by
JimmyA
on March 25, 2013 at 7:00 AM
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Re: I actually told a Spaniard about my mixing them up, Jimmy.
Well that's good, adnohr! I'm sure there may be others from different countries who might actually get somewhat offended if told that someone confused their nationality with a breed of dog! Good thing it wasn't a Russian Wolfhound ( those people don't have much of a sense of humor! )
posted by
JimmyA
on March 25, 2013 at 6:58 AM
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Re:
I'm sure there are many, TAPS, for all of us! The good news is, with the way the English language is constructed ( at least the Americanized version of it ) you can use the wrong word in a sentence and still get your point across!
posted by
JimmyA
on March 25, 2013 at 6:52 AM
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I can't think of the last time I mixed words up - I remember words well, it's people I mix up 
posted by
lionreign
on March 25, 2013 at 4:42 AM
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I actually told a Spaniard about my mixing them up, Jimmy.
He was amused and pleased - he knows how I love dogs, so considered it a compliment.
posted by
adnohr
on March 24, 2013 at 8:17 PM
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Well of course, just because you asked...... 
posted by
TAPS.
on March 24, 2013 at 1:27 PM
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Re:
Well, mariss, sometimes that's the beauty of the English language, at least the "Americanized" version of it. Even when certain words are used improperly, you can still get your point across to the other person. It's amazing sometimes. French is French, German is German, Italian is Italian . . . but American English is really just a bastardized version English English, with a potpourri of so many other languages thrown into the mix, it's a minor miracle sometimes that we can understand each other at all . . . 
posted by
JimmyA
on March 24, 2013 at 10:12 AM
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Re:
I can imagine, adnohr! I often wondered how an actual Spaniard might feel if they heard of someone mixing up their nationality with a breed of dog! I guess if you told the story slowly and humorously . . .
posted by
JimmyA
on March 24, 2013 at 10:06 AM
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Re:
Yeah, Against, that would make things somewhat confusing! Hopefully you spot those mix ups. Sometimes it's better to have another pair of eyes check over your stuff ( like my wife usually does with mine ). Certain things you're used to might get right by you . . .
posted by
JimmyA
on March 24, 2013 at 10:04 AM
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Re: JimmyA
Well, Wiley, that would probably fall under the category of "words with variant spellings," since they mean the same thing. I know many people who also use the spelling colour for color, or theatre for theater. Now, if you were mixing up humor and hummer, then we'd have a story . . .
posted by
JimmyA
on March 24, 2013 at 10:01 AM
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Re: Jimmy
You know, I must admit, Naut, that I sometimes get those words mixed up as well. Even when they're improperly used, sometimes they just sound better to the layout of the sentence. I'm not saying that makes it alright, but again, people will still know what you meant. And hey, saying you "lay in bed, then got laid" sounds okay by me . . . 
posted by
JimmyA
on March 24, 2013 at 9:58 AM
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Re: Jimmy...
Yeah, Rumor, they are easy to confuse! And the worst part is, although they may not necessarily be interchangeable based on the content of the sentence, spell-check will usually miss or disregard it! But again, for all intents and purposes, people will still know what you meant . . . !
posted by
JimmyA
on March 24, 2013 at 9:53 AM
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Re:
I think I can see that, sam. A recipe for your groceries versus a receipt for angel food cake! Just make sure you bring the right paperwork to your accountant . . .
posted by
JimmyA
on March 24, 2013 at 9:50 AM
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Re:
Thank you, lovelylady, and I understand completely. Most Americans will actually get somewhat upset if you try to "correct" their English, especially when it comes to writing. And of course, all of the current abbreviations and short-cuts being used as "internet chat" isn't helping much! I think the two that drive me the craziest are people's mixed-up uses of there, their and they're, and of course the most common, your and you're. But not to worry. You just go on using that proper English, the colonists be damned . . . !
posted by
JimmyA
on March 24, 2013 at 9:48 AM
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Re:
Really, FSI? So you used to try to simulate your foot after it fell asleep while trying to stimulate the motions of someone walking? Interesting . . .
posted by
JimmyA
on March 24, 2013 at 9:42 AM
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Re:
Well, that's not really what I had in mind, Kabu, but I think I get the general idea of where your mindset was heading . . . Any other words that don't sound similar that you also confuse . . . ? 
posted by
JimmyA
on March 24, 2013 at 9:40 AM
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Re:
I can see that too, lustor. In fact, those two words have probably been mixed up so often by so many people, there's a good chance that others don't really care anymore! We know what you meant . . . !
posted by
JimmyA
on March 24, 2013 at 9:37 AM
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Re: brought a smile to my face
Don't worry about that, jean. I'm a terrible speller too ( does that end with er or ar? Is that an i or an e? Is that ain or ane? ) Of course, that's what spell-check is for! And as far as you and your husband's list of mixed-up words, believe me, mine is probably just as long . . . !
posted by
JimmyA
on March 24, 2013 at 9:35 AM
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Re: Lol about the pooches!
Thanks, Katray. Yeah, sometimes I too have to pause that extra second or three to make sure I'm using either affect or effect properly ( they're easy to confuse! ) And as far as the "pooches" are concerned, they get so much love and attention, I doubt very much if they care whether they're referred to as spaniels or Spaniards!
posted by
JimmyA
on March 24, 2013 at 9:32 AM
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I can't think of one in particular, but it has taken me years to know how to spell camouflage correctly. And I believe disoriented and disorientated have taken me for a long ride not knowing which is really correct, although according to the spell check both are good; I like the shorter one.
posted by
mariss9
on March 23, 2013 at 10:23 AM
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I have too many to list here. The Spaniel and Spaniard one I've mixed up before, but in the French language - the person I was speaking to at the time thought it was a hoot!
posted by
adnohr
on March 23, 2013 at 1:52 AM
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Grammatically, I tend to put which where I should put that. When I proofread, that is an error I need to be ready to correct.
posted by
Against4WindsOn2Flam
on March 22, 2013 at 9:42 PM
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JimmyA
How about humour and humor, the proper one, (Cdn) version of course is humor.
posted by
WileyJohn
on March 22, 2013 at 6:40 PM
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Jimmy
I've been racking my brain, but I really can't seem to come up with anything! But there are some mistakes people make that I find annoying, particularly the way they get lying and laying mixed up! They say "I was laying there", which prompts me to ask "What were you laying there, an egg?" Or else "Who was it you were laying?", LOL. If they were reclining somewhere, they were lying...It's spelled the same way as lying, as in telling a fib...When you want to say that you stayed in bed, it's "I lay in bed." Of course, it's also correct to say "I lay in bed, and then I got laid," but it's incorrect to say "I laid in bed"...
posted by
Nautikos
on March 22, 2013 at 4:22 PM
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Jimmy...
I would say "affect" and "effect" for me, too..
..
posted by
Rumor
on March 22, 2013 at 3:38 PM
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For some reason I have had a problem with recipe and recipt! No clue, it just happens! LOL! sam 
posted by
sam444
on March 22, 2013 at 1:51 PM
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LOL! Another goody, Jimmy. I don't necessarily mix up words, but I do use "proper English". As I've posted many times before, I was pretty much raised by English people, so adopting their accents and spellings was only natural to me. I ABHORE American English!
Whenever I had to turn in some kind of writing assignment at school, I'd always use proper English. It drove my teachers crazy, which I lived for and loved no end!
posted by
lovelyladymonk
on March 22, 2013 at 12:06 PM
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I used to mix up simulate and stimulate.
posted by
FormerStudentIntern
on March 22, 2013 at 10:43 AM
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No when I mean yes!!!
posted by
Kabu
on March 22, 2013 at 9:43 AM
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then and than
posted by
Lanetay
on March 22, 2013 at 9:07 AM
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brought a smile to my face
the list of ones me and my husband mix up is too long to list, my problem is remembering what they are till it happens again, lol, another problem i have is not knowing how to spell, so i just substitute a word i can spell!!! lol
posted by
jeansaw
on March 22, 2013 at 8:07 AM
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Lol about the pooches!
I do the sub. and pre. mix ups too - going to pick up my subscription from the pharmacist and renew my prescription to Blogit today, haha..I also mix up affect and effect, but they are very similar sounding, so no wonder eh?...:)
Interesting post, Jimmy! 
posted by
Katray2
on March 22, 2013 at 7:28 AM
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