The acceptance of incorrect American-English

[Tom]

Lately, I've been watching a little more television than normal.  My wife has not been present so I get to watch the news and my History shows.

What I've noticed is the propensity for news-readers to use words that I was taught were incorrect.  The one that sticks in  my craw the most is "busted".  I can even find it in the dictionary as acceptable.

News people report that people are busted (maybe acceptable but I'd rather see another term), tires are busted, balloons are busted, windows are busted, streets are busted, home furnishings are busted, and the last one that made me cringe was, ....and the boat was busted.....

Is there really a reason to send children to school?

I guess I'm just and old fuddy-duddy.

[DanG]

Is there really a reason to send children to school?

I guess I'm just and old fuddy-duddy.

Where else would they learn to misspell correctly?

And yes, you are an old fuddy-duddy, and a cantankerous one at that!

[iffy]

I frequently use the term "busted" in my day job. I am a network administrator and the non-technical users always  prefer an explanation in layman's terms. So, a typical email from me would be something like: "The mail server is busted. We are working on it. More info when we have some". In this case, everyone understands busted and nobody wants any further explanation other than "how long will it be busted?" ;D

One of the words in prominent use that just annoys the heck out of me is "doable". Can't they just say "we can do that" or "ok" or something else other than "doable"?

[isawlogs]

I thought busted was used for something broke or a dope dealer being put out of business as in he got busted .
Then again I have used words for many meanings other then there intended purpose and spelling so who am I to critique this ..  : :P

[Radar67]

I am a network administrator and the non-technical users always  prefer an explanation in layman's terms. So, a typical email from me would be something like: "The mail server is busted. We are working on it. More info when we have some".

I work in the IT field myself as a system/network admin and security specialist. This has always been a pet peeve of mine, if the email server is down or "busted", how in the heck are the customers going to get the email you just sent to tell them it is down?  ;)

[Ron Wenrich]

I think busted came about in the '60s and '70s when there were drug busts.  If you got caught in one, you were busted.  I guess we could say you were arrested, but that just doesn't sound as hip.

In my area, we've only been speaking English for a few generations.  Sentence structure and pronunciation can be challenging at times.  It also leads to misspelling. 

[DR Buck]

Just face it like an old fuddy-duddy Tom.   The English language is busted.    :D

[Okrafarmer]

What about the boom and bust cycle? Isn't that legitimate?

Anyway there are all those sculptures that are busted-- only the head and shoulders are left, and they couldn't find the rest of the statue so they only show you the head and shoulders, which somehow didn't get busted.

:

[Frickman]

Tom,

In today's paper there was a syndicated article about oil leftover on the floor of the Gulf from BP's "busted" oil well. I couldn't believe they used that word.

[isawlogs]

I am not sure what is worst , them for using the word or the fact that all know what they meant by it.

[Mooseherder]

One of the words in prominent use that just annoys the heck out of me is "doable". Can't they just say "we can do that" or "ok" or something else other than "doable"?

Doable is a great word.  I vote to accept it. :D

[Okrafarmer]

I enjoy making new words all the time. In stead of telling my kids to buckle up, I say "Bucklify." But I don't expect other people to start using my malapropisms and modifications.

[isawlogs]

Doable is not a word .....  ???  I best get me a different teacher .. mine must be busted .

[Roxie]

Tom, you should know better than expose an achilles heel in this crowd.  All they're gonna do is poke at it.   :D

[Dan_Shade]

i like well busted specimens of the fairer sex   :D

[Roxie]

and I rest my case.......

[dnalley]

This brings up something I've wondered about....seems northeners (mostly) use the word "then" in place of "than" or vice-versa.  Don't know if one is wrong or right...just kinda foreign to my "redneck" lingo :  Dwight

[Okrafarmer]

I grew up in the north-- it isn't that we spell it wrong, we just pronounce it wrong and sometimes that brain-switches into our writing too. We say "I ken do that betta then you" but as we say it we are picturing the words "I can do that better than you." Can and can't are pronounced alike in Maine, except that they have a different inflection. They say "I can' do that." Actually "can" is often pronounced "ken" or even "kin" so you have the opposites "ken and can' "   That would be like, "I can' do that, but he ken."

[Mooseherder]

Some fellers pronounce garage "gurrage" up yondy with an emphasis on grrr.
Up yondy means over there. ;D

[John Mc]

This brings up something I've wondered about....seems northeners (mostly) use the word "then" in place of "than" or vice-versa.  Don't know if one is wrong or right...just kinda foreign to my "redneck" lingo :  Dwight

Are they using the wrong word, or just pronouncing it in a way that is not distinguishable.

When I say "I like chocolate chip ice cream better than vanilla", I'm thinking "than". However, if you played me back just that single word out of context, I doubt I could tell you whether it was "than" or "then". If I had to spell what I actually pronounced, if would probably be "thn".

I've got two pet peeves: Incorrect use of "seen", as in "I seen him use a chainsaw". (Should be "I saw him..." or I have seen him...". The real fingernails-on-chalkboard thing for me is when someone says "I" when it should be "me" (e.g. "Would you like to go to the store with Mike and I?"). It seems some have gotten so afraid if using "me" when it should be "I" that they are going overboard the other way. Even worse is when they try to avoid deciding between the two altogether: "Would you like to go to the store with Mike and myself?"

I figured I had a few year before I became a grumpy old curmudgeon, but I guess it's coming on early in my case.

John Mc

[Okrafarmer]

It seems some have gotten so afraid if using "me" when it should be "I" that they are going overboard the other way.John Mc

One of my things I notice is when people say "if" when they mean "of."
:

[DR Buck]

Like Dan's "specimens of the fairer sex  "       this thread is well busted.    :D :D :D

[dnalley]

I spect nobody butchers english no worse than (then)me.  If it was me saying, I'd say I'll eat the chocolate chip...then I'll eat the vanilla .  Just sorta figured it was more of a regional thing than (then) right or wrong ;D.  Dwight

[isawlogs]

than or then .....  ???   Is one like having an option as in this one rather than the other and the other a time thing as in when you have a minute do this rather then that ..... or am I up a creek without me paddle  :-\

[Okrafarmer]

Why do I have a feeling all the Australians are silently perusing this thread just waiting for the best time to bust into it?