Grammar and Word Usage

[Ron Natalie]

Common stupidity:

Its / It's
Affect/Effect
Moot/Mute
Virtually/Literally/Generally

[Dan Hintz]

nor can one serve "au jus" on the side.

I see no issue with asking for au jus on the side... au jus does not specify it has to be in juice, only that it is with.

Similarly, it is a "shezz-long" not a "chase lounge".

If the word was the original chaise longue (long chair), I would agree with your pronunciation. However, the Americanized version is not just a change in pronunciation, it is a change in the actual word(s) used... it is typically spelled "chaise lounge" (not longue), and while the first word is still mangled from a pronunciation standpoint, the second word has been modified enough to make the more likely pronunciation just as it is spelled.

[Michael O'Sullivan]

I see no issue with asking for au jus on the side... au jus does not specify it has to be in juice, only that it is with.

"Au jus" isn't a thing, it it as an adverbial/prepositional phrase. Could you have your "a la mode" on the side?

If the word was the original chaise longue (long chair), I would agree with your pronunciation. However, the Americanized version is not just a change in pronunciation, it is a change in the actual word(s) used... it is typically spelled "chaise lounge" (not longue), and while the first word is still mangled from a pronunciation standpoint, the second word has been modified enough to make the more likely pronunciation just as it is spelled.

The problem is that "lounge" is a bastardization of "longue" -- changing a french word into a similar (but unrelated) English one.

P.S. don't get me started on comprise!!!!

[Jeff Dorlan]

Actually your third line should read, "For all INTENTS and purposes".

One that bothers me greatly is when people say, "I could care less", meaning they really don't care. So, them saying the former, actually means that they do care. The proper saying is "I COULDN'T care less".

Then people will say "Anyways..." No, people...it is not plural! Anyway...

[Michael O'Sullivan]

Actually your third line should read, "For all INTENTS and purposes".

One that bothers me greatly is when people say, "I could care less", meaning they really don't care. So, them saying the former, actually means that they do care. The proper saying is "I COULDN'T care less".

Then people will say "Anyways..." No, people...it is not plural! Anyway...

re intensive intentions and other intents, your irony meter may need recalibration (I suggest a Starrett). Hence the .......

[Dan Hintz]

Actually your third line should read, "For all INTENTS and purposes".

Jeff,

John was listing several phrases as often improperly stated.



Michael, too true, my bad... I should have made that just jus, not au jus. That said, it sounds really wierd to say "...with the jus on the side?"

[Michael O'Sullivan]

Jeff,

John was listing several phrases as often improperly stated.



Michael, too true, my bad... I should have made that just jus, not au jus. That said, it sounds really wierd to say "...with the jus on the side?"

C'est rien Personally, I would just ask for "sauce."

Thinking more about "chase lounge", it is not pretentious, because people are not saying it to show off, but the sound does grate on my delicate ears.