Let's List the Most Misused Words in the English Language

[Wiglaf]

His post makes it very clear. If you are in a boring lecture, you are disinterested. If there is a news story about migration of some form of lame birds, you are disinterested. It basically means bored in most cases. Not interested in a topic or person or whatever.

[Dry]

This is quite confusing for me as a non-english native.
As a francophone, I use to analyse the contruction of a word to have a better understanding of its meaning.
The prefixes are usually important. And while I understand that the meaning of words may shift with time and across different languages, those 2 words like dis-interested and un-interested, I would have understood them the following way:
Prefix un- or in-, means the absence of something. Something is not there, and maybe never was.
Prefix de- or dis-, means the removal of something. You need something to be there in order to remove it.
Deconstruct, means your undo an original construction.
Disappearance cannot occur if the person is not there in first place. Discourage, means you remove the courage of a person.
Inaccurate means it's simply not accurate, it's not like it was accurate in the first place and some action, word or behavior removed the accuracy.

So, between uninterested(ing) and disinterested(ing), I would have said that a boring lecture was un-interesting. While if lost interest in something, I would be dis-interested.

seems I was wrong...

[Nugog]

Originally posted by Dauphin
Patriot.

[Alinestra Covelia]

I've noticed people in the U.S. use the word "momentarily" to mean "in a moment" rather than "for a moment". I've never heard people in Britain misuse this word this way.

Brit: "Sorry, I was momentarily confused, but I see what you mean now."

U.S.: "Please take a seat and somebody will be by to help you momentarily."

(Me: "But I'd much rather have some not-so-momentary help!")

[Alinestra Covelia]

Originally posted by Wiglaf
Don't testify before congress anytime soon man.

...says the man with the Alberto Gonzales avatar.

[Wiglaf]

Originally posted by Alinestra Covelia
I've noticed people in the U.S. use the word "momentarily" to mean "in a moment" rather than "for a moment". I've never heard people in Britain misuse this word this way.

Brit: "Sorry, I was momentarily confused, but I see what you mean now."

U.S.: "Please take a seat and somebody will be by to help you momentarily."

(Me: "But I'd much rather have some not-so-momentary help!")

Webster:

http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/momentarily

Main Entry:
mo·men·tar·i·ly Listen to the pronunciation of momentarily
Pronunciation:
\ˌmō-mən-ˈter-ə-lē\
Function:
adverb
Date:
circa 1666

1: for a moment 2archaic : instantly3: at any moment : in a moment

And Alberto has managed to avoid perjuring himself despite about 50 rabid dogs wanting to find an excuse to scandalize him. I'd say he did pretty well

[Alinestra Covelia]

Quoting the inclusion of an improper use in a dictionary proves little. It's not surprising or incongruous that the dictionary recognizes common, if improper, uses provided they're widespread enough.

And good to see your selective quotation strikes again.

(Are you sure you're not a journalist... or a lawyer...? If not, you've clearly missed a calling!)

Quoted from dictionary.com:

mo·men·tar·i·ly (mō'mən-târ'ə-lē) Pronunciation Key
adv.

1. For a moment or an instant.
2. Usage Problem In a moment; very soon.
3. Moment by moment; progressively.

Usage Note: Momentarily is widely used in speech to mean "in a moment," as in The manager is on another line, but she'll be with you momentarily. This usage rarely leads to ambiguity since the intended sense can usually be determined on the basis of the tense of the verb and the context. Nonetheless, many critics hold that the adverb should be reserved for the senses "for a moment," and the extended usage is unacceptable to 59 percent of the Usage Panel.

I stand by my original post.

[Alinestra Covelia]

Originally posted by Wiglaf
And Alberto has managed to avoid perjuring himself despite about 50 rabid dogs wanting to find an excuse to scandalize him. I'd say he did pretty well

Yes, when in doubt, one can always claim they're ignorant. It's hard to catch somebody in an outright lie if their cover story is stupidity.

[chequita guevara]

Originally posted by Wiglaf
And Alberto has managed to avoid perjuring himself despite about 50 rabid dogs wanting to find an excuse to scandalize him. I'd say he did pretty well

No he didn't.

[Wiglaf]

But Webster is a superior source to dictionary.com, which is the site that lists that absurd usage problem. Webster defines "in a moment" as a tertiary, but correct usage

Yes, when in doubt, one can always claim they're ignorant. It's hard to catch somebody in an outright lie if their cover story is stupidity.

He's a busy man, and if you read the transcript of the testimony, the things he doesn't remember are reasonable.

No he didn't marf I'm so clevvar.

Why is he not in jail then? Let's keep in mind that "I do not recall" is not a ticket out of perjury. If it's demonstrably false and you should recall, you are guilty as well.

[Arrian]

Every time you take Wiggy seriously, someone kills a kitten. Please, think of the kittens.

-Arrian

[Wiglaf]

We're talking about the Merriam Webster dictionary, if you want to dispute the mother ****ing Merriam Webster dictionary then please leave this planet, there is simply no hope.

[Kuciwalker]

Wiglaf

[Arrian]

That one was good, Wiggy.

-Arrian

[Alinestra Covelia]

Originally posted by Wiglaf
But Webster is a superior source to dictionary.com, which is the site that lists that absurd usage problem. Webster defines "in a moment" as a tertiary, but correct usage



He's a busy man, and if you read the transcript of the testimony, the things he doesn't remember are reasonable.

Fair enough. When Wiglaf responds to a post with such uncharacteristic civility, I'm willing to concede this argument to him on purely procedural grounds.

You don't go poking into the substance when a miracle has occurred