Barbara, maybe I have watched too many episodes of Judge Judy, but that is where I discover her corrections beneficial because she interrupts each word spoke which is NOT a word or each grammatical error. Long live Judge Judy! I am amazed that many of the litigants appear to speak English as if it were a two semester course in a second language. It does not make me crazy, for I am already that, but I truly love that she catches every sloppiness with our language, and especially "yeah" on each usage. And yes, I am an offender in some pronunciations which is clearly why I love the keyboard over vocalization. Good topic!

Barbara,

As a fellow copy editor, I have a long list of words or phrases that drive me up the wall. Neither of us is crazy. It's the lazy writers of the world who get to wear your crazy button.

Here are just a few:

People who use "over" instead of "more than"

People who have "less" things instead of "fewer" things

People who say LAY instead of LIE (that's rampant here in Texas!)

People who say "comprised of" instead of "comprises"

People who say "someone that..." instead of "someone who..."

People who say "Where's it at?"

Those are just some of the mis-used words and phrases perched on the tip of the proverbial iceberg...

I be in the foxhole wit' tchu. Allow me, too, to vent a tad:

People who test their "metal" (mettle)

... or use "utilization" when "use" works just fine

... who "interface" verbally and on paper or PC with their fellow humans

... who say "me and him"

... who pronounce the "t" in often

These are my top fo' (at the mo'), but it's early in California, where I'm surrounded and beset by doofusi.

I must go fight the fulsome fight that's fought frightfully but never feigned.

Words are things; and a small drop of ink

Falling like dew upon a thought, produces

That which makes thousands, perhaps millions, think.

-Lord Byron

Probably the reason is akin to why you are Barbara and not Barb or Babs.

I discussed this with my sister Barbi and that is what she thinks.

You cur. I concur. :*]

around here, some people say 'on accident' instead of 'by accident', as in :

it happened on accident.

GRRRRRRRRRRRR