Commonly misused phrases and clichés Feb19 '08

I started an Utter thread on misuse of the phrase, "I could care less."

Since then, others have chimed in with other misused phrases:

"Have your cake and eat it too."
"You cease to amaze me."

Many are aware that I have very little patience for bad grammar, and the same goes for commonly misused phrases. If people actually listened to what they were saying (when they say these phrases), they probably wouldn't say them.

The problem is, phrases, like words, are passed around and eventually adopted as "standard." Just because it sounds funny, or is meaningfully inaccurate, that doesn't mean people stop saying it. New words are added to the dictionary every year, based on usage and popularity - not on how it sounds or if it makes sense.

"I could care less"

Saying "I could care less" means you care a little, and haven't yet reached the point where "caring" is non-existent. There is still room for non-caring.

The phrase should be: "I could not care less." This means you are at the very bottom of the "caring scale," where there is no further room beneath you. All you can do is look up, and care more.

Alternatively, you could also say, "I could care more."

"Have your cake and eat it too"

A listener submitted this common cliché. His update on what it should be: "Eat your cake and have it too."

My thoughts: To have a cake means to receive a cake for whatever reason. To eat a cake means to physically consume (and presumably enjoy) it. If you have a cake first, obviously you can eat it, since it hasn't been eaten yet. So the phrase is somewhat inaccurate.

However, if you eat your cake first, then you can't possibly have it, because it's gone! You ate it! So this is what the phrase should be: "Eat your cake and have it too," as in: "You can't eat your cake and have it too."

"You cease to amaze me"

A listener submitted this phrase. A suggested update on what it should be: "You never cease to amaze me."

I haven't come across the misuse of this phrase very often, but I imagine people confuse it's meaning.

Any others?

What commonly misused phrases or clichés do you hate hearing?

Categories: Language , Rants

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