I'm curious about your reaction toward the incorrect use of words?

Incorrect words in general annoy me to death. It's almost an embarrassment to live in a country whose people don't even know how to speak the language. I also HATE with a burning passion when people use incorrect grammar and say that they 'has' something or they 'done' that. That drives me crazy! Granted, English is a pretty crazy language, but that's no excuse if you've been speaking it your whole life. Ugh...I shouldn't have gotten started. Oh- and sheltiemom, I couldn't agree more. Another thing that grates my nerves is incorrect usage of their, they're and there. There are only 3 forms, it's really not that difficult to master. Do people enjoy being ignorant just to annoy those of us who aren't? Or are they too ignorant to realize that they are ignorant? (In case you were curious, mixing up to and too bugs me just as bad.) :P

There are misuses by certain people that annoy me more than others. I feel that George W. Bush is the worst offender, perhaps a national disgrace. He called himself "the decider."

I feel that two of the biggest reasons why people use words incorrectly are firstly their lack of a serious education, and secondly the emergence of electronic devices.

We have a great educational system full of competant teachers, books, computers and other resources. The problem is that people don't take their education seriously. Sometimes a little education is a bad thing.

And secondly, with the introduction of computers and small electronic devices, and the extensive use of texting has caused a lot of people to stray from the proper use of words, spelling and punctuation. Some answers on this site are one complete paragraph, lacking punctuation, capitals, and contain many misspelled words, in addition to the incorrect use of words. I do have to say that the spell check feature here is really bad, to the point that I question many of my spellings that I know are correct. I wish it was linked to the research block instead. It seems to flag many of the words or terms I use in the Food and Beverage section.

And speaking about food, there's Rachael Ray's coined catch phrases such as "EVOO" (extra-virgin olive oil), "yum-o", "so delish", "G.B." (garbage bowl), "Oh my gravy!", "entréetizer" (entrée-sized appetizer), "stoup" and "fantabulous." I think she's a major player in the dumbing down of America. She should just start every one of her shows by scratching a chalkboard and get it over with.

I am the worst at spelling. I am terrible at grammar. I also make up my own words at times because my brain is thinking faster than my tongue (or fingers) so I combine 2 words into one or abbreviate one or just plane old make one up. I don't know if it is ADD or ADHD or if it a lack of self control but it just happens. I do feel I am of some worth to this world despite my weakness in this area tho. What I hope people receive when hearing me speak with my made up words (or when they see my typing errors) is the love that is in my heart.

Yup. Drives me freakin' nuts!

I don't really see a lot of made up words, but the ones that annoy me are the misuse of apostrophies, like they're instead of their and it's instead of its. Or the use of an apostrophe instead of just an "s" for plural. ("He brought me a bouquet of rose's." Hmmm...that means a bouquet belonging to rose. Wonder how much she appreciated his bringing her bouquet to someone else!)

The incredible illiteracy of the general population is pretty appalling. And what is sad and what people generally fail to realize is how ignorant it makes them appear to those who *do* know the difference.

Oh, and something else that drives me up the wall. When a celebrity (obviously not an educated one!) is being interviewed and every other phrase is "like" or "you know". It just drive me, like, crazy, you know? :-)

When americans call herbs... 'erbs, in a mock franglais accent as if they studied at the sorbonne or something.

Bilbo is right...builders always refer to their work as " a right bodge up"

O they do, they do. The worst is describing a building project as a 'build'. sure sign of an amateur - Kevin McCloud the worst offender. Nobody in the building game uses this term.