Phrases or sayings that people get wrong

[Blackpool Rock]

I'm sure most of us have on occasion used a phrase or saying out of context and seemingly some of them are so often mis-quoted that the majority of people get them wrong genuinely thinking that they are right.

So what commonly used phrases or saying have you picked up on that people get so wrong and do any of them in particular "get your goat" 

Someone who is good at cards is often referred to as a "Card Shark" but the actual saying is "Card Sharp"

The one that pisses me of is when people say "One trick pony" when the real saying is "One trip pony" 

[FLYING BLUE]

External Link/Members Only

The Cambridge dictionary may disagree with you 

[RandomGuy99]

Apparently card sharp and card shark are both correct External Link/Members Only

"According to the prevailing etymological theory, the term "shark", originally meaning "parasite" or "one who preys upon others"(cf. loan shark), derives from German Schorke or Schurke ('rogue' or 'rascal'), as did the English word "shirk[er]". "Sharp" developed in the 17th century from this meaning of "shark" (as apparently did the use of "shark" as a name for the fish), but the phrase "card sharp" predates the variant "card shark".[2][3][4][5][6]"

[Blackpool Rock]

External Link/Members Only

The Cambridge dictionary may disagree with you 

Oh FFS   

My understanding was that it originated from pack horses that effectively knew the route they took from A to B carrying one specific load hence one trip pony, they were good at that but nothing else 

s this one of those instances where the original meaning has in fact been replaced by a later version which was wrong but now so commonly incorrectly used that it's become the accepted meaning 

[FLYING BLUE]

Apparently card sharp and card shark are both correct External Link/Members Only

I sometimes cringe when people say "I was on tenderhooks" - when what they mean is "tenterhooks" - but that's just me being pedantic I guess.
I actually get more upset with misuse of;

Your - You're
There - Their
Bear - Bare
Have - Of (should have vs should of)

Especially when someone is berating me by saying - "your stupid" 

Or when I'm called out for my bad Grammer.......

[FLYING BLUE]

Oh FFS   

My understanding was that it originated from pack horses that effectively knew the route they took from A to B carrying one specific load hence one trip pony, they were good at that but nothing else 

s this one of those instances where the original meaning has in fact been replaced by a later version which was wrong but now so commonly incorrectly used that it's become the accepted meaning

Quite possibly 

[mr.bluesky]

I'm sure most of us have on occasion used a phrase or saying out of context and seemingly some of them are so often mis-quoted that the majority of people get them wrong genuinely thinking that they are right.

So what commonly used phrases or saying have you picked up on that people get so wrong and do any of them in particular "get your goat" 

Someone who is good at cards is often referred to as a "Card Shark" but the actual saying is "Card Sharp"

The one that pisses me of is when people say "One trick pony" when the real saying is "One trip pony" 

I've always known it as a one trick pony
 

[Ali Katt]

I'm sure most of us have on occasion used a phrase or saying out of context and seemingly some of them are so often mis-quoted that the majority of people get them wrong genuinely thinking that they are right.

So what commonly used phrases or saying have you picked up on that people get so wrong and do any of them in particular "get your goat" 

Someone who is good at cards is often referred to as a "Card Shark" but the actual saying is "Card Sharp"

The one that pisses me of is when people say "One trick pony" when the real saying is "One trip pony" 

Speaking of horses isn't the correct phrase "champing at the bit" rather than "chomping at the bit".

[lostandfound]

Language is by its nature dynamic and always changing, especially in its idiomatic use, for example - popular phrases.

From which perspective it is nonsense to claim that "one trick pony" is incorrect, if that is the version of the phrase that most people use.

The purpose of language is communication so insisting on a version that most people are not familiar with defeats that purpose, and is bonkers.

[RedKettle]

Your - You're
There - Their
Bear - Bare

All should be hanging offences.   

[advent2016]

I'm sure most of us have on occasion used a phrase or saying out of context and seemingly some of them are so often mis-quoted that the majority of people get them wrong genuinely thinking that they are right.

So what commonly used phrases or saying have you picked up on that people get so wrong and do any of them in particular "get your goat" 

The one that pisses me of is when people say "One trick pony" when the real saying is "One trip pony" 

It pisses me off when people don't post a reference.

OED's earliest evidence for one-trick pony is from 1905, in Oregon Pioneer Assoc. 32nd Ann. Reunion
External Link/Members Only

A circus animal that has only learnt one trick.

one-trick pony n. (also one-trick horse) colloquial(originally and chiefly U.S.) (a) U.S. a pony which has been taught one trick, esp. one performing in a circus (now rare); (b) a person or thing specializing in only one area, having only one talent, or of limited ability.

1905 Oregon Pioneer Assoc. 32nd Ann. Reunion 264 Among the earliest of mundane things remembered are the resplendent red shirts of the volunteer firemen, conspicuous in every Fourth of July parade; the marvels that were seen at the first one-tent, one-clown, one-trick-pony, pioneer Oregon circus.

[timsussex]

Money is the root of all evil - it is the LOVE of money ....

all that glitters is not gold - glisters

Gild the lily - paint the lily or gild refined gold

I had a teacher who loved the phrase "lead on McDuff" didn't go down well when I corrected him !

[advent2016]

I like the misquotes in Porridge(TV comedy show) between Godber (Richard Beckinsale) and Fletcher (Ronnie Barker)
    Godber: I've had it with you.
    Fletcher: You what?
    Godber: You've really got up my goat these past two weeks.
    Fletcher: Wrong Godber. I *get* your goat. I don't get up your goat. I get up your nose or on your wick.
    Godber: Well, just lately you've done all three.

[mr.bluesky]

Always annoys me when the term " early doors" is used in sports commentary.  It was always "early days" until someone changed it to " doors" I believe it was Ron Atkinson who started using this phrase.
I mean what the fuck does " early doors" suppose to mean 

[mr.bluesky]

I like the misquotes in Porridge(TV comedy show) between Godber (Richard Beckinsale) and Fletcher (Ronnie Barker)
    Godber: I've had it with you.
    Fletcher: You what?
    Godber: You've really got up my goat these past two weeks.
    Fletcher: Wrong Godber. I *get* your goat. I don't get up your goat. I get up your nose or on your wick.
    Godber: Well, just lately you've done all three.

  A bit like Del boy in Only Fools and Horses saying " the world's your lobster" instead of " the world's your oyster "

[advent2016]

A bit like Del boy in Only Fools and Horses saying " the world's your lobster" instead of " the world's your oyster "

Cushty

[Billy no mates]

My wife likes to not ‘burn her britches’  (bridges)

I have tried to correct her but she won’t have it.

[I like natural boobs]

I sometimes cringe when people say "I was on tenderhooks" - when what they mean is "tenterhooks" - but that's just me being pedantic I guess.
I actually get more upset with misuse of;

Your - You're
There - Their
Bear - Bare
Have - Of (should have vs should of)

Especially when someone is berating me by saying - "your stupid" 

Or when I'm called out for my bad Grammer.......

Yes absolutely, I was going to that. The number of people who don't know the difference between 'you're' and 'your' is shocking. And people so often say "bare in mind" when they mean "bear in mind". I think the confusion comes from the fact that the animal is spelled 'bear'.

[sir wanksalot]

Damp squid

[Derrick101]

Damp squid

If it isn't it would be a dead squid 

[advent2016]

Always annoys me when the term " early doors" is used in sports commentary.  It was always "early days" until someone changed it to " doors" I believe it was Ron Atkinson who started using this phrase.
I mean what the fuck does " early doors" suppose to mean 

Again the OED (Oxford English Dictionary) has first quote in 1870, probably long before Ron Atkinson (whoever he is)
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Etymology
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[myothernameis]

Depending on where you say this word, it has four different meanings


Crack = Irish Conservation or a crack in the wall or a type of drug or a term for a vagina, so where you use the word crack. 

[Shagswell2001]

Depending on where you say this word, it has four different meanings


Crack = Irish Conservation or a crack in the wall or a type of drug or a term for a vagina, so where you use the word crack.

Crack as in conversation, is spelt Craic in Norn Iron. Just saying like 

[superchamp]

I used to have a manager who would frequently say "swinging the leg", when complaining about staff not working. One day I couldn't resist telling him that it's actually "swinging the lead". He told me to "stop swinging the leg, and do some fucking work".

[StingRay]

I sometimes cringe when people say "I was on tenderhooks" - when what they mean is "tenterhooks" - but that's just me being pedantic I guess.
I actually get more upset with misuse of;

Your - You're
There - Their
Bear - Bare
Have - Of (should have vs should of)

Especially when someone is berating me by saying - "your stupid" 

Or when I'm called out for my bad Grammer.......

Can sometimes be multiple choice, as in

Mary had a little lamb
She also had a bear
I've often seen her little lamb
But I've never seen her bare

I fetcha ma coat!

[scutty brown]

Damp squid

trouble there is no-one nowadays knows what a squib is

[Watts.E.Dunn]

I do )..

Tho got to be carefull about what we do know;)..

[WASA38]

I do )..

Tho got to be carefull about what we do know;)..

 

[akauya]

I actually get more upset with misuse of;

Your - You're
There - Their
Bear - Bare
Have - Of (should have vs should of)

Especially when someone is berating me by saying - "your stupid" 

Or when I'm called out for my bad Grammer.......

Here, here (or is it hear hear? )

What also gets my goat, so to speak, is when people say "women" when they mean "woman". I see this quite a lot on social media.

Something like "She's a lovely women" or "I'm a happy-go-lucky women" I mean WTF! Don't they know the difference between plural and singular? 

[Stevelondon]

Here, here (or is it hear hear? )

What also gets my goat, so to speak, is when people say "women" when they mean "woman". I see this quite a lot on social media.

Something like "She's a lovely women" or "I'm a happy-go-lucky women" I mean WTF! Don't they know the difference between plural and singular? 

So their was these two woman standing at the bar 😂

My apologies. I shouldn’t of said that. 

[akauya]

So their was these two woman standing at the bar 😂

My apologies. I shouldn’t of said that. 

You're trying to give me a coronary!   


 

[Followyourdick]

Always annoys me when the term " early doors" is used in sports commentary.  It was always "early days" until someone changed it to " doors" I believe it was Ron Atkinson who started using this phrase.
I mean what the fuck does " early doors" suppose to mean 

Have you never watched Early Doors, one of the best sitcoms ever.
To the regiment.....

[Followyourdick]

One that seems to be creeping in is worse instead of worst.

People always using “literally” like literally all the fucking time.

I agree on the use of of instead of have, that really boils my piss.

[WASA38]

 A few that make me twitch with irritation:

 'I' when it should be 'me' and vice versa

 Less in place of fewer. before plural nouns.

'increasingly worse' meaning 'increasingly bad'. ( Spotted that very recently !)

Lay (down) instead of lie. Used to prompt sarcastic comments about eggs from teachers.

Lazy or ignorant use of adjectives as adverbs, usually simple omission of the '-ly' suffix.

 Use of phenomena as a singular noun rather than phenomenon. (Pedantic, moi ?! )

-and needless to say , incorrect use or omission of the dreaded apostrophe.

[superchamp]

One that seems to be creeping in is worse instead of worst.

People always using “literally” like literally all the fucking time.

I agree on the use of of instead of have, that really boils my piss.

People always using "like", like literally all the fucking time.

Sorry, I couldn't resist 

[scutty brown]

 'I' when it should be 'me' and vice versa

 Less in place of fewer. before plural nouns.

 Lay (down) instead of lie. Used to prompt sarcastic comments about eggs from teachers.

If you take into account regional dialect variations, all three of these can be legitimate use

[Mr Garmin]

I have loads but the one that really gets me is people who say pacific instead of specific.

FFS, do they have different ears to everybody else or is it more like a stammer and they can't help it?

[Adoniron]

People who write "been" when they mean "being".

People who say "gotten" unless they are American when it's OK.

[chrishornx]

I've always known it as a one trick pony
 

me too. never heard of one trip pony

[chrishornx]

Your - You're
There - Their
Bear - Bare
Have - Of (should have vs should of)

Especially when someone is berating me by saying - "your stupid" 

Or when I'm called out for my bad Grammer.......

aree these phrases, as per the original context of this thread, or simple spelling mistakes?

[sir wanksalot]

me too. never heard of one trip pony

Because it doesn't exist.

BR was probably wishing he could delete his post

[advent2016]

There are groups on social media sites called "Extreme Pedantry" and "Apostrophe Protection society" who discuss this at length.

I think a lot of people deliberately misuse  "your" and "you're" or lay traps using "it's" when they mean "it has" instead of the more usual "it is" or using an apostrophe to replace long or multiple words. A Nepalese chap who worked for me, could fluently speak many languages (Nepali ,Mandarin, Japanese, Tagalog, Sinhala, Tamil, Norwegian, Swedish {all from ladies he had known})  but his written English was appalling, and he would at the end of a document write "Please find punctuation characters here and insert them where you think they should go: ,."`()[]{}#@;:?. Sadly, at our outfit, this blocked him from senior promotion until I started reviewing and re-writing his output

[catweazle]

People who say "gotten" unless they are American when it's OK.

Shakespeare used "gotten".

[Adoniron]

Shakespeare used "gotten".

I'll take your word for it and not ask you for the reference, but it wasn't in common use until recently. Now I've even heard it from BBC presenters.

[Blackpool Rock]

I'll take your word for it and not ask you for the reference, but it wasn't in common use until recently. Now I've even heard it from BBC presenters.

Looks like it's gotten into the mainstream then 

[Private Parts]

All should be hanging offences.   

After garrotting.

[WASA38]

I'll take your word for it and not ask you for the reference, but it wasn't in common use until recently. Now I've even heard it from BBC presenters.

I've long understood that much of 'American English' derives from 16th century 'English English'.

[StingRay]

Shakespeare used "gotten".

Weren't he American? 

[Watts.E.Dunn]

I've got a fave olde word "Harken"

Means listen to..

"Gotten" is usefull, perhaps it needs inventing hear;?..

[Followyourdick]

Can I get, no ffs it’s please can I have.