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What Is The Most Commonly Misspelled Word On Message Boards

I'm not thinking of common typos such as "teh"

         

lawman

4:08 am on Dec 21, 2005 (gmt 0)

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The one that sticks out to me is "definitely", commonly spelled "definately".

bruhaha

2:50 pm on Jan 10, 2006 (gmt 0)

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OK instead of okay..

As Leosghost mentions, it is "okay" that is derviative. The short form is the original one.

The debate about the precise origins of this particular term is fascinating, with all sorts of stories attributing it to Andrew Jackson's spelling problems, etc. In fact, there are TWO pieces to the explanation --and unless they had come together it's very unlikely the term would be around today.

The story goes something like this:
The word was first used as an abbreviation for "Oll Korrect", NOT by Andrew Jackson, but in jest in newspapers of that time period (late 1830s), apparently first in the Boston area, where it became popular. This was just one example of many comical abbreviations of the period, part of a fad.

Shortly after this, Jackson' VP, Martin VanBuren, ran to succeed him as President. His supporters, who had dubbed him "Old Kinderhook", knew of the abbreviation and took advantage, making a deliberate wordplay as they started up "OK Clubs" for their man. This politically fortunate timing was key. Very likely, the original abbreviation would, like many others of its time, have been quickly forgotten. But its widepread use during the Presidential campaign gave it the chance to catch on across the country (gaining a popularity that long outlasted that of the unfortunate candidate, who upon his election was immediately saddled with a serious depression... the result of Jackson's foolish decision to destroy the Second National Bank!)

(After writing this up I recalled where I first read this explanation --at straightdope.com. Seems the matter was settled back in 1963-64 in a series of articles by Allen Walker Read appearing in the Journal American Speech. If you want more details, search the straightdope archives for "Old Kinderhook")

Leosghost

2:55 pm on Jan 10, 2006 (gmt 0)

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I do not read hebrew myself ( however I have had this passage translated for me into english and french by hebrew scholars ..long time ago ..long been a "bug bear" of mine ) they and I would continue to disagree with you ..

actually the original was in arameic and no-one is 100% sure of the correct translations of arameic ..hebrew texts being in themselves translations of it when relating to this particular time..

You brought this term up as an example of people making an English language mistake
.

No.. I brought it up as an example of people making in my opinion and that of others a mistake in english and particularly in french..you may care to read my original post with less self interest ..

and I see that there may be some "issues" there.

there are many issues there ;)..I still wonder if you can understand them ..as you declare

But you misunderstand ME if you think I was responding to THAT text. In fact, I was at no point attempting to respond to that text, much less to refute your understanding of it. When I wrote "it is THIS goat that the text explicitly makes exactly that point about" the TEXT I was referring to was Leviticus 16 itself.

Either you were being unclear about the text you were referring to ( not my fault ) or you are now attempting to shift the goalposts ..I do not profess to being a mind reader ..nor am I known to do dishes :)

I thought
for which I cannot be held responsible ;)

THE text
..in your definition and from your choice of bible translation ;)

[traditionally 'scapegoat']
I presume the insertion and the parenthesis to be your own ..my bibles do not have this "extra"..thus your following points depend on your "additions" thus
(now understood as the goat "for Azazel")
is somewhat arrogant in it's assertion ;)

Finally, let me underline what has really been my main point all along. You brought this term up as an example of people making an English language mistake.

Again read my original post where you and ( everyone else ..I think "they" did ;) can see that actually what riles me the most about this term is it's misuse by the french far more so than it's occasional misuse by the english ;)) donc

I presume however that I and and everyone else ( they are numerous .. whom you have taken to task in this thread ..things must be "slack" ) can agree on the meaning of pedant ..long time since we regulars here have seen one down here ..mostly we come here for the laughs rather than to seek to impress ..

Like "BEEDEE" says normally "here" is "lighthearted"

now off to do some work ;) fol de rol fol de rol

Leosghost

3:06 pm on Jan 10, 2006 (gmt 0)

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Gimme a break! What are you guys on about? Wosn't this supposed to be a lite hearted thread?

Wow ..beedee you must have been "ticked" normally you speel
gimme
wosn't
lite
far less "other side of the pondish" than that!

Apologies to you and the rest of the regulars for the atmosphere ..used to a different sort of badinage here I am too :)

bruhaha

3:23 pm on Jan 10, 2006 (gmt 0)

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If you listen to the P. C. lobby, 'miss' only refers to a 'deferred hit'. All ladies, I am told, are to be referred to as 'Ms.', whatever that is

And however you pronounce it! Used to be I would hear "mizz" a lot. But nowadays it's (or I'm!) confused. It seems that "Ms" has, for many, simply become THE abbreviation for "Miss", and they pronounce it the same way.

That's OK... except that BOTH those who prefer "miss" and those who insist on "mizz" may be insulted if you use the "wrong" abbreviation or pronunciation. If I'm forced to chose without having heard someone's preference, I make my best guess. . . and duck!

TammyJo

4:26 pm on Jan 10, 2006 (gmt 0)

10+ Year Member



A little more light hearted would be the decision to leave off the "g" for "ing" words...thinkin', talkin', speakin'. I notice this because I caught myself saying this to my children! It started as an attempt at being silly..then it became a habit. I'm on the road to recovery ;)

BeeDeeDubbleU

4:57 pm on Jan 10, 2006 (gmt 0)

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It must of been hard breaking the 'abit.

DrDoc

7:59 pm on Jan 10, 2006 (gmt 0)

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OK instead of okay..

okay ... ohkay ... oh kay ... ocay ... oh cay ... owk aye ... oughk aye ...

Nah, I prefer the original "OK"

BeeDeeDubbleU

9:38 pm on Jan 10, 2006 (gmt 0)

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algorythm ....

Aaaaaargh!

Leosghost

10:16 pm on Jan 10, 2006 (gmt 0)

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I was going to add "och aye"
okay ... ohkay ... oh kay ... ocay ... oh cay ... owk aye ... oughk aye ...
..mae ..dinna hae tha ( liathróidi ) "nerves" ;))..
OK WTH ;)

malachite

8:31 pm on Jan 11, 2006 (gmt 0)

10+ Year Member



All ladies, I am told, are to be referred to as 'Ms.', whatever that is.

I once heard someone answer that it stood for "maybe single" :)

I'm sure it doesn't, but I liked it, added an air of mystery ;)

This 137 message thread spans 14 pages: 137