Misused and Misunderstood words...

Have you ever heard or read something like "That was an incredible presentation"
or "She gave an incredible speech" or "It was an incredible performance." Most of us have heard the word incredible being used as a complimentary word, when in fact it is just the opposite.
Incredible: adjective
1. so extraordinary as to seem impossible: incredible speed.
2. not credible; hard to believe; unbelievable:

I have noticed just recently the use of "Irregardless" on some blogs. Just like the word ain't it has NOT been accepted as a standard English word.
Irregardless: adverb; originated in dialectal American speech in the early 20th century. Its fairly widespread use in speech called it to the attention of usage commentators as early as 1927. The most frequently repeated remark about it is that “there is no such word.” There is such a word, however. It is still used primarily in speech, although it can be found from time to time in edited prose. Its reputation has not risen over the years, and it is still a long way from general acceptance. Use regardless instead.

Invariable: adjective; means it never varies. It stays the same...
This is another word people have been misusing to mean "almost always"
But if it never varies it can not be almost always the same.
If it can change it is variable.

disc and disk

Disc and disk are homophones.
These two words disc and disk are hard to get right when writing about CDs, CD-ROMs, floppy and/or hard drives. Seems as if all would be the same but they aren't, so be careful when writing about them.

disc: Noun; 1. Sound recording consisting of a disc with continuous grooves; formerly used to reproduce music by rotating while a phonograph needle tracked in the grooves. Compact Disc
2. something with a round shape like a flat circular plate.
3. Cushions of the spine.

When writing about CDs, CD-ROMs and the spine the preferred spelling is disc.


When writing about floppy and/or the hard drive the preferred spelling is disk.

Disk: noun;
1.(Computer science) a memory device consisting of a flat disk covered with a magnetic coating on which information is stored. Floppy Disk
2.a flat circular plate.

Sometimes what we mean to say just doesn't come out right!
But it's always good for a laugh...

Lend and Loan

The words lend and loan are 2 commonly misused words and for some reason they are popping up more and more on websites and blogs in incorrect usage.
You can't loan money, you have to lend it.

Lend: verb: to give for temporary use on condition that the same or its equivalent be returned.
I will lend you the money for that item.

Loan: noun: the temporary provision of money (usually at interest)
I will need to get a loan for the car.

Gaffe and Gaff

Gaffe: noun

1. a social or diplomatic blunder
2. a noticeable mistake

Obama made a gaffe in his speach.

Gaff: verb

A gaff is what a fisherman uses to spear or lift a fish, what workers use to climb a telephone pole, or a spur affixed to a gamecocks leg.

1. I tried to gaff the fish but it got away.
2. The rooster had large gaffs on its leg.

Weather or Whether

I was surprised to see just how many people got these 2 homophones mixed up when writing articles on their blog.


Weather: noun The short term state of the atmosphere at a specific time and place, including the temperature, humidity, cloud cover, precipitation, wind, etc. unpleasant or destructive atmospheric conditions, and its effects.
*Homophones: wether(a castrated sheep.), whether

The weather was warm and humid.

The bad weather kept us from going fishing.


whether pronoun, which one of the two, sometimes used in place of "if"
* Homophones: weather
* Homophones: wether

1. Used to introduce an interrogative content clause (indirect question) that consists of multiple alternative possibilities, and indicate uncertainty between them; if.

He chose the correct answer, but whether by luck or by skill I don't know.

2. Used to introduce a yes-or-no interrogative content clause (indirect question) that consists of a single possibility, and indicate uncertainty over it; if, whether or not.

Do you know whether he's coming?

3. Used to introduce multiple alternative possibilities, and indicate the irrelevance of which is the case; regardless of whether, no matter whether.

He's coming, whether you like it or not.


"He's coming, whether you like it or not" is ungrammatical but is often used when speaking or writing.

heard and herd

These two words are Homophones and the word "herd" is also a Homonym because it has two meanings.

heard: verb perceive with the ear, listen to
I heard the doorbell when it rang.

herd: noun a number of animals,
herd: verb keep together, move in a herd.

We have a large herd of cows.
We will herd them through Texas.