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Wednesday, May 14, 2008, 10:22 AM
These words are humdingers! By Keith Barnes | Photojournalist Here are a few more misused, misspelled, mispronounced or slang words, terms and phrases found in everyday language around these parts, so enjoy: * Looking something -- As in, "I'm looking my sunglasses." The real question is, are you looking for them, at them or through them? * Pacific -- Instead of specific. * Monogram -- Name for a breast exam. * Unquote -- As in the phrase "quote, unquote" made while holding up both hands and making quotation marks in the air. You can't unquote something once it has been quoted although you can end the quote or simply say "end quote." * Irregardless -- Considered a "nonstandard word" by Webster's. The suffix -less adds negativity to the word and the prefix irr- makes it redundant. Irregardless Cafe in Raleigh is an exception to this rule. * "What car are you on today?" -- I'm not 'on' any car -- I'm in it, and I'm driving it. If I were in a parade I might be "on" it. * Holy mackerel -- Exclamatory phrase made popular by George "Kingfish" Stevens of "Amos & Andy" fame. A more powerful expression of "wow." * Knowed -- Instead of knew. Ex: "I knowed him when he lived here" or even "I've been knowing him for a long time." * Throwed (threw) -- As in "He throwed the ball." * Jim Dandy -- Who exactly is this guy, and who is his friend Humdinger? * "Gonna beat the tar/or daylights out of you" -- By any stretch sounds like a serious threat. * "I hain't got none." -- A more colorful rendering of "I don't have any." * "I done did that." -- Another version of "I've already done that." * "I'll be a monkey's uncle -- Great phrase, although the exact meaning is unclear. Here are some attributed to Deputy Barney Fife of "The Andy Griffith Show" fame: * Pepperelli -- pepperoni pizza * Compelsion -- compulsion * Smith Brothers Institution -- Smithsonian Institution * Kleptomenerac -- kleptomaniac * Inarculated for inoculated -- Actually, he really meant incarcerated * Fire by constriction -- combustion * Sigmund Frude -- Sigmund Freud * Theraptic -- therapeutic * Extra-sensitive perception -- ESP * Schizofreeniac -- schizophrenic * And, finally, we can offer "I'll be John Brown if I know" -- And I'll just be John Brown if I know what this phrase means, either. barnes@wilsondaily.com | 265-7855
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