I speak goodly English!

The English language is a funny thing.  They say it’s one of the most difficult languages to learn.  I wonder if other languages have the same problems with mispronunciations or lazy speech that we hear all the time.  Most people don’t correct grammar because no one wants to be “the Grammar Police”.  The thing is, there are some phrases in our language that are misused and I bet no one even knew they had been saying it wrong.

For example, the phrase, “For all intents and purposes” is frequently misquoted as “for all intensive purposes.”   It’s just enough right that it sounds feasible.  How ‘bout “hot water heater”?  The ‘hot’ is redundant.  That’s like saying you put ‘toast’ in a toaster.  It’s a “water heater”…heating is its job.  Here’s another one frequently misused: “I could care less”.  You could?  How much less?  The correct phrase is, “I couldn’t care less.” 

This one cracks me up when I hear it because there are a couple of different misuses:  “Nip it in the bud.”  I’ve heard “nip it in the butt” and “nick it in the butt”.  It’s a pruning reference to help plants grow how we want them to, hence, nipping buds is cutting something off before it has a chance to get carried away.

Another one that has evolved over time is “spitting image”.  Did you know that the original, correct phrase is “spit AND image”?  It’s an old English term referring to a son very closely resembling his father.

So I ask you:  irregardless of what you know to be true, or how you interpretate a word or phrase, do you think it’s OK to lamb-blast someone when you could of just let them keep supposably mispronouncing things? Exspecially if noone else noticed?  You know, when you’re just sitting there, sipping an expresso, reading your prescription to Reader’s Digest, and you hear a misused phrase exscape a patron’s lips, could you sit there with the upmost patience and let it go?  I think it’s a mute point anyway…people don’t care anymore.

Here's some free advice:  If you can’t win an argument, correct their grammar – it’ll fluster them and they’ll be afraid to speak!  That's the only time I'd venture to correct someone's speech.  Apart from that, best just let it lie...or is it 'lay'?