5 ms·

Merriam-Webster also says 'irregardless' is a word so maybe don't let them dumb down a language because they say it's okay

by pluc 5y ago

ntrz 5y ago
As far as all the sources I can find say, 'hone in' originated as an error for 'home in', but has become widespread enough to be considered an acceptable variant. If one of them is being let in erroneously by the nasty descriptivists at Merriam-Webster, it'd be 'hone in'. But either one gets the meaning across, so I don't see the issue.
unsupp0rted 5y ago
“Irregardless” is a word. You just used it, so do millions of others, and when they use it I know exactly how to understand it.
- macintux 5y ago
  Unlike “inflammable” which is virtually guaranteed to confuse.
  - UncleSlacky 5y ago
    "Inflammable means flammable? What a country!" - Dr Nick Riviera
- IncRnd 5y ago
  The word appears in dictionaries, which document usage, but the word is nonsensical. "Irregardless" is used to mean "regardless", which is a far better choice of word. irregardless (adj.) an erroneous word that, etymologically, means the opposite of what it is used to express; probably a blend of irrespective and regardless, and perhaps inspired by the colloquial use of the double negative as an emphatic. [1] [1] https://www.etymonline.com/word/irregardless https://www.etymonline.com/word/irregardless
  - LgWoodenBadger 5y ago
    Similar to bone and debone, ravel and unravel, and countless others I'm sure.
    - UncleSlacky 5y ago
      Literally!
    - ncmncm 5y ago
      Stan Kelly-Bootle used to call these self-antonyms.
  - deleted 5y ago
    [deleted]
  - unsupp0rted 5y ago
    English would be a lot more compact if we removed all the nonsensical and previously-nonsensical words. Start with the auto-antonyms: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Auto-antonym https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Auto-antonym * Cleave can mean "to cling" or "to split apart". * Clip can mean "attach" or "cut off". * Dust can mean "to remove dust” (cleaning a house) or "to add dust" (e.g. to dust a cake with powdered sugar). * Fast can mean "without moving; fixed in place", (holding fast, also as in "steadfast"), or "moving quickly". * Ravel can mean "to separate" (e.g. threads in cloth) or "entangle".[11] Sanction can mean "approve" or "penalize". * Table can mean "to discuss a topic at a meeting" (British English) or "to postpone discussion of a topic" (American English).
- pfdietz 5y ago
  It's a perfectly cromulent word.
sethammons 5y ago
> let them dumb down a language If you've not seen it, I highly encourage this 6 minute take by Stephen Fry on Language: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J7E-aoXLZGY https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J7E-aoXLZGY And besides, while you may be honing a blade or skill, my Homing Pigeon is homing in on home.
- deleted 5y ago
  [deleted]
LadyCailin 5y ago
Dictionaries are descriptive, not prescriptive, first of all, and second of all, you are not the arbiter of the language either.
- pessimizer 5y ago
  Everybody is.
singlow 5y ago
But in this case `home` is the correct verb. As a verb it has the same meaning as in the phrases homing pigeon or homing missile. Home-in is the older (by citation) and more common phrase, with hone-in probably being used due to mishearing home-in, although they could have both arisen independently.
- rhacker 5y ago
  I suspect "hone in" is from "honing a craft" so hone in is like improving something. I would rather "home in" being for things like getting closer to being correct and "hone in" being for getting better at something.
  - pessimizer 5y ago
    "Hone" is from honing a blade, which is what you do to keep its edge. To "home in" on something is the process of locating where something is positioned (its "home.") That something could be "the answer" or a submarine. A homing signal is a signal you broadcast to assist others with homing in on your location. "Honing" is more metaphorically akin to polishing. To hone a skill means to practice at it.
- AlbertCory 5y ago
  Hear, hear. So is Merriam-Webster now going to say "here, here" is equivalent and acceptable? Legalizing a hearing mistake is not the same thing as adjusting to usage changes.
colanderman 5y ago
"Hone in" is the "irregardless" in this case.

Merriam-Webster also says 'irregardless' is a word so maybe don't let them dumb down a language because they say it's okay

by pluc 5y ago

Merriam-Webster also says 'irregardless' is a word so maybe don't let them dumb down a language because they say it's okay

ntrz 5y ago

As far as all the sources I can find say, 'hone in' originated as an error for 'home in', but has become widespread enough to be considered an acceptable variant. If one of them is being let in erroneously by the nasty descriptivists at Merriam-Webster, it'd be 'hone in'. But either one gets the meaning across, so I don't see the issue.

unsupp0rted 5y ago

“Irregardless” is a word. You just used it, so do millions of others, and when they use it I know exactly how to understand it.

macintux 5y ago
Unlike “inflammable” which is virtually guaranteed to confuse.
- UncleSlacky 5y ago
  "Inflammable means flammable? What a country!" - Dr Nick Riviera
IncRnd 5y ago
The word appears in dictionaries, which document usage, but the word is nonsensical. "Irregardless" is used to mean "regardless", which is a far better choice of word. irregardless (adj.) an erroneous word that, etymologically, means the opposite of what it is used to express; probably a blend of irrespective and regardless, and perhaps inspired by the colloquial use of the double negative as an emphatic. [1] [1] https://www.etymonline.com/word/irregardless https://www.etymonline.com/word/irregardless
- LgWoodenBadger 5y ago
  Similar to bone and debone, ravel and unravel, and countless others I'm sure.
  - UncleSlacky 5y ago
    Literally!
  - ncmncm 5y ago
    Stan Kelly-Bootle used to call these self-antonyms.
- deleted 5y ago
  [deleted]
- unsupp0rted 5y ago
  English would be a lot more compact if we removed all the nonsensical and previously-nonsensical words. Start with the auto-antonyms: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Auto-antonym https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Auto-antonym * Cleave can mean "to cling" or "to split apart". * Clip can mean "attach" or "cut off". * Dust can mean "to remove dust” (cleaning a house) or "to add dust" (e.g. to dust a cake with powdered sugar). * Fast can mean "without moving; fixed in place", (holding fast, also as in "steadfast"), or "moving quickly". * Ravel can mean "to separate" (e.g. threads in cloth) or "entangle".[11] Sanction can mean "approve" or "penalize". * Table can mean "to discuss a topic at a meeting" (British English) or "to postpone discussion of a topic" (American English).
pfdietz 5y ago
It's a perfectly cromulent word.

sethammons 5y ago

> let them dumb down a language If you've not seen it, I highly encourage this 6 minute take by Stephen Fry on Language: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J7E-aoXLZGY https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J7E-aoXLZGY And besides, while you may be honing a blade or skill, my Homing Pigeon is homing in on home.

deleted 5y ago
[deleted]

LadyCailin 5y ago

Dictionaries are descriptive, not prescriptive, first of all, and second of all, you are not the arbiter of the language either.

pessimizer 5y ago
Everybody is.

singlow 5y ago

But in this case `home` is the correct verb. As a verb it has the same meaning as in the phrases homing pigeon or homing missile. Home-in is the older (by citation) and more common phrase, with hone-in probably being used due to mishearing home-in, although they could have both arisen independently.

rhacker 5y ago
I suspect "hone in" is from "honing a craft" so hone in is like improving something. I would rather "home in" being for things like getting closer to being correct and "hone in" being for getting better at something.
- pessimizer 5y ago
  "Hone" is from honing a blade, which is what you do to keep its edge. To "home in" on something is the process of locating where something is positioned (its "home.") That something could be "the answer" or a submarine. A homing signal is a signal you broadcast to assist others with homing in on your location. "Honing" is more metaphorically akin to polishing. To hone a skill means to practice at it.
AlbertCory 5y ago
Hear, hear. So is Merriam-Webster now going to say "here, here" is equivalent and acceptable? Legalizing a hearing mistake is not the same thing as adjusting to usage changes.

colanderman 5y ago

"Hone in" is the "irregardless" in this case.