hypercorrections
Mistaken grammar fixes
Hypercorrections are mistakes made by trying too hard to speak or write correctly.
Someone aware that "him and me went" should be "he and I went" might overcorrect to between you and I—which is actually wrong.
Similarly, whom gets inserted where who belongs: Whom shall I say is calling?
Hypercorrections often reveal anxiety about appearing uneducated.
Word created by deletion
- analogyExplanatory likeness between things
- overgeneralizationUnwarranted broad application
- regularizationPenalty preventing model complexity
- eggcornMisheard phrase that persists
malapropism · mondegreen · reanalysis · contamination · blend · neologism
Excessive concern with minor rules
- nitpickingExcessive focus on trivialities
- sticklerDemands strict adherence
- puristOne demanding strict adherence
- proprietyCorrectness of conduct
standardization · rules · normative · prescriptive · authority
Objective form of who
- whomeverAny person whatsoever
- irregardlessNonstandard word meaning regardless
- supposablyIn a supposable manner
- nucularCommon mispronunciation of atomic
heighth · orientated · preventative · anyways · whilst · amongst · shall · brang
Unwarranted claim to merit
- affectationArtificial behavior for effect
- snobberyPretentious social superiority
- elitismPreference for privileged rule
- code-switchingAlternating between linguistic varieties
register · formality · poshness · self-consciousness · aspiration · prestige · refinement · gentrification
back-formation
Word created by deletion
- analogyExplanatory likeness between things
- overgeneralizationUnwarranted broad application
- regularizationPenalty preventing model complexity
eggcorn · malapropism · mondegreen · reanalysis · contamination · blend · neologism
pedantry
Excessive concern with minor rules
- nitpickingExcessive focus on trivialities
- sticklerDemands strict adherence
- puristOne demanding strict adherence
propriety · standardization · rules · normative · prescriptive · authority
whom
Objective form of who
- whomeverAny person whatsoever
- irregardlessNonstandard word meaning regardless
- supposablyIn a supposable manner
nucular · heighth · orientated · preventative · anyways · whilst · amongst · shall · brang · snuck
pretension
Unwarranted claim to merit
- affectationArtificial behavior for effect
- snobberyPretentious social superiority
- elitismPreference for privileged rule
code-switching · register · formality · poshness · self-consciousness · aspiration · prestige · refinement · gentrification
hypercorrectionsbarbarisms
Improper language usage
illiteracies · slips of the tongue · malapropisms · solecisms · eggcorns
hypercorrectionscolloquialisms
Informal everyday expressions
slang · informal speech · vulgarisms · low register · eye dialect