solecism
Linguistic faux pas
A solecism is a grammatical mistake or violation of standard usage: The sentence "between you and I" contains a solecism.
The word extends to any breach of etiquette or deviation from what's considered proper: Wearing jeans to the funeral was a solecism.
The term carries a faintly pedantic air—those who use it often care deeply about correctness.
Sound-alike word confusion
- barbarismSavage, uncivilized behavior
- misusageIncorrect application of words
- syntaxRules for arranging words
- ungrammaticalBreaking syntax rules
incorrectness · misconstruction · hypercorrection · infelicity · impropriety · pleonasm · redundancy · dangling modifier
Clumsy social error
- faux pasSocial misstep or indiscretion
- gaucherieTactless or clumsy behavior
- breachBreaking of agreement
- indiscretionUnwise act or remark
impropriety · indelicacy · tactlessness · misstep · blunder · lapse · inappropriateness · transgression
Accidental sound transposition
- mondegreenMisperceived lyric or phrase
- non sequiturIllogical conclusion or remark
- mixed metaphorIncongruent figures jumbled together
- malapropismSound-alike word confusion
Lack of polish
- awkwardnessLack of grace or ease
- clumsinessLack of physical grace
- infelicityInappropriate or awkward expression
- purple proseOverly elaborate, emotional writing
Customs of polite conduct
- decorumFitting social conduct
- proprietyCorrectness of conduct
- courtesyRespectful, considerate behavior
- protocolPrescribed conduct rules
civility · breeding · refinement · savoir-faire · tact · politeness · formality · deportment
malapropism
Sound-alike word confusion
- barbarismSavage, uncivilized behavior
- misusageIncorrect application of words
- syntaxRules for arranging words
ungrammatical · incorrectness · misconstruction · hypercorrection · infelicity · impropriety · pleonasm · redundancy · dangling modifier · split infinitive
gaffe
Clumsy social error
- faux pasSocial misstep or indiscretion
- gaucherieTactless or clumsy behavior
- breachBreaking of agreement
indiscretion · impropriety · indelicacy · tactlessness · misstep · blunder · lapse · inappropriateness · transgression · offense
spoonerism
Accidental sound transposition
- mondegreenMisperceived lyric or phrase
- non sequiturIllogical conclusion or remark
- mixed metaphorIncongruent figures jumbled together
malapropism · zeugma · eggcorn · Freudian slip · slip of the tongue
inelegance
Lack of polish
- awkwardnessLack of grace or ease
- clumsinessLack of physical grace
- infelicityInappropriate or awkward expression
manners
Customs of polite conduct
- decorumFitting social conduct
- proprietyCorrectness of conduct
- courtesyRespectful, considerate behavior
protocol · civility · breeding · refinement · savoir-faire · tact · politeness · formality · deportment · comportment
- errorserror, mistake, blunder, blunders, fault
- mistakesmistake, mistakes, slip, error, errors
- Flawedflawed, faulty, defective, broken, imperfect
- linguistic termsacronym, anagram, antonym, synonym, homonym
- language varietiesdialect, idiolect, sociolect, vernacular, accent
- loanwordsloanword, loan words, borrowings, borrowed words, loan word