solecisms
Breaches of etiquette
Solecisms are errors in grammar, syntax, or usage—violations of the conventional rules of a language.
The term extends to any breach of etiquette or propriety: His loud chewing was a solecism at the formal dinner.
In rhetoric, a solecism is specifically a nonstandard grammatical construction, distinguished from other errors like malapropisms or mispronunciations.
Savage, uncivilized behavior
- malapropismSound-alike word confusion
- pleonasmRedundant expression
- syntaxRules for arranging words
- grammarLanguage's structural rules
mispronunciation · misspeaking · misstatement · misconstruction · tautology · zeugma · ellipsis · spoonerism
Clumsy social error
- faux pasSocial misstep or indiscretion
- blunderFoolish, costly mistake
- misstepError in action or judgment
- indiscretionUnwise act or remark
breach · gaucherie · impropriety · indelicacy · awkwardness · clumsiness · infelicity · imprudence
Crude or offensive expression
- colloquialismCasual conversational expression
- slangInformal in-group vocabulary
- jargonSpecialized professional vocabulary
- vernacularEveryday regional speech
argot · cant · neologism · informal · substandard · dialect · idiolect · sociolect
Correction of written errors
- amendmentChange to official text
- rectificationAct of setting straight
- revisionAltering to improve
- corrigendumAcknowledged error in print
edit · proofreading · redaction · polishing · refinement · improvement · clarification · adjustment
barbarism
Savage, uncivilized behavior
- malapropismSound-alike word confusion
- pleonasmRedundant expression
- syntaxRules for arranging words
grammar · mispronunciation · misspeaking · misstatement · misconstruction · tautology · zeugma · ellipsis · spoonerism · mondegreen
gaffe
Clumsy social error
- faux pasSocial misstep or indiscretion
- blunderFoolish, costly mistake
- misstepError in action or judgment
indiscretion · breach · gaucherie · impropriety · indelicacy · awkwardness · clumsiness · infelicity · imprudence · tactlessness
vulgarism
Crude or offensive expression
- colloquialismCasual conversational expression
- slangInformal in-group vocabulary
- jargonSpecialized professional vocabulary
vernacular · argot · cant · neologism · informal · substandard · dialect · idiolect · sociolect · prescriptivism
emendation
Correction of written errors
- amendmentChange to official text
- rectificationAct of setting straight
- revisionAltering to improve
corrigendum · edit · proofreading · redaction · polishing · refinement · improvement · clarification · adjustment · reworking
solecismseloquence
Persuasive verbal grace
elegance · articulateness · fluency · articulacy · verbal dexterity
solecismspropriety
Correctness of conduct
decorum · good manners · etiquette · social graces · seemliness