Even the big boys get it wrong.

**Bren** · 5th February 2009, 08:05

We all make mistakes, but I found one in the New Zealand Herald website today. The mistake seems to be on the pronunciation and spelling of old phrases, something that I have noticed has been slipping. Phrases whose origins and meanings slip back into antiquity are commonly either incorrectly typed or misread.

For example, one guy on here a while ago mentioned something being as "useless as tits on a ball". Maybe he was a young urbanite who had simply mis heard the phrase and always believed it to be "on a ball", as some do with lyrics. Or maybe it was just a typo.

Todays one is something completely different. The fact that it came from a big newspaper makes it worse.
Here is the phrase that has been butchered:

Crown prosecutor Kieran Raftery said there had been no objection as long as the visit was for "a bone fide purpose".

http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/ar...ectid=10555289

Our language is slowly being eroded away...

Rant over!

P.S maybe I am a pot too...

**Headbanger** · 5th February 2009, 08:10

http://www.stitchandcraft.co.nz/

**Bren** · 5th February 2009, 08:13

Originally Posted by Headbanger

http://www.stitchandcraft.co.nz/

I aint that old yet buddy...but thanks for the link

**Hitcher** · 5th February 2009, 12:01

Never use a Latin expression when there is an acceptable English quid pro quo.

And a lot of people hear others using expressions they think they understand and then recycle those when they haven't understood.

A classic is people who use "tact" instead of "tack", in expressions like "changing tack".