A Word, Please: Controversial words ain’t wrong, but be careful when you use them

Can you say “I’m done” when you get up from the dinner table? Can you say “Drive slow”? Can you use “like” to mean “such as”?

Anyone who’s ever been scolded for “poor grammar” like this will be surprised to hear that these forms are all grammatical. In fact, almost anything a native English speaker might want to say is probably correct. After all, we learn how to speak from people speaking around us, which is the same place grammar and usage rules come from. These rules are based on how people use the language, and not the other way around, which is why we don’t have to use “thee” and “thou” to speak correctly today.

Still, not everyone is as forgiving as the language itself. Some terms will get you in trouble even if you use them correctly. Here are some controversial words and terms to handle with care.

Irregardless. Hate this word? I get it. So do I. So do most people who pay attention to such things. But it’s not wrong. Even though it likely formed from folks accidentally mashing up “irrespective” with “regardless,” it’s still recognized as a legitimate though nonstandard word by most dictionaries and other grammar authorities. My recommendation: Don’t use it. But don’t be too harsh on folks who do.

Ain’t. Yes, “ain’t” is informal or colloquial. But it has a long history, especially as a regionalism in the South. That automatically makes it correct English. Still, you’d be unwise to use it in your master’s thesis or in a cover letter for a CEO job.

Like for such as. There is a widely held belief that “like” means “similar to” and thus can’t be used to mean “such as” when listing examples: “Visitors enjoy activities like hiking, swimming and surfing.” But that belief is exclusive to people who’ve never looked up “like” in the dictionary, which clearly lists “such as” as one of its definitions. Still, many people think it’s a mistake, so use it with care.

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Done for finished. A lot of folks can’t get Mom’s voice out of their head: “A roast is done; you’re finished.” So even though “done” can mean “finished,” it’s ugly to some people’s ears.

I feel bad. Fun fact: This is more proper than “I feel badly.” “Feel” is part of a class of words called copular verbs, which are followed by adjectives and not by adverbs. So “I feel badly” is the ungrammatical option. Still, most people don’t know that. So take your audience into consideration.

Between you and me. Here’s another example of a correct form that people believe is incorrect. True, as Mom said, “me” is often a poor replacement for “I,” but that doesn’t mean it’s necessarily less proper. “Between” is a preposition, prepositions are followed by objects, and “me,” not “I,” is the object form. So stick with “me” here. Just remember your listener or reader may not know it’s right.

Acronym. I’ll confess I’m a little judgmental about this word. In some dictionaries, an acronym is defined not as an abbreviation like FBI or CIA but instead as a word like NAFTA or radar that is formed by combining some letters of other words then pronouncing them as a single word. So if you say each letter aloud, “eff-bee-eye,” this school of thought insists, it’s an abbreviation or initialism — not an acronym. But other, equally credible dictionaries disagree. So you can choose.

Impactful. People despise this word. Their reason: taste, mostly. There’s no solid grammatical basis for hating it. Personally, I liked it just fine till the scolds got in my head. Now I cringe a little when I hear it.

Slow for slowly. “Flat adverbs” are -ly adverbs without their -ly tails, like when you say “Drive slow.” Flat adverbs are fine. Plus, the dictionary allows “slow” to be used as an adverb. But you already know that using it this way can raise some eyebrows. So avoid flat adverbs when you want to avoid these people’s wrath.

June Casagrande is the author of “The Joy of Syntax: A Simple Guide to All the Grammar You Know You Should Know.” She can be reached at JuneTCN@aol.com.

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