My First Correction
Well, I'm only a handful of posts in and already I've screwed something up. But it's OK, because I learned something that I never knew and I've also been inspired to contemplate the nature of communication in general. It relates to my post concerning how Hardee's commercials make me nauseous.
While away from my apartment, my friend Flynn left me a series of IM messages, which I will distill now into one readable paragraph:
Bret! I am reading your blog and I wanted to point out a common error that you should correct because I respect and like you and don't want others to think you made this error. When you feel the need to vomit, you are nauseated, not nauseous. "Nauseous" is the property of making one nauseated. And you, my friend, make no one want to chum the room in which they are residing. So people making eating noises is, in itself, nauseous, and makes you nauseated. Thank you and goodnight.
First of all, Flynn is clearly very smart. I'm happy to make that known to more people via this blog. So kudos to him, and many thanks for the kind way in which he went about his correction.
Second, I absolutely never knew this! That's kind of amazing, because I am also really smart. And for the most part I generally do a good job at understanding the language in which I speak. But I looked it up, and Flynn's definitions were correct.
However, the misuse of these words is so prevalent, that even the dictionary included a "Usage Note" referencing the fact that the vast majority of people use nauseous to mean nauseated, and nauseating to mean nauseous. That creates an interesting conundrum for a writer wishing to express his nauseated condition. If my goal is to communicate myself to the reader, should I be more concerned with the correct usage of a word, or the way in which that word will be received by the reader. The fact that dictionaries include a secondary definition of "nauseating" for nauseous is a testament to the way in which popular usage can alter the meaning of a word.
So what to do? Stand up for the word's intended meaning, or ride the wave of popular expression?
Well, I know what I'm gonna do. I'm gonna correct people's misusage of "nauseous" at every juncture I can. Because I like feeling smart. And I'm kind of a jackass.
While away from my apartment, my friend Flynn left me a series of IM messages, which I will distill now into one readable paragraph:
Bret! I am reading your blog and I wanted to point out a common error that you should correct because I respect and like you and don't want others to think you made this error. When you feel the need to vomit, you are nauseated, not nauseous. "Nauseous" is the property of making one nauseated. And you, my friend, make no one want to chum the room in which they are residing. So people making eating noises is, in itself, nauseous, and makes you nauseated. Thank you and goodnight.
First of all, Flynn is clearly very smart. I'm happy to make that known to more people via this blog. So kudos to him, and many thanks for the kind way in which he went about his correction.
Second, I absolutely never knew this! That's kind of amazing, because I am also really smart. And for the most part I generally do a good job at understanding the language in which I speak. But I looked it up, and Flynn's definitions were correct.
However, the misuse of these words is so prevalent, that even the dictionary included a "Usage Note" referencing the fact that the vast majority of people use nauseous to mean nauseated, and nauseating to mean nauseous. That creates an interesting conundrum for a writer wishing to express his nauseated condition. If my goal is to communicate myself to the reader, should I be more concerned with the correct usage of a word, or the way in which that word will be received by the reader. The fact that dictionaries include a secondary definition of "nauseating" for nauseous is a testament to the way in which popular usage can alter the meaning of a word.
So what to do? Stand up for the word's intended meaning, or ride the wave of popular expression?
Well, I know what I'm gonna do. I'm gonna correct people's misusage of "nauseous" at every juncture I can. Because I like feeling smart. And I'm kind of a jackass.
posted by Bret at 2:33 AM
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