Everybody makes mistakes

Is “irregardless” a word? Terms often used incorrectly

Surely, we’ve all made grammatical mistakes that still haunt us. But that doesn’t mean our eyes are safe from twitching when we hear words like "irregardless." A dozen popular mistakes have spread and infiltrated the vocabulary of many, much to the dismay of word lovers. Let’s explore some of these and hope we aren’t among the ones committing them!

Careful: If you say you are nauseous, that means you are causing someone else nausea. You probably don’t mean that you stink, but that you are feeling sick yourself.

When stepping off a rollercoaster, you don’t feel nauseous: You might feel nauseated, which is the correct term.

When did people start using "infamous" interchangeably with "famous"? It’s hard to know, but this mistake is heard often. Remember, "infamous" and "notorious" are adjectives that imply the subject has a bad reputation.

Maybe the confusion comes from "famous" being right there in the word, but keep in mind: infamous isn’t the kind of fame you want.

If you’re bemused, you’re scratching your head, not laughing. "Bemused" gets thrown around as a fancier way to say "amused," but it actually means "confused" or "bewildered." One often isn’t bemused by a funny meme, but a complex set of instructions could leave you bemused.

People often use "decimate" to mean "destroy entirely," but its original meaning is "reduce by one-tenth." It derives from a Roman practice of punishing armies.

For example, you could announce that a crop was decimated by pests but that some survived. The confusion is likely because "one-tenth" doesn’t sound dramatic enough. Ironically, modern misuse has decimated the word’s original meaning.

Some people wrongly state that they have perused a magazine when what they did was flip through it lightly. To "peruse" means to read thoroughly and carefully.

You could peruse a contract document before signing it, for example. Remember, the verb shouldn’t be used as a fancy synonym for "skim."

"Irregardless" gets thrown around, but mostly as the less-preferred form of the word "regardless." Adding "ir-" to it makes it a nonstandard double negative. The word "regard-less" already means "without regard."

Why do people use the wrong form, then? Maybe inventing a prefix feels extra emphatic, but really, it’s like putting a hat on a hat.

"Supposably" is often (and incorrectly) used instead of "supposedly." While the former does exist, it means "as could be imagined or believed". "Supposedly" means "according to what is assumed or believed".

So, which adverb should be used? It depends on whether the reality described is supposed to be true (supposedly) or possible to be true (supposably).

Irony isn’t just a coincidence or bad luck; it’s when there’s a contradiction between expectation and reality. It would be ironic, for example, that a fire station should burn down.

If you simply ran into someone you know, however, that would not be ironic. It would simply be a funny coincidence.

"Literally" means something is true exactly as is stated. It is often misused for exaggerations to add emphasis.

People have grown used to inserting that word into any hyperbolic sentence, such as "I’m literally dying of laughter". The word does have its correct place in some phrases, though. For example, you could literally trip over your own shoelaces.

You cannot feel jealous of someone who enjoys something that you’ve never had. That’s because, strictly speaking, "jealousy" involves the fear of losing something.

"Envy" would be the correct term for referring to the desire to have what someone else does. For example, envying a gold medal when you only achieved the silver one.

Sometimes students claim to be failing a class because they are "disinterested" in the subject, which is an incorrect statement. "Disinterested" means "impartial", or "unbiased". What they mean is that they are not interested, or "uninterested".

"Affect" is a verb, meaning "to influence," while "effect" is a noun, meaning "a result." These two are spotted in the wrong sentence way too often. A speech can have an effect on an audience, but it cannot "effect" the audience. It can only "affect" it.

The space between the words (or lack thereof) does affect the meaning! "Everyday" is an adjective meaning ordinary, while "every day" means "each day." Ask yourself carefully which of the two you are using.

Remember, every day we can find everyday words used incorrectly!

THE HARDEST TIMES

The Great Depression: 10 Weird Facts About America’s Deepest Crisis

Image: The New York Public Library

The Great Depression, a period of economic instability that lasted from the early 1930s until the end of the decade, was one of the most challenging times in American history. Kickstarted by the Wall Street Crash of October 1929, the recession hit hard, bankrupting thousands of businesses and leaving no one untouched.

Though well depicted in films and literature, there are still numerous surprising and lesser-known facts that shed light on the resilience and creativity of the Americans who lived through those difficult times. From bizarre dance marathons to bustling criminality and a near-ecological collapse, here are 10 intriguing facts about the Depression Era that you might not have known.

Image: rc.xyz NFT gallery

Due to the extreme economic volatility, as the banking system collapsed, some towns and communities had to resort to issuing their own currency in order to keep commerce moving. These emergency currencies, often colorful and varied, featured designs from local artists.

They played a critical role in maintaining local economies during the financial crisis, ensuring that people could continue to trade goods and services despite the widespread financial crisis. Today, these unique scrips are collectors' items and a reminder of the creativity and resilience of communities during times of hardship.

Image: Museums of History New South Wales

The Great Depression saw a significant increase in the number of people who took to the road, wandering around the country in search of temporary employment. These migrant workers, known as hoboes, developed a cultural network that helped them survive the adverse conditions of the time.

This network included leaving messages for each other. While many of these messages were simple, including just their monikers or road names, a date, and the direction they were headed, there were claims of a more complex secret code. This code allegedly provided specific instructions on where to find food, safe places to sleep, or warnings about hostile areas. Though these claims were likely exaggerated, hoboes did rely on their community of fellow travelers to navigate the treacherous landscape of the Depression.

Image: Siora Photography

Farmers were among those hit hardest by the economic crisis. When banks foreclosed on farms for unpaid debts and their properties were auctioned, neighbors would conspire to bid pennies on both property and equipment, often using intimidation or physical force if necessary to keep others from bidding competitively. They would then return the farm to the original owners.

This act of defiance and solidarity helped create a strong sense of community during tough times. For many, losing a farm meant losing their livelihood and sustenance, making these efforts crucial for survival.

Image: Zoe Schaeffer

Many rural families survived by reverting to subsistence farming, hunting, and foraging. Skills that were once common but declining became essential for survival, aligning with a larger back-to-the-land movement that swept across America during the harder years of the crisis.

City folk believed that returning to the land was the only way to survive and avoid the pitfalls of consumerism that had contributed to widespread poverty. The back-to-the-land ethos provided both a practical solution to immediate economic hardships and a philosophical shift toward valuing independence and community perseverance.

Image: Mark Asthoff

Not without irony, the largest skyscraper in the world until the 1970s was completed during the Depression. A symbol of ambition and modernity, the Empire State Building stood as a rare sight in a foundering country. Initially, it struggled to find tenants, earning it the nickname "Empty State Building."

However, despite the economic downturn, its construction provided much-needed jobs for thousands of workers. The building of the Empire State Building became a beacon of hope amidst economic despair, proof of American strength and determination to leave the economic crisis behind.

Image: Samantha Sheppard

As if farmers didn’t have enough on their hands with the hardships brought on by economic instability, they also faced an ecological collapse of significant proportions during the Great Depression.

Severe drought and dust storms ravaged farmlands, forcing thousands of families to migrate westward in search of employment and improved living conditions. This ecological catastrophe stemmed from a combination of natural phenomena and human activities, including the destruction of natural topsoil and inadequate measures to prevent wind erosion.

Image: Maxim Hopman

With scarce job opportunities and widespread societal collapse, the Depression saw the rise of many notorious criminals like Bonnie and Clyde, John Dillinger, and Pretty Boy Floyd.

These criminal figures soon captured the public's imagination, becoming folk heroes to some and villains to others.

Though the media often exaggerated their exploits to boost sales, the real backstories of most of these criminals reflect the desperation and feelings of societal abandonment that were prevalent during that time.

Image: Philip Strong

In the midst of economic turmoil, Americans flocked en masse to sports for much-needed relief and affordable entertainment. Popular sports such as baseball, boxing, and athletics experienced a significant surge in both attendance and participation.

Iconic moments, such as Jesse Owens' triumph in the 1936 Olympics, also served as sources of inspiration and ignited a sense of nationwide pride. These events solidified America’s enduring fascination with sports of all kinds, demonstrating their power to uplift spirits and unify communities even during challenging times.

Image: Joshua Hoehne

Curiously, the Monopoly board game surged in popularity during the Great Depression. Originally developed in the early 1900s as "The Landlord's Game," Monopoly was commercially released under its modern name in 1935.

It became an instant hit, providing an affordable form of entertainment and a temporary escape from financial woes. In the world of the game, players could dream of economic success, even amid real-world hardships, cementing Monopoly as a staple in American households.

Image: jurien huggins

Bizarrely, many forms of endurance entertainment became a craze during the Great Depression. One of these peculiar trends was dance marathons, where participants competed to outlast each other on the dance floor, often dancing for days with only short breaks.

Another similar trend was flagpole-sitting, which involved individuals sitting atop flagpoles for extended periods, attracting spectators and media attention. These events often offered participants a chance to earn money and meals, while also drawing large crowds who paid to witness the spectacle unfold.