IRREGARDLESS IS NOT A WORD.

[shoeless]

i've seen it used twice on this forum already by two different people and it took all my might not to derail the threads and call the people out on it, but SERIOUSLY. one of my biggest pet peeves. IT IS NOT A WORD.

i mean, think about it, what the hell could that mean? irregardless? that's basically saying regardful. it's like a double negative within one word.


hgiephagiewhpgahwipeg ANGST.

 

[Anthile]

Irregardless is not a word? Unpossible!

 

[Devercia]

i've seen it used twice on this forum already by two different people

Burn them!

Lets get rid of the "guesstimate" people too.

 

[RubberDucky451]

I have have enough words that i resist correcting people on

Reminds me of the phrase "Excruciating pain". Or "ATM machine". Stop me please.

 

[EditorOne]

"IRREGARDLESS IS NOT A WORD."

I'd say you have the makings of a right peevish copy editor, but those jobs are disappearing faster than the Artic ice caps ....

 

[Latro]

Actually, as I recall, it is, it's just essentially a meaningless word. That doesn't mean it isn't well-formed, however.

 

[Decaf]

Growing up I had no idea that some people thought it was a word. My first exposure to it was people angry at others for using it.

 

[fullerene]

oh it's way worse than just twice.

 

[Madoness]

oh it's way worse than just twice.

Sorry - no matches. Please try some different terms.

 

[Decaf]

Sorry - no matches. Please try some different terms.

I found 16 uses of it not including references to its inaccuracy.

 

[Madoness]

I found 16 uses of it not including references to its inaccuracy.

Well.... this was my result. I thought it would be helpful to bring it up as at least some users cannot get the idea cryptonia was pointing towards.

 

[shoeless]

it only came up as no matches because the link was to the search engine thing itself. if you actually type in the word in the search box, you get a bunch.

 

[RubberDucky451]

You need to add this to the end of the INTP forum URL

search.php?searchid=379912

 

[Madoness]

You need to add this to the end of the INTP forum URL

search.php?searchid=379912

It would still bring me to having no results.

 

[shoeless]

that's because it automatically goes to a blank search. just type it in yourself.

 

[Agent Intellect]

Add "Un-thaw" to the list, too.

It would be the opposite of thawing something, meaning that you are freezing it.

This tends to happen in speech more often than text, though.

 

[jachian]

As long as you can spell it or understand what it means........... It a word

IRREGARDLESS of whether its in the dictionary!!

 

[EditorOne]

Yup. If enough people use it, it goes in a dictionary. Dictionaries are mirrors, not rule books to the extent commonly thought.

I'd hate to be the one to have to write down a definition for either unthaw or irregardless, though.

 

[Polaris]

Some interesting background in link below. The word actually appears in some reference books, but due to its double negative meaning it is considered illogical:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Irregardless

 

[snowqueen]

Is this how flammable and inflammable became the same meaning do you think?

 

[Polaris]

Is this how flammable and inflammable became the same meaning do you think?

Whoa, I have never considered that. Any linguists out there?

 

[Thread Killer]

"IRREGARDLESS IS NOT A WORD."

I'd say you have the makings of a right peevish copy editor, but those jobs are disappearing faster than the Artic ice caps ....

Don't say that! You're making me regret choosing my major more than I do already.

 

[Toad]

Let's make it a word! I like the way it sounds.

 

[Inappropriate Behavior]

IRREGARDLESS IS NOT A WORD.

Perhaps not, but it does have it's own Wikipedia entry. Is Wikipedia a word? Perhaps as long as others (kind of) know the meaning of it, then it is a word. It's just that some don't consider it "proper".

 

[Agent Intellect]

Perhaps not, but it does have it's own Wikipedia entry. Is Wikipedia a word? Perhaps as long as others (kind of) know the meaning of it, then it is a word. It's just that some don't consider it "proper".

The problem is, it's combining "regardless" and "Irregard" (the latter of which is not really a word, but the prefix assumes a negation of regard) both of which are implying the opposite of regard. Essentially it's saying [the opposite of]regard[negated], giving it a double negative.

It's why I brought up unthaw, as well. To thaw is essentially to "un-freeze" so to unthaw would be the "un-un-freeze".

It's not that the word itself is inherently wrong, but that it uses basic grammatical rules (double negatives) while actually meaning the opposite of what the grammatical rules would tell us they mean - similar to the common phrase "I don't got no [blank]", which is meant to mean that someone does not have [blank] but the grammatical rules would be a double negative: "I do not have no [blank]".

Yes, this was an unnecessarily long response to this post, but in all honesty, I have absolutely nothing better to do with my time right now.

 

[Inappropriate Behavior]

At least you put some thought into it

Rules. That may be why I don't take such grammatical gaffes as something to be bothered by. Words are a series of sounds (audible) or collection of letters that have collectively been taken to have a certain meaning. While the rules aren't arbitrary, if enough people have decided to ignore any particular one of them then it's a word. A rock doesn't need us to be a rock. Words do however need us to be words. They are our creation and creativity doesn't need many rules.

 

[Toad]

Rules were made to be broken.

 

[echoplex]

I think the "word" exists because it's often used when people are upset, and when people are upset they tend to lengthen the words and phrases they use, in order to convey their feelings.

Well, that and some people just don't know it's not a word.

 

[bananaphallus]

I agree, and I remember someone (Cheese?) commenting on how people suddenly develop this aversion to contractions whilst mad/sad/even glad as well, it's something I've done/still do...I think it probably has something to with wanting more letters/words to suffuse with anger/whatever particularly potent emotion you happen to be experiencing at that very moment.

ex. [mother to small, disobedient child]

Mama: "Don't do that again"
Jerk kid: "Go to hell" [continues activity which was annoying mother]

- or -

Mama: "Do not do that again"
Jerk Kid: "I've come to see the err in my ways, and thanks to your needlessly protracted remonstration, I'm now a more mature, reasonable, and morally sound human being."
[mother and son hug]

 

[Android]

My dad's fond of the (non)word irregardless.. and for some reason he calls gaps "gaposises" and ends almost every sentence with a drawn out "soooooo."

 

[echoplex]

Yes, I've noticed the contraction thing as well. I think negative contractions (don't, won't, can't) often don't sound negative enough to convey the strong negativity one is trying to get across. Like, saying "will not" instead of "won't" allows you to emphasize the "NOT" so everyone knows something is seriously NOT about to happen. lol

On a related note, I think this is also partially why the concept of profanity exists. We need ways of expression to be reserved for when we're emotional and common usage isn't enough to convey those emotions. We need ways to say "I'm upset" without actually saying it.

 

[Polaris]

Some interesting background in link below. The word actually appears in some reference books, but due to its double negative meaning it is considered illogical:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Irregardless

Perhaps not, but it does have it's own Wikipedia entry. Is Wikipedia a word? Perhaps as long as others (kind of) know the meaning of it, then it is a word. It's just that some don't consider it "proper".

The problem is, it's combining "regardless" and "Irregard" (the latter of which is not really a word, but the prefix assumes a negation of regard) both of which are implying the opposite of regard. Essentially it's saying [the opposite of]regard[negated], giving it a double negative.
.

This is looking more and more like a Monty Python sketch........

 

[Thoughtful]

NOBODY EXPECTS THE MONTY PYTHON SKETCH!

Irregardless of your contentlessness over it, Irregardless is in fact a word:
http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/IRREGARDLESS

For my serious thoughts on the matter, see my signature.

 

[shoeless]

okay, maybe it is a word.

it's a STUPID word.

just say "regardless" goddammit, it sounds so much better and, you know, not-retarded.

 

[fullerene]

hahah

The most frequently repeated remark about it is that “there is no such word.” There is such a word, however. It is still used primarily in speech, although it can be found from time to time in edited prose. Its reputation has not risen over the years, and it is still a long way from general acceptance.

 

[Inappropriate Behavior]

This is looking more and more like a Monty Python sketch........

For missing that Polaris linked it first---------> (that's twice as embarassed)

okay, maybe it is a word.

it's a STUPID word.

Do we have consensus then? I vote yes.

 

[EditorOne]

Hey, I'm all for breaking rules, but funny things happen when grammatical ambiguity exists because rules were misunderstood or ignored. Even comma placement.

United States Army Regulations, 1861, state that the uniform coat "shall be buttoned and hooked at the top". (The collar had a hook.) This coat has nine buttons down the front. The regulations got read for the first time in 1861 by hundreds of thousands of volunteers, who dutifully reported to dress parade in entire regiments, men and officers, with just the top button buttoned and the collar hooked, to the consternation of the Regulars who had always been instructed in person through a long tradition of sergeants that the coat was to be fully buttoned. The actual practice intended to be described in the regulations was for the coat to be fully buttoned, with a notation for the slovenly that the collar should also be hooked. In other words, there should have been a comma. The uniform coat "shall be buttoned, and hooked at the top." D'oh.

You can see photos of soldiers during the war with just the top button buttoned, doing exactly what the regulations seemed to say. And today you can see Civil War reenactors who have read the regulations, with its missing comma, repeating the exact same misunderstanding as the guys 150 years ago. They cite the photographs of people in 1861 making the same mistake as "proof" that they've read it correctly.

Much ado about not much, but I, also, had absolutely nothing better to do than comment on a 150-year-long misunderstanding caused by a writer who forgot one lowly comma.

 

[snowqueen]

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Eats-shoots-leaves-Tolerance-Punctuation/dp/1861976127

 

[Toad]

Yes, it must be a word because my spell check says so.

 

[brain enclosed in flesh]

At the end of the day, irregardless of what's happening per se, I literally don't grab what about this post could be arrived at quote end quote organically. If you know what I mean.

 

[Fedayeen]

You guys are debating whether or not irregardless is or isn't a word, but you haven't even taken the time to consider what a word is.

A word is basically a unit of measure for language, either spoken or written. It is the inches of the standard system. Word, sentence, phrase would be no different then inch, foot, mile, or day, month, year.

A word does not have to have an actual meaning for it to be a word. saying irregardless is not part of the English language would be closer, but still incorrect. Though the word is unnecessary, and typically used incorrectly. Its use as part of a language by definition makes it a word. You won't likely find ugh in a standard dictionary, but we use it, and as a result it is a word. Same thing goes for slang. We use slang, and it has meaning, but you won't likely see it in a standard dictionary.

 

[Inappropriate Behavior]

You guys are debating whether or not irregardless is or isn't a word, but you haven't even taken the time to consider what a word is.

Hey! yes I did. I just didn't do it very well:

Words are a series of sounds (audible) or collection of letters that have collectively been taken to have a certain meaning.

 

[Fedayeen]

Hey! yes I did. I just didn't do it very well:

I'll admit to not reading every single post

 

[walfin]

I would have no bone to pick with the word irregardless if it were not used as if it were the same as regardless.

Surely its logical meaning should be "has regard for"/"with regard".

E.g.
He is such a well mannered boy, always so irregardless of his elders. (He has regard for his elders)
Irregardless of (i.e. w.r.t.) the angular velocity of the laminar...
She makes decisions so irregardlessly - always considering all factors.

As an aside, the spell checker didn't put a red squiggly line under irregardless, but it did under irregardlessly. Pfft. Spell checkers should have fuzzy logic.

unthaw

Surely that is a synonym for freeze?

Then again, English is such an inconsistent language.

 

[Fedayeen]

Is there a consistent language?

 

[Yellow]

Luckily, I am with Decaf in not being affected by irregardless. But, this leads me to think we should develop our own banned words list.
(by the way.. why do "I could care less" and "I couldn't care less" have exactly the same meaning?)

Anyway, in addition to irregardless, unthawed, and guesstimate, I nominate impactful and meme (please?!? I know its a word but its just so irritating) for the list.

 

[Van]

I hate that. Maybe people just heard other people saying 'I couldn't care less' and thought they heard 'I could care less', then repeated it without thinking about what they were saying.

 

[bananaphallus]

'It was the least I could do' as well, why would you ever say that?

 

[cheese]

Agreed; "your mother was the least I could do" is just plain insulting.

 

[Latro]

'It was the least I could do' as well, why would you ever say that?

Make it seem like what you did was no big deal.