Buzz
Language is always changing, making it difficult to determine what is right or wrong. Words and phrases that are misunderstood can become so widespread that they lose their original meaning. A controversial example is the word “literally,” often used to emphasize something that isn’t actually literal. Despite objections, the figurative use of “literally” is officially recognized in dictionaries and has been employed by renowned authors like F. Scott Fitzgerald and Charles Dickens. Literally.
Some expressions on this list are only slightly altered, while others are technically incorrect but have gained acceptance over time. A few are so drastically changed that they distort the original meaning. The next time someone misuses one of these phrases, you can figuratively—or literally (it’s up to you)—impress them with the true meaning.
10. A Moot Point
The word “moot” is frequently confused with “mute,” or humorously, as Joey from Friends suggests, “moo” because it’s like a cow’s opinion (it doesn’t matter). However, the confusion isn’t just about the word—its meaning has also shifted. While most people use it to describe an irrelevant argument, this modern interpretation is actually a deviation from its original usage.
The term “moot” traces its origins to the 11th century, where it referred to judicial or legislative meetings in England. By the 16th century, it evolved into a term for mock trials used to train law students. Today, it is meant to describe an issue that is open to debate or uncertain. However, in American usage, it is more frequently associated with an irrelevant or inconsequential point.
9. You Have Another Think Coming
The phrase “you have another thing coming” is a common mishearing of the original expression “you have another think coming,” which dates back to the early 1800s. The original phrase was meant to suggest that someone is mistaken and needs to reconsider their position. Despite this, “thing” has become the more popular version. The band Judas Priest even titled a 1982 song “You’ve Got Another Thing Comin’.”
This expression is an example of an eggcorn, a phrase that has been altered but still retains a logical meaning within its context. For example, “Alzheimer’s disease” is sometimes mistakenly called “old-timers’ disease,” which still makes sense semantically. The term eggcorn was introduced by linguist Geoffrey Pullum after reading an article by Mark Liberman about a woman who believed “acorn” was “eggcorn.”
8. One Fell Swoop
The frequent replacement of the original word “fell” with “foul” in this phrase is another instance of an eggcorn. While “foul” isn’t the correct term, it still makes logical sense. The word “fell,” meaning cruel or dreadful, is rarely used today, and “foul” conveys a similar idea.
Shakespeare is often credited with coining this phrase, as it appears in Macbeth (1606), though he may have simply popularized it. In Act IV, Scene 3, Macduff reacts to the news of his family’s murder by exclaiming: “Did you say all? Oh hell-kite! All? / What, all my pretty chickens, and their dam / At one fell swoop?” The vivid image of a bird of prey attacking a nest of chickens might explain why some people mistakenly use “fowl” instead.
7. A Rolling Stone Gathers No Moss
This saying has inspired songs by Muddy Waters and Bob Dylan, as well as the names of the magazine Rolling Stone and the band The Rolling Stones. It has become a motto for free-spirited individuals who embrace a nomadic lifestyle and avoid settling down with family or career commitments. However, the original meaning of the phrase was not about celebrating freedom but rather highlighting the drawbacks of being rootless.
The phrase became widely known during the Renaissance, largely due to Erasmus’s Adagia, a compilation of Greek and Latin proverbs first published in 1500. Erasmus continued to expand this work until his death in 1536, amassing 4,151 entries. In Adagia, the Latin version reads Lapis obuolutus non obducitur musco, and the English translation is given as “The rowling ston neuer gathereth Mosse.”
For centuries, the phrase carried negative implications about being rootless or lacking stability. In J. R. R. Tolkien’s The Return of the King (1955), Gandalf contrasts Tom Bombadil, a “moss-gatherer,” with himself as “a stone doomed to rolling.” Today, whether gathering moss is seen as an advantage or a disadvantage depends entirely on one’s perspective. It’s a debate between fearing commitment and embracing a free-spirited, bohemian lifestyle—take your pick.
6. Great Minds Think Alike
This expression originates from the play Hans Beer Pot, His Invisible Comedy (1618), written by the humorously named Dabridgcourt Belchier. The play includes the line “Good wits doe jumpe,” where “jumpe” means “completely agree.” Over time, this evolved into the familiar phrase “great minds think alike.”
There’s an often-overlooked addition to this idiom: “fools seldom differ.” While the origin of this extension is unclear, its sentiment dates back to at least the 18th century. In the second part of The Rights of Man (1792), Thomas Paine, an English-American revolutionary, writes, “I do not believe that any two men, on what are called doctrinal points, think alike who think at all. It is only those who have not thought that appear to agree.” Still, “fools seldom differ” is much more concise.
5. I Couldn’t Care Less
If you’re someone who insists on the correct usage of “I couldn’t care less,” hearing the incorrect “I could care less” probably drives you up the wall. The phrase is meant to express complete indifference, but saying “I could care less” implies that there’s still some level of concern. The original phrase appeared in print in 1944, and the incorrect version followed just 11 years later, showing how quickly it was distorted.
Linguist Ben Zimmer notes that “Editors no longer resist printing ‘could care less,’ even though it seems illogical. This is simply how people speak, and modern newspapers aim to reflect that reality.” Some defend the phrase, arguing it’s used sarcastically or that idioms don’t need to follow logical sense. Personally, though, I couldn’t care less about such justifications.
4. Ye Olde
The phrase “Ye Olde” is commonly seen on business signs, like Ye Olde Sweete Shoppe, to create a medieval or early modern British vibe. However, this usage is historically inaccurate. Spelling wasn’t standardized back then, but “olde” wasn’t a typical variation. A more accurate spelling would be “ole” or “auld.” For example, Edinburgh, the Scottish capital, is often called Auld Reekie.
A more significant problem is the pronunciation of “ye,” which shouldn’t have a “y” sound. In early modern English, abbreviations were common, and “the” was written as “þe,” using the Old English letter thorn. This letter, pronounced “th,” often resembled a “y,” leading to the modern misunderstanding.
3. Pull Yourself Up by Your Bootstraps
Today, this phrase is frequently used to suggest that success can be achieved without external assistance. While it may appear to be an inspiring message about self-improvement, it crumbles under scrutiny. Is it physically possible to lift yourself by your bootstraps? Absolutely not. This was the original intent of the proverb—to highlight an impossible task.
The idiom is believed to have originated in an 1834 newspaper article mocking a man named Nimrod Murphree. He claimed to have invented perpetual motion (which he hadn’t), prompting the newspaper to sarcastically remark: “Probably Mr. Murphree has succeeded in handing himself over the Cumberland river, or a barn yard fence, by the straps of his boots.”
2. One Bad Apple
Many people use “one bad apple” to imply that a single troublemaker doesn’t reflect the overall quality of a group. However, this idiom has been shortened over time, distorting its original meaning. The full version is “one bad apple spoils the barrel,” emphasizing that a single negative influence can corrupt the entire group. Bad apples don’t operate in isolation; they affect everyone around them.
This proverb traces back to the 1300s, with an early version appearing in Geoffrey Chaucer’s The Canterbury Tales (published between 1387 and 1400) in “The Cook’s Tale.” In the story, Perkin, an apprentice chef, is dismissed because his misconduct would spread to his coworkers: “Wel bet is roten appul out of hoord / Than that it rotie al the remenaunt.” The phrase likely stems from the observable reality that a decaying apple can quickly spoil the others around it.
1. Begs the Question
The phrase “begs the question” is frequently used to mean “raises the question,” but this interpretation stems from a series of mistranslations. It originates from Aristotle’s On Sophistical Refutations, written around 350 BC and later compiled in 40 BC. Aristotle described a logical fallacy where an argument’s premise assumes the conclusion’s truth, essentially circular reasoning. For example, claiming water is the best because it is the wettest presupposes that wetness equates to superiority.
So, how did “begs the question” come about? In the 16th century, Aristotle’s Greek phrase τὸ ἐν ἀρχῇ λαμβάνειν was translated into Latin as petitio principii and then into English as “begs the question.” A more accurate translation would be “assumes the conclusion.” Due to this mistranslation, the phrase is rarely used in the sense Aristotle originally intended.
