Bryan Henderson, a 51-year-old software engineer, has made 47,000 Wikipedia corrections since 2007. In every single case, he was correcting the phrase “comprised of”, which he claims is bad grammar. (The Independent)
My bete noirs are as follows. What are yours?
– “off of” (as in “I got off of the bus”),
– “there’s” as in “there’s several things I want to say”. (This is rapidly becoming “standard” English in America, especially among politicians and news anchors).
– The mis-use of the word “disinterested” when what is meant is “uninterested”.
(someone disinterested has no dog in the fight)
“Though and although”–but I think this may qualify more as a pedantic yen rather than as a genuine bete noir. “Further and farther” are annoying fun as are “complement” and “compliment.” P.S. I’m starting to hate “auto-fill” with a passion. It keeps trying to change “bete noir” to “beet noir” or “bets noir.”