We all mix things up and sometimes use the wrong word, right? But here are four commonly misused phrases by Minnesotans that a new survey says makes us sound kinda dumb, don'tcha know!

I found these on the site, Work+Money.com, and I have to say, I agree with most of these. In fact, the first one they listed has always been a pet peeve of mine. I hear people use it wrong ALL THE TIME.  Check these out. Do you say any of these?

"I could care less" should be "I COULDN'T care less. "This is an extremely commonly misused phrase. While most people love to throw out that they “could care less” in an attempt to show how little they care about an issue, they’re actually communicating the opposite of the usual phrase’s intention. When you stop to think about what you’re saying, “could care less” means you not only care, but you care enough that you would have the ability to care less if you wanted to. If you’re trying to convey apathy, saying “I couldn’t care less” is much more accurate," the site notes.

Here's another one that usually gets mixed up and said incorrectly:

“For all intensive purposes” versus “For all intents and purposes” "Intensive indicates that something is powerful and focused. If you’re discussing an intensive purpose, you’re simply indicating one focused purpose, or perhaps a few very focused purposes. The more common phrases, for all intents and purposes, indicates that something is coming from more or less all important angles or opinions. So for all intents and purposes, all intensive purposes is a usually the wrong thing to say," the site said.

Here's yet another one I hear people use incorrectly all the time:

"Nip it in the butt" versus "Nip it in the bud" "Let’s nip this commonly misused phrase in the bud right now. The origins of this phrase come from the idea of de-budding flowers. So there were actual buds involved. So think twice before you change that “bud” to a “butt” because you’ll be communicating something completely (and embarrassingly) different," the site said.

And finally, I hear fellow Minnesotans use this phrase incorrectly A LOT as well:

“Mute point” vs “Moot point” "When you mute something, you render it silent. That’s why you can push the mute button on a remote. Yet when you decide something is a moot point, you make it irrelevant or subject to debate. There is no “moot” button on a remote because it’s a much more philosophical – and less physical – action," the site noted.

Listen to Curt St. John from 6 to 10 a.m. on Quick Country 96.5 
and from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on 103.9 The Doc

 

 

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