The mangling of idomatic expressions (a minor rant and call for commiseration)

[Zundfolge]

Ok, so this probably makes me a schmuck, but I'm getting to the point where I can't function when I hear someone mangle common idiomatic expressions.

This is particularly problematic as I have a wife who is apparently genetically predisposed to mangle idiomatic expressions and constant mispronunciation of words ... her mother was worse about it than she is but for the love of God learn the phrases properly if you don't want people to think you're an idiot. Its especially annoying when I correct her and she gets mad ... so I don't correct her and someone else notices so she gets mad at me for not correcting her when we're in private so she doesn't embarrass herself.

Anyway, today's outrage is "Nip it in the butt" ... AAAAAARRRRGGG! (actually saw this in print so there should have been an editor catch it ... so its double-plus annoying)

It's Nip it in the BUD ... sheesh. It means to put an end to something before it develops into something larger. (Alludes to destroying a flower bud before it blooms). Nipping someone in the butt might stop them from doing whatever they're doing but it makes no sense as an idiomatic expression.

Even Barny Effing Fife gets this one right.

[BushMasterBoy]

Nip it in the butt...homophobe!

[ray1970]

Lol. I'm about half a rung up the evolutionary ladder from a monkey and I know better than that.

There are several of these that I hear people butcher all of the time. My mind is too full from work to think of a good example right now. I'm sure it will come to me later.

On another note... I think you and I may be married to the same woman.

[Zundfolge]

On another note... I think you and I may be married to the same woman.

We probably all are

[sellersm]

Irregardless of the nipping...

[Hound]

Irregardless of the nipping...

Awesome

[Irving]

Could care less/couldn't care less
Tie me over/tide me over
Conservative/Republican

My wife pronounces the "L" in Salmon, knows it's wrong, and does it anyway.

[Jeffrey Lebowski]

My wife pronounces the "L" in Salmon, knows it's wrong, and does it anyway.

How about the w in sword or the h in what?
'cause that's just awesome.

[BlasterBob]

Isn't the word "stuff" already a plural. Thus, no need for "stuffs". So, is there a singular for stuff? Perhaps "miscellaneous crap". I'm only an old "high school dummy" so one of you learned folks can hopefully enlighten this old fart because I still have a LOT to learn.

[RblDiver]

Isn't the word "stuff" already a plural. Thus, no need for "stuffs". So, is there a singular for stuff? Perhaps "miscellaneous crap". I'm only an old "high school dummy" so one of you learned folks can hopefully enlighten this old fart because I still have a LOT to learn.

I suppose it depends on whether you're using stuff as a noun or a verb. (And then there are special cases, like "foodstuffs").