loose/lose !!!

(24 Posts)
WMittens Sat 24-Aug-13 23:10:46

We do, however, still maintain the distinction between advise and advice and devise and device.

The pronunciations of those words differ, unlike practise/practice and license/licence which are homophonous.

ArgyMargy Fri 23-Aug-13 21:42:32

Ha ha yellow! Toddler reigns!! Arf.

Longdistance Thu 22-Aug-13 12:43:49

Beech and beach. Seen loads on fb.

What is wrong with people?

SconeRhymesWithGone Thu 22-Aug-13 12:41:23

I just realized that in US English it's practice for noun and verb, but the "s" word license for noun and verb. Interesting. We do, however, still maintain the distinction between advise and advice and devise and device.

EarthMither Thu 22-Aug-13 10:07:27

Yellowballoons, you could be right about poor spelling decreasing in general, but "loose/lose" is definitely on the rise. Along with the misuse of "advise" for "advice" - aaaaaarrrggh <pokes own eyes out>

EarthMither Thu 22-Aug-13 10:05:18

YY to being driven mad by "loose" used wrongly for "lose". I've only noticed this happening in the last couple of years, so fuck knows where it's come from. I blame Facebook for propagating illiteracy in general.

yellowballoons Thu 22-Aug-13 10:04:42

rein/reign on the other hand...

yellowballoons Thu 22-Aug-13 10:04:14

I actually think the wrong spelling is decreasing, on MN at least, since even a year ago.

SchrodingersFanny Thu 22-Aug-13 09:59:39

I was just coming to start a thread on this. I'm doing slimming world and there is a lot of 'loose' on the Facebook group. Drives me mad!

elQuintoConyo Wed 07-Aug-13 23:26:40

temoved ? blush = removed

elQuintoConyo Wed 07-Aug-13 23:25:41

A second cousin (thrice temoved!) insists on stating she's 'really tiered' on faceachebook. I asked her if she was a wedding cake.
My friend insists on saying 'what I done was...' makes me want to kick a bunny!

I'm such a pedant and have to bite my tongue frequently. It seems being thick is the new black.

Cooroo Wed 07-Aug-13 23:06:39

I like those s/c verb/noun pairings. License/licence, advise/advice, even devise/device I think.

SconeRhymesWithGone Fri 02-Aug-13 17:07:48

Practise/practice is British English; it's practice for verb and noun in American English.

orangeandemons Fri 02-Aug-13 10:19:17

I could weep too, could of and should of, I hate them. My ds is at uni, he sent me a text with "could of" in. I sent it back with loads of angry faces.

Affect and effect are really bugging me. I see it on here all the time.

MissMilliment Fri 02-Aug-13 10:14:21

I think the confusion of loose and lose is on the increase, as is the use of 'should of', 'could of' etc - to the point where I fear these will soon become accepted norms. At which point I shall sit in the corner and quietly weep.

To loose is to set loose. To loosen is to make more loose.

If people ask me how to remember, I say "loose makes loosed, lose makes lost". Linking lose to lost makes it more obvious that it only needs one O.

That said, most pendants don't need a rule: we just remember.

That "pendants" was deliberate.

clam Fri 02-Aug-13 10:03:11

I was whingeing about this one just the other day.
But I am also seriously wondering if there is anyone left on this planet who knows how to use practice/practise correctly - apart from in Pedants' Corner, of course.

CatWithKittens Fri 02-Aug-13 09:59:28

Loose is not always an adjective - it can be a verb. I remember being taught to remember the distinction with "If you loose your goose, you will lose it." Whilst, I think not a correct statement of a goose's behaviour, it did help make the point.

PS When I spell behaviour, as above, this site underlines it as though it was a spelling mistake! Shame on you MN. shock

apostropheuse Thu 01-Aug-13 21:36:35

Oh this isn't AIBU!


(not apologise) grin

apostropheuse Thu 01-Aug-13 21:35:27


Some people also seem to confuse advise and advice.

Alphabollocks Thu 01-Aug-13 12:25:36

I was about to post a thread but see one already exists. Loose is an adjective, not a verb, I believe it is 'to loosen'. Drives me mad!

MissMarplesBloomers Fri 21-Jun-13 07:54:11

Is it on the increase do you think?

I notice it more and more these days <old gimmer alert> or is MN just indulging and encouraging my natural pendantry? grin

tribpot Thu 20-Jun-13 22:08:57

Yes - it is very annoying, although I do (somewhat) understand the problem given lose is pronounced looz. I can't immediately think of any other words using 'ose' (other than derivatives of lose) which are pronounced 'ooz' - close, for example. I'm sure the pedants will be able to think of hundreds smile

miffybun73 Thu 20-Jun-13 22:02:39

Anyone else amazed by the number of people who seem to confuse lose and loose.

e.g. I need to loose some weight, I only have 1 stone to loose etc.

It drives me mad, enough to make me loose my mind grin

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