(no subject)

[lumineaux]

Inspired by katnbootsand metasomething, I present my pet linguistic peeve of the day:

A point that is purely theoretical or no longer relevant to the conversation is "moot" not "mute."  Look what our friend the dictionary has to say:

http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/moot

http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/mute

Comments

[katnboots.livejournal.com]

Heh.

Um, yeah, confidential list yadayada. Nevertheless I heard about this part. ;)

[lumineaux.livejournal.com]

That particular post was far from the only time this error has come up. I don't think a month goes by without someone using "mute" for "moot." It's a persistent SCAdianism, as far as I can tell.

[wingblaze.livejournal.com]

The question is moot. I get the car. I'm the host.

[dame-margarete.livejournal.com]

Oh, heavens. Only one per day?? And I'm with you on the "moot" vs. "mute" - it's like fingers on a chalkboard.

[lumineaux.livejournal.com]

Followed closely by "irregardless"

even the girls know better

[rtropeano.livejournal.com]

I asked my 11 year old and my 12 year old which word was the right one to use, both agreed that the word was moot. They neither one understood the word, but in the words of Rosemary, "mute sounds dumb, dude" Ariel then had to point out that someone who was dumb would be mute. Oh, if that were only so.