We’re all guilty of it, even by a slip of the fingers on the key pad and we say “then” instead of “than”, but some people take it to a whole other level. While I’m sure you readers have your own knee-slapping stories of the hilarious word and phrase mix ups, I’m here to shed light on a couple of things most everyday people, not just the truly word-challenged bunch, are probably using wrong. At the very least I can point you in the correct direction for further information!

“Curiosity killed the cat!”

You probably heard this one while you were snooping around for your birthday presents. It was issued as a warning to not be overly curious because too much curiosity could end up with unpleasant results (like a returned gift, oh no!). The full phrase is “Curiosity killed the cat, but satisfaction brought it back”, meaning that the information acquired was worth the risks involved. Here is a list of several other things that are worth an adjustment in your phrase vocabulary.

Generation X vs. Millennials vs. Centennials

Ah, generation terms. Now, if you’re near my age, I’m sure you’ve been bombarded with judgement based on your generation. In fact, my fiancé LOVED jokingly saying “You damn Millennials!” and shaking his finger at me (he’s eight years older). He had grown up believing he fell under the category of Generation X. But sweet, sweet, Google delivered. Generation X is considered 1961 to 1981. But there is a tricky thing about generation definitions. You see, on average each family takes about 20-25 years to start a new generation so by that average (with a little give and take) the generation behind Generation X (that’s the Millennials!) falls within the time frame of 1982 to about 1995. I wish I had a more exact answer for you guys. There are several answers for what qualifies as a generation time frame. Generation Z or Centennials are pretty much classified as 1996 to present. While there are several definitions, and it’s a hard thing to pin down, here’s the link to a site that may hold some answers for you.

Feminism

Rant time: FEMINISM IS NOT ANTI-MAN. If an individual is using the guise of “feminism” to rain down hatred upon the male sex, they’re strange and wrong. According to Merriam-Webster feminism is defined as: the theory of political, economic, and social equality of the sexes. This is not to be confused with misandry which is the hatred of men. I know that some people feel that modern day feminism is directionless as they feel that modern feminists don’t share a cohesive goal such as the right to vote, right to work, etc. But we do, as a society of human beings, need to have an extensive and accurate vocabulary .