That's it, I've snapped. I can handle a lot of other stuff, lazy governors, dim instrument lights, confrontational air traffic controllers, but this is the limit. I'm going on a crusade to rid helicopter pilots of poor English, starting with the word "irregardless". You guys from Indiana are excused for now, but be warned.
Malabo
From Wilkipedia:
The origin of irregardless is not known for certain, but the consensus among references is that it is a blend of irrespective and regardless, both of which are commonly accepted standard English words. By blending these words, an illogical word is created. "Since the prefix ir- means 'not' (as it does with irrespective), and the suffix -less means 'without,' irregardless is a double negative."[1]. (Cf. inflammable, flammable.)
Irregardless is primarily found in North America, most notably in Boston and surrounding areas, according to the Oxford English Dictionary, and was first acknowledged in 1912 by the Wentworth American Dialect Dictionary as originating from western Indiana. Barely a decade later, the usage dispute over irregardless was such that, in 1923, Literary Digest published an article entitled "Is There Such a Word as Irregardless in the English Language?"[2]
Last edited by malabo; 5th Jul 2007 at 01:15.
Reason: humbling grammar lesson from 212man