The wrong words

I'm often accused of being a pedant. I'm happy to admit to this, especially as sometimes I get paid to be one.

Everyone makes typos so while I'm happy to point them out and correct them I don't feel smug in so doing. I'm just doing a necessary part of my job. But what really gets my goat is when people use words incorrectly with misplaced confidence.

One of these words which seems to have found its way into the public consciousness is 'unchartered', as in 'unchartered territory'. The verb to charter means to hire, as in chartering a plane. In this context, the territory isn't being hired or not hired, it's being charted, as in mapped. So the phrase should be 'uncharted territory'.

Another is 'pacific' (or possibly 'pecific'), as in 'I don't have the pacific details yet.' Why so many people find it impossible to put the letter 's' at the start is beyond me. Possibly they think that the Pacific Ocean is so named because it is intended for, or applying to a particular thing. In fact, pacific means peaceful.

Then there's 'adverse' and 'averse'. The number of girl's internet dating profiles I read who claimed they 'weren't adverse to a glass of vino' astounded me. Not for their drinking habits but more for the fact that they put 'adverse' (meaning unfavourable or hostile i.e. adverse weather conditions ) when they meant 'averse' (meaning having an opposition for). Although the meanings are somewhat similar, the rule of thumb is adverse for things, averse for people.

Many people either think that 'imply' and 'infer' are interchangeable or simply don't care what the difference is. I can't remember how I found out but the following exchange from the Dennis Quaid film DOA sticks in my mind.

Bernard: I don't think I like what you're inferring, Mr. Cornell...
Dexter Cornell: [condescendingly] Implying. When I say it, that's implying. How you take it, that's inferring.
Bernard : I see. Infer this.
[punches Dexter]

These examples seem to be more often heard than written, and there are many of the latter that bug the hell out of me.

But that's just me. You might well be uninterested. But what you're not, in this context at least, is disinterested.