It really bothers me when people misuse words, like if by nature someone says "supposably." I think most people are smart enough to figure out what you're trying to say, but still.
I don't expect people to walk around carrying a dictionary, but I do think it's nice when people actually stop and hear what they're saying.
It bothers me when people say "He should of brought salad."
In fact, he "should HAVE brought salad." Should "of" makes no sense.
What bothers me is when people try to make others feel worse about themselves by using big words that nobody knows. It's like they went to Merriam and Webster and said "hey man, give me the biggest word you have, and tell me how to use it."
Fine, you've learned a word, and now you use it and 90% of people look at you like a) what? or b) great word, but you used it incorrectly.
Some may say I'm a word snob, I think I just like to learn new words. (I used to spend my summer afternoons finding the most interesting passages in the encyclopedia..I know, lame..but page 146 of book 4 was pretty cool.) I know I say things wrong too, especially when it comes to cliched statements like "have your cake and eat it too." Note: it's not "make your bed and have your cake" or "bake a cake and don't eat it." Those make no sense.
What I think bothers me more is when people try to give off the impression that they know something, when they really don't. I don't know a lot. But I'm also telling you I don't know a lot. I just said it. Twice. So, if you don't know something, say it. But don't create something just so you have something to say. I had a colleague come up to me and ask if I could translate something into "Middle Eastern."
Really, I did.
