things people say that are wrong!

[mycatis]

Does anyone hate things that loads of people say that are just wrong?  A few of the ones a really hate are :
"money is the root of all evil"
"The bigger half"
"Period of time"
"Male nurse"
and "Two twins"

[acw]

What's wrong with two twins?  As opposed to one twin?  Obviously you can't have 3 twins.  But you can have one or two, so two is just clarifying and thus not wrong. 

I guess you mean stereotyping Brionon?! :-)

Also, and here I'm sure I'll get lots of patronising responses, what is wrong with "Period of time?".  Do you mean you should use one or the other? e.g., "There was a period when bread was rationed" or "There was a time when bread was rationed".  It's not WRONG to use both is it?  Just unecessary.  Or am I being dense?

[jno]

well, to say 'there was a period in time when bread was rationed' is too many words, acw; as you note, 'a time when' or 'a period when' is plenty. Same with 'at this point in time' - 'at this time' is sufficient', and 'now' is even better.

[acw]

JNO - so it's just excessive, not technically incorrect?  As it had been lumped with "the bigger half" I was trying to work out a way that it was actually technically wrong rather than grammatically weak or poor.  I think I'm with you now though.  Thanks! :-)

[mycatis]

"A period of time"? As opposed to what? A period of kittens! A period is a portion of time so you wouldn't say "a portion of time of time" would you? (If that makes sense.)

[acw]

Mycatis - I must admit I'm a bit confuzzled too! I think the word "period" implies time.  Therefore "of time" becomes unecessary.  At least I think that's the point.  Like saying wet water,  or a hot fire.  Clearly "period (n)" applies only to mensturation, time, or (in US parlance) a full stop. 

http://dictionary.reference.com/search?q=period

I guess a "period of time" is like saying "a period of time of time".  :-)

[acw]

Just realised you are the question sker mycatis! D'OH!  I guess all that didn't need explaining to you! *blushes* :-D

[mycatis]

That's ok acw at least you seem to get what I mean :)

[Kingaroo]

One that bugs me is "rate of speed." Police officers (here in US) often say a vehicle was traveling "at a high rate of speed." Speed is a rate -- they could simply say "at a high speed."

[IndieSinger]

Before we start listing tautological expressions, take a look at this earlier thread.

[mycatis]

Oh Thank You IndieSinger this is excactly what I was asking about :)

[THECORBYLOON]

Looking at some of the examples in the link given by IndieSinger, news changes all the time, "old news" "yesterday's news" so what's wrong wi "the latest news?" Things can be new but not necessarily revolutionary. A car may be new because it has slight modifications but the same car powered by water would be described as "the revolutionary new....."  

[THECORBYLOON]

I would say "the twins" rather than "the two twins" as "twins" is plural and implies two.

[THECORBYLOON]

I hate it when folk say "They both lived next to each other" as if it were also possible for only one of them to do so.

[Clare A]

This doesn't so much irritate as amuse:

'My eyes aren't what they used to be'. Well, what did they used to be? Ears?