Fiscal

Today's Word I Hate To Say is Fiscal!

If it isn't already apparent why I hate to say this word, I will give you a hint... it is physical!

Merriam-Webster Dictionary - Fiscal

fis·cal adjective \ˈfis-kəl\
: of or relating to money and especially to the money a government, business, or organization earns, spends, and owes

1 :  of or relating to taxation, public revenues, or public debt <fiscal policy>
2 :  of or relating to financial matters
— fis·cal·ly   adverb

Examples 
the fiscal health of the university
<gained some fiscal knowledge by taking an economics course>

Alright, it isn't so much that I hate saying Fiscal, however, I hate how it is misused and mispronounced.  This is the real reason for my disdain.  We all know someone, if not ourselves, that have said "physical" when the word Fiscal was really intended.  Yet another word in the English language that sounds too similar and brings confusion.

We all must become physically responsible with our money. <--- Well, this may be true, but being Fiscally responsible with our money is just as important, wouldn't you think?  Agh!

Reference
Fiscal. (n.d.). Merriam-Webster.com. Retrieved December 4, 2013, from http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/fiscal

Artic (Arctic)

Today's Word I Hate To Say is Artic!

Technically speaking, there is no such word as Artic, however it is a highly misused word for Arctic.

Merriam-Webster Dictionary - Artic
obsolete variant of arctic

ar·tic noun \ȧˈtik\
-s
Brit
:  semitrailer 2
short for articulated lorry

Since the only real definition of artic is actually a British abbreviation or slang for semitrailer, actually called an articulated lorry, I find this word highly annoying.  The true word is pronounced ARC-TIC, as in the Arctic Circle is way up North or let's go eat at Arctic Circle (for all you North-Westerners in the USA out there) home of the ORIGINAL Fry Sauce!

Artic is a word that I can best describe as a lazy word, a hillbilly word, or God-love-them, a redneck word! Those who use it, and I must admit, I too am guilty of being this lazy, are just uneducated as to the correct word, or are falling into their regional slang.

Tighten up the tongue people.  Right the ship!  It is Arctic...  As in it's way too stinking cold to care up there in the Arctic Circle!

Reference
Artic. (n.d.). Merriam-Webster.com. Retrieved December 4, 2013, from http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/artic

Heinous

After a busy weekend, I am back with my new Word I Hate To Say - Heinous!

Merriam-Webster Dictionary - Heinous
hei·nous adjective \ˈhā-nəs\

: very bad or evil : deserving of hate or contempt

:  hatefully or shockingly evil :  abominable
— hei·nous·ly (adverb)
— hei·nous·ness (noun)

Today's word Heinous was made disturbingly popular by the police/homicide TV drama Law & Order: SVU, this word simply grates on me!  Why?  I am not sure, however, every time I hear the SVU monologue as my wife tunes in to watch, I suddenly want to find an old school blackboard to run my fingernails down!

Here is the introduction monologue for SVU -  "In the criminal justice system, sexually-based offenses are considered especially heinous. In New York City, the dedicated detectives who investigate these vicious felonies are members of an elite squad known as the Special Victims Unit. These are their stories."

I ask the question - why?  Why is it so difficult to simply say that a "crime was very bad" or "was especially gruesome?"  It is my opinion that speaking a word such as heinous is especially abominable!  Seriously, if you read the dictionary's suggested words that rhyme, you get a list that looks like this... anus, feyness, gayness, grayness, Janus, manus.  This is not exactly the cream of the crop of words to rhyme with!

Reference
Heinous. (n.d.). Merriam-Webster.com. Retrieved December 3, 2013, from http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/heinous

Larissa and Friends' Bookish Life. (image) (n.d.). Retrieved December 3, 2013, from http://www.larissaslife.com/2010_05_01_archive.html