Regardless
My boss always says “irregardless” when I believe he should be saying “regardless.” Is irregardless even a word? Since I know what he means and more importantly, since he IS the boss, I refrain from correcting him, but this misusage always makes me cringe. Any insight? I’ll hang up and listen!
good (unregistered)
October 1, 2005, 1:14pm
Gee, an extra syllable would really add some 'zing' to this little pep-talk.
I'm cringing just hearing about this guy.
0 vote Vote! • URL to this comment • Report Abuse
Joe (unregistered)
September 26, 2005, 10:59pm
"Irregardless" is a word, a synonym for "regardless." It's commonly used in informal settings and mostly with humor. It was originally derived from a combination of "regardless" and "irrespective."
0 vote Vote! • URL to this comment • Report Abuse
RC (unregistered)
September 27, 2005, 5:05am
The important rule is that he's the boss ;)
Technically, the use of the word "irregardless" is very much incorrect if he is using it in place of regardless. Going by basic word prefix definitions, the ir- prefix is the same as non- or un-, in the case that whatever word follows isn't the case. Unaware would indicate that the subject of the verb is not aware. Inexperienced, again the subject is inexperienced.
In this case, saying irregardless would mean that the subject was "without regardlessness" or "without a lack of regard". Thanks to our friend the double negative, this would mean that something that was "irregardless" was indeed worthy of recognition and regard.
Unfortunately, the acadamia of English and the practical application therein are two seperate animals, and context becomes more valuable than any prefix double-negation is. So, technically it is incorrect to say "irregardless" in replacement of "regardless", but in spoken English, as long as the meaning is accurately conveyed, the word performed its job.
0 vote Vote! • URL to this comment • Report Abuse
mike (unregistered)
September 27, 2005, 4:48pm
no it is not a word. It should never be used.
0 vote Vote! • URL to this comment • Report Abuse
Kevin Hall (unregistered)
September 27, 2005, 9:12pm
the prefix rule isn't always hard and fast though, think of the words inflamable, or unloosen. replenish used to mean to fill for the first time, despite the "re-" prefix. i often hear and use the word irregardless and i believe it to be a word.
0 vote Vote! • URL to this comment • Report Abuse
gine (unregistered)
September 27, 2005, 9:35pm
Irregardless is a word that many mistakenly believe to be correct usage in formal style, when in fact it is used chiefly in nonstandard speech or casual writing. Coined in the United States in the early 20th century, it has met with a blizzard of condemnation for being an improper yoking of irrespective and regardless and for the logical absurdity of combining the negative ir- prefix and -less suffix in a single term. Although one might reasonably argue that it is no different from words with redundant affixes like debone and unravel, it has been considered a blunder for decades and will probably continue to be so.
0 vote Vote! • URL to this comment • Report Abuse
SmartAZ (unregistered)
September 28, 2005, 6:37am
It doesn't seem any different from "flammable" and "inflammable", or a house that burns up as it burns down..
Irregardless was made famous by the L'il Abner comic strip. Mammy Yokum was especially likely to say it.
0 vote Vote! • URL to this comment • Report Abuse
Alex (unregistered)
September 28, 2005, 9:12am
I had the same experience with my high school physics teacher, who seemed to use the word every day. But I looked it up in the dictionary to make sure I was in the right before criticizing, and my Merriam-Webster unabridged listed it as a synonym for "regardless."
0 vote Vote! • URL to this comment • Report Abuse
Jerry (unregistered)
September 28, 2005, 10:42am
re: SmartAZ and inflammable
I thought inflammable came from French for enflame, thus meant "enflame-able." The "in-" isn't a "not" prefix in this case.
0 vote Vote! • URL to this comment • Report Abuse
gooooh (unregistered)
May 14, 2006, 8:18am
Its fab
0 vote Vote! • URL to this comment • Report Abuse
mooly (unregistered)
May 14, 2006, 8:19am
just love him
0 vote Vote! • URL to this comment • Report Abuse
Doug (unregistered)
September 28, 2005, 1:33pm
Its a non-word that is becoming a word through common use.
0 vote Vote! • URL to this comment • Report Abuse
porsche
October 26, 2005, 3:15pm
When I was in grade school, some 35 or 40 years ago, the word irregardless was not in the dictionary. At the time, it was not considered a word. Today, it is listed in the dictionary. While it might be listed as, slang, vulgar, colloquial, or obscene, it most definitely has become a word. I would suggest avoiding its use if you want to appear educated.
This reminds me, if boning a chicken means to take out the bones, what is deboning? putting the bones back in?
0 vote Vote! • URL to this comment • Report Abuse