“Whether you’re trying to sound sophisticated or simply repeating what you’ve heard, word fails are all too common and can make smart people sound dumb.” …
How many do you misuse?
http://www.businessinsider.com/harvard-steven-pinker-misused-words-2015-9
I like Steve Pinker’s work and he’s an engaging, funny guy but I refuse to use “datum” and I took 7 years of Latin and know it’s the singular of “data”. And I beg to differ on cliché; I think it can be an adjective and that it’s quite British to insist on clichéd.
That said, I’ve never used “irregardless” because it clearly to me means nothing; it’s a silly combination of regardless and a modifier for not and that makes no sense to me because “not regardless” means what?
I’ve also never used noisome because a word that sounds like “noise” but means smelly is just confusing.
I also disagree that parameter can’t mean boundary, as in “we need to work within these parameters”, which means the variables that define the limits.
I used to use “practicable” and decided it’s too high-falutin for the meaning. If you really need that word, you’re reaching. “Unexceptionable” is another needlessly confusing word I won’t use.
And I see nothing wrong with “you sunk my battleship” or “you stunk” because those are colloquial and “you’ve sunk my battleship” is silly and “you’ve stunk” is not what is meant by “you stunk”.
For all intensive purposes, that article is literally useful.
I could care less.
Then say “you sank” and “you stank,” which sound a lot better.
If the Fruit King says that pointy shoes are correct, then pointy shoes are correct. Whether they help you walk or pinch your feet is irrelevant. It’s all about pleasing the Fruit King – and his millions of followers.
are you trying to tell us something Dave_Berry, lol? 
I am still lost on how best to use the word “goods” when used as a singular noun. “I need to go to ABC to buy these goods” sounds normal, but “… buy this good” sounds awkward to me.
For a singular noun, would you not just be specific? “I need to go to ABC to buy coffee (or milk, etc).”
^^ not a great example from me, but it’s possible that we sometimes need the singular version of goods without naming an item, like “the company makes this type of good” vs “the company makes these types of goods”.
Er… what’s wrong with:
“the company makes this type of ** item **”?
I don’t agree with the “enormity” claim:
And others agree with me:
http://www.arrantpedantry.com/2012/11/20/the-enormity-of-a-usage-problem/