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==Semantics==
* '''Misconception:''' ''Some commonly- used words are not "real words."''
Common examples of words described as "not real" include "funnest,", "impactful,", and "mentee,",<ref>{{cite web|url=http://grammar.quickanddirtytips.com/is-funnest-a-word.aspx|title=Is "Funnest" a Word?|first=Mignon|last=Fogarty|date=2008-09-12|access-date=2012-09-25}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.volokh.com/posts/1187887242.shtml|title=Is Not A Word|first=Eugene|last=Vokloh|date=2007-08-23|access-date=2012-09-25}}</ref> all of which are in common use, appear in numerous dictionaries as English words,<ref>[[#Dictionary.com|Dictionary.com]]. "Conversate"; [[#AllWords|AllWords.com]]. "Conversate"; [[#Lexicus|Lexicus]]. "Conversate".</ref><ref>[[#Dictionary.com|Dictionary.com]]. "Funnest"; [[#Oxford|Oxford English Dictionary]]. "Fun" [[#Scrabble|Scrabble Word Finder]]. "Funnest"; [[#AllWords|AllWords.com]]. "Funnest"; [[#Lexicus|Lexicus]]. "Funnest".</ref><ref>[[#Dictionary.com|Dictionary.com]]. "Impactful"; [[#Oxford|Oxford English Dictionary]]. "Impactful"; [[#Scrabble|Scrabble Word Finder]]. "Impactful"; [[#Collins|Collins Dictionaries]]. "Impactful"; [[#Lexicus|Lexicus]]. "Impactful".</ref><ref>[[#FreeDictionary|Free Dictionary]]. "Mentee"; [[#Dictionary.com|Dictionary.com]]. "Mentee"; [[#Oxford|Oxford English Dictionary]]. "Mentee"; [[#YourDictionary|YourDictionary.com]]. "Mentee"; [[#Scrabble|Scrabble Word Finder]]. "Mentee"; [[#AllWords|AllWords.com]]. "Mentee"; [[#Vocabulary.com|Vocabulary.com]]. "Mentee"; [[#Collins|Collins Dictionaries]]. "Mentee"; [[#Lexicus|Lexicus]]. "Mentee".</ref>, and follow standard rules for constructing English words from [[Morpheme|morphemes]].
* '''Misconception:''' ''"Inflammable" can only mean "flammable." / "Inflammable" can only mean "not flammable."''
The word "Inflammableinflammable" can be derived by two different constructions, both following standard rules of English grammar: appending the suffix ''-able'' to the word ''inflame'' creates a word meaning "able to be inflamed,", while adding the prefix ''in-'' to the word ''flammable'' creates a word meaning "not flammable"." Thus, the word "inflammable" is an [[auto-antonym]], a word that can be its own antonym, depending on context. Because of the risk of confusion, style guides sometimes recommend using the unambiguous terms "flammable" and "not flammable".<ref>[[#Bri09|Brians 2009]]. p. 124.</ref>.
* '''Misconception:''' ''It is incorrect to use'' ''"Nauseousnauseous" to refer to a person's state.''
It is sometimes claimed that "nauseous" means "causing nausea" (nauseating) but, not suffering from it (nauseated). This prescription is contradicted by vast evidence from English usage, and Merriam-Webster finds no source for the rule before a published letter by a physician, Deborah Leary, in 1949.<ref>[[#MW1995|Merriam-Webster 1995]]. p. 652.</ref>.
* '''Misconception:''' ''It is incorrect to use "Healthyhealthy" to refer to things that are good for a person's health.''
It is true that the adjective "healthful" has been pushed out in favourfavor of "healthy" in recent times.<ref>{{cite web |date=20 April 2011 |title=Healthful vs healthy |url=http://grammarist.com/usage/healthful-healthy/ |access-date=2013-06-11 |work=Grammarist}}</ref> However,But the distinction between the words dates only to the 19th century. Before that, the words were used interchangeably; some examples date to the 16th century.<ref>{{cite web |last1=O'Coner |first1=Patricia |last2=Kellerman |first2=Stewart |date=2012-02-24 |title=Healthy choices |url=http://www.grammarphobia.com/blog/2012/02/healthy-healthful.html |access-date=2013-06-11 |work=Grammarphobia Blog}}</ref> The use of "healthful" in place of "healthy" is now regarded as unusual enough that it may be considered [[Hypercorrection|hypercorrected]].<ref>[[Common English usage misconceptions#Bri09|Brians 2009]]. p. 108.</ref>.
==Notes==
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