It's simple but has stumped me. I have been told by several teachers that it isn't....
2007-11-26 10:26:47 · 9 answers · asked by alliee. 4 in Education & Reference ➔ Words & Wordplay
I've got this one...
I absolutely HATE this non-word, but have found it in newly printed sources. Irregardless is a mixing of 'regardless' and 'irrespective', which share a meaning. Irregardless is what most people use when they mean to use one of these other two words. It has been used so frequently that dictionary publishers have just bit the bullet and started printing it as a new derivation of 'regardless'.
Incidentally, the reason it burns teachers (myself included) so badly is that it uses a double negative within one word. The prefix 'IR' and suffix 'LESS' are both negations, so you are using a double negative in a single word, something your teachers told you not to do. Shame on you. ; )
2007-11-26 10:37:09 · answer #1 · answered by Erik B 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Irregardless, by common usage has become acceptable as taking the place of regardless .. the word is actually tautological since the two negatives (Ir, and less) cancel each other and therefore the word should mean regarding.,
just another case of our language being dynamic
2007-11-26 11:07:58 · answer #2 · answered by The old man 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋
My dictionary has irregardless...and it's listed as an adjective (thus indicating that it's a word?). The definition reads;a substandard or humorous redundancy for regardless.
2007-11-26 10:36:04 · answer #3 · answered by thrifty babe 3 · 1⤊ 1⤋
No, it is not a word. Less on the end of a word means without. Regardless means a lack of regard. So it means not respecting, not acknowledging, or not caring. The ir+ prefix also means not or without. An irresponsible person is not responsible.
In essence, by using both word parts which means without or not, you have a double negative in the same word.
2007-11-26 10:35:42 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 1⤋
I would agree that irregardless is not a word, but, if it's in the dictionary.... then Usage has made it have meaning.... dang!
This also happened to my pet peave word "flounder" as in to "flounder" about aimlessly..... used to be the correct word was founder. but, those sideways fish lovers have brought flounder into use to mean the same thing... it's in the dictionary now.
2007-11-26 11:02:19 · answer #5 · answered by thinking.... 4 · 2⤊ 0⤋
The word is listed in the dictionary with the notation'" a substandard or humorous redundancy for regardless " So the word which is proper grammar is " regardless "
2007-11-26 10:38:19 · answer #6 · answered by googie 7 · 2⤊ 0⤋
irregardless of what some people say, irregardless is, in fact, a word. It's just considered nonstandard.
2007-11-26 10:37:49 · answer #7 · answered by steven j 1 · 1⤊ 2⤋
Regardless of what you were told, there is no such word in formal English. It's just an error. Wouldn't "without regard" be enough without it being "without without regard?"
2007-11-26 10:36:42 · answer #8 · answered by snowbaal 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋
No.
The word is regardless.
2007-11-26 10:31:07 · answer #9 · answered by dogsafire 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋