"Uncorrect" English!

- by -

Bob Bishop

It seems to me that the prefix "un-" is being used improperly a lot. "Un-" should be used to indicate a kind of "reverse" process in which something is returned to a former state of existence. For example:

• If you tie your shoe laces, you can untie them.
• If a door has been locked and you have the key, you can unlock the door.
• In general, if you can talk about doing something, you can talk about undoing it.

• If someone is immature, they are not mature.
• A non-smoker is someone who does not smoke.
• If something is inappropriate, it is not appropriate.

But these two quite distinct concepts ("reverse" vs. "not") have somehow gotten confused in the present-day English language. For example, we often hear expressions like:

• "Seven-Up is the Un-Cola!" (Does that mean that it used to be a cola, but now it no longer is?)
• "I am totally unfamiliar with computer programming." (Does that mean that you used to be familiar with it, but have now forgotten everything that you once knew?)
• "The statement: 'Two plus two equals five' is untrue." (Is it really possible that two plus two did equal five at one time!?)
• "Some things are better left unsaid." (How does someone "unsay" something? Do they somehow suck their words back into their mouth?)
• "Uncooked vegetables contain more vitamins than cooked ones." (Uncooked?) [Well... I think you get the picture by now.]