I honestly don't know who is the ultimate authority of "correct usage." Who's to say that one person is more "correct" than the next? I think usage should depend on the person using the word. Also, is the word relevant to the conversation? I liked Theodore M. Bernstein's quote, "We should apply the test of convenience. Does the word fill a real need? If it does, let's give it a franchise."
One "usage" rule that bugs me (and one I am frequently guilty of using) is ending a sentence with a preposition or any other insignificant word. Sitting down to write this blog, I started to think of phrases I've used this week that would be considered incorrect usage.
Where you at?
Who's that book by?
What's that near to?
What's that movie about?
Where's my wallet at?
What do you need to go to the store for?
These are all sentences that if phrased differently would be perfectly acceptable. By ending a preposition at the end, not only is it incorrect English, it makes you sound unintelligent. Then again, I must come back to "who's to say that's wrong?" As long as a sentence sounds natural and its meaning is clear, why can't we end a sentence with a preposition? In Pennsylvania, there are many people that feel it's perfectly acceptable to end their sentences in this fashion. It's simply common in certain areas. It's literally verbiage that's been passed down for generations and will continue to be a never ending cycle. You can try as you might but sometimes those little words just pop out at the end.
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