What’s with “multiple”?
 

Use of language on this forum and elsewhere is getting pretty bad. The latest, heard everywhere, including on major networks, is the misuse of the word multiple”. 8 is a multiple of 2, 9 a multiple of 3. What happened to what they really mean, like “several”, “a few”, “many”, etc.? Am I picky? Yes, words have meaning.

It seems to depend on whether multiple is used as an adjective - having or involving several parts, elements, or members.
"multiple occupancy" or as a noun in the math sense.

multiple definition - Google Search

The first thing that comes to mind is Orgasm. That’s basically because going down memory lane is phenomenal!

My biggest et peeves:
Rampant misuse of the word "myself". My team and myself performed well.
Ahead of. Just use the word before.
Behind that, just use the word after.

And worst of all, even newscasters are using that horrible dropping letters out of words. Saying diunt instead of didn't.

It’s probably because people learn a “proper” usage and then believe they are right. Last week someone claimed “golf” was not a verb - it is. Now a claim is made that “several” or “many” are not synonyms of “multiple” - they are.

Online dictionaries and thesauruses are easy to find.

I still prefer "a head of when the next word is "lettuce ".

What about this sentence
"Our test consisted of several multiple choice questions."

"

Dictionary
Definitions from Oxford Languages · Learn more
mul·ti·ple
adjective
adjective: multiple

having or involving several parts, elements, or members.
"multiple occupancy"
numerous and often varied.
"words with multiple meanings"
h
Similar:
numerous

many
various
different
diverse
several
sundry
miscellaneous
manifold
multifarious
multitudinous
compound
collective
myriad

divers
(of a disease, injury, or disability) complex in its nature or effects, or affecting several parts of the body.
"a multiple fracture of the femur"
of or designating an electrical circuit that has several points at which connection can occur.

noun
noun: multiple; plural noun: multiples

1.
a number that can be divided by another number without a remainder.
"15, 20, or any other multiple of five"
2.
an arrangement of terminals that allows connection with an electrical circuit at any one of several points.

Origin
mid 17th century: from French, from Latin multiplex (see multiplex).
Use over time for: multiple

Oh great, we can vent our most frustrating language patterns and misuses. Difficult to make a choice, so many to chose from these days, but I have to select the word "like". I had the painful experience last week of taking a one day craft workshop. The leader/instructor was never able to utter more than 5 words in a row without inserting the word "like". Most of the time "like" was inserted after only saying 2 words, and at times she actually said one word, such as "prepare", and rather than finish the sentence with "the surface of your project carefully by cleaning it with a damp, soft, cloth", she inserted "like" after nearly every word. "Like prepare your like you know, surface like really carefully. You can like use most anything that will not scratch, but like most cloth is like ok if you like dampen, you know, like not real wet." Can you imagine listening to that for an entire day's workshop ? I was upset that I allowed myself to loose concentration.... I found myself COUNTING exactly how many times she would say the word "like" in a specific time frame ! I also soon tire of : goin, doin, swimmin, golfin, and clean-un the lanai ! LOL !

“Golf” “multiple” times per week and ya won’t have time to worry about proper grammar.

"A lot" will pretty much cover the problem.

Language is dynamic and always changing. which is why the Chicago Manual of Style has been updated, 17 times.

These days, you hardly ever hear anyone say, "we had a gay old time last night".

Which raises three questions.

1) What does "gay" mean?

2) Does the period come before or after the quotation marks?

3) Is "dynamic" and "always changing" in the same sentence. redundant?

Other than yourself, multiple posters don't give a damn.

:a040:

And the sun will set again today.

Fewer than vs. less than.

"A lot" would be great, if only people would spell the two words correctly. But it's apparently more important to ban books about Black history than it is to know that "allot" doesn't mean "a lot" and that "alot" isn't a word at all.