Sir, - Here are five common and persistent examples of misusage evident in The Irish Times, together with the correct definitions of these terms:
1. "Superlative" is a grammatical name for a type of adjective and does not mean "more than superb".
2. "Refute" means "disprove", not "rebut" or "reject".
3. "Substituted" means "entered as a replacement" and does not mean "replaced".
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4. "Self-titled" means "self-styled" and does not mean "eponymous".
5. "To beg the question" means "to assume what one seeks to prove" and does not mean to invite a particular retort..
Is there any chance of eradicating these irritants from your pages? - Yours, etc.,
Dr John Flynn, Harrington Street, Dublin.