Barbarisms

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. The use of words or phrases perceived as incorrect or ill-suited in a given language; Instances of language that violate conventional grammar or usage rules; Unrefined expressions that may deviate from standard linguistic norms and expected forms
2. Occurrences of linguistic errors or deviations that detract from clarity; Forms of speech that may reflect a lack of education or adherence to literary standards; Terminology that is often criticized for its perceived lack of sophistication or correctness
3. Expressions that illustrate a blending of languages or erroneous constructions; Misuses of language that signal cultural or educational disparities; Use of non-standard terms that fail to align with established language conventions

Etymology: The plural "barbarisms" is simply the plural of "barbarism," so the history belongs to the singular. "Barbarism" comes from the Greek "barbarismos," a noun built on "barbaros," the word Greeks used for anyone whose speech they could not understand. To the Greeks, such people seemed to produce only meaningless sounds, which is where the notion of incomprehensible or foreign speech came from. The Greek term was later applied to a specific fault: a word or form that departs from correct usage, such as a non-standard coinage or a mixed-language expression. That is the sense the plural carries today, covering blended expressions, errors, and non-standard terms that mark a speaker as outside the accepted norm.

Synonyms: incorrect usages, linguistic errors