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"taking off momentarily" doesn't "jive"

Sorry to be a grammar Nazi, but I heard the same mistake made in two consecutive presentations at the HDC: "That doesn't jive with me".

"Jibe" means "to be in harmony or accord". "Jive" kind of means the opposite. The correct term is "doesn't jibe".

A slightly more serious nit-pick: It scares me when flight attendants say "we'll be taking off momentarily". "Momentarily" doesn't mean "in a moment" - It means "for a moment". When my plane is about to take off, my hope is that it will remain airborne until it arrives at another airport, not take off "momentarily" and plunge into the lake at the end of the runway. 

 

Print | posted on Saturday, October 28, 2006 8:13 AM

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# re: "taking off momentarily" doesn't "jive"

left by George at 10/28/2006 12:33 PM Gravatar
momentarily:

1 : for a moment <was momentarily delayed>
2 archaic : INSTANTLY
3 : at any moment : in a moment <will be leaving momentarily>

Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary.

Definition number three might be useful to you.

# re: "taking off momentarily" doesn't "jive"

left by Lance at 11/9/2006 2:05 PM Gravatar
Yeah, what George said. Also princeton supports the "at any moment" definition too.

The use of "Jive" doesn't bother me, because its become so common maybe, I'm not sure. I am most bothered by this written mistake:

"You dropped you're book"
or
"Your the best"

# re: "taking off momentarily" doesn't "jive"

left by Brian Schroer at 11/9/2006 5:30 PM Gravatar
Enough people misuse the word that an alternative definition is added to the dictionary. That doesn't make it correct.

# re: "taking off momentarily" doesn't "jive"

left by Michael George at 8/18/2009 5:05 PM Gravatar
You wrote: "Enough people misuse the word that an alternative definition is added to the dictionary. That doesn't make it correct. "

Uh... Yes it does. It most certainly does.

We have many words that have changed definitions over the years. "Fag" comes to mind. I mean, should a dictionary include the definition "offensive term for an openly homosexual man" or should we disclude it because that definition is a newer one?

The dictionary is our guide to the language. If the dictionary says so, it most certainly does make it correct.
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