For example, “flammable” and “inflammable” both describe an object that can easily catch on fire. I can also think of “ceased” and “deceased”, both of which can mean someone or something has been brought to an end.

edit: Some people are including words that can also mean its opposite (like sanction or table), those are cool too! The more weird words, the better!

  • fireweed@lemmy.world
    22·
    2 months ago

    Two examples where erroneous usage has resulted in this paradox:

    • Regardless and irregardless

    • “I couldn’t care less” and “I could care less”

    • YappyMonotheist@lemmy.world
      111·
      2 months ago

      I don’t think either were ever said by competently literate people (wtf is “irregardless”? And do they mean they could “care less” about a subject or do they mean the opposite but don’t understand negation?) so idk if this fits what OP was saying entirely. They’re just obvious mistakes that have been normalized as people got dumber, right?

      • TORFdot0@lemmy.worldEnglish
        61·
        2 months ago

        Irregardless means “without a lack of regard”. Ergo vis-à-vis if you say irregardless you are actually fully regarded

      • baggachipz@sh.itjust.works
        2·
        2 months ago

        People will defend those until they’re blue in the face, and I don’t know why. It’s always the “language is always in a state of flux” bullshit, like improper negations are normal and expected.

      • jaycifer@lemmy.world
        11·
        2 months ago

        Well, I could care less, but I don’t care enough to determine exactly how little I could.

  • chunes@lemmy.world
    131·
    2 months ago

    One that sorta works:

    it’s all uphill / downhill from here -> it’s only going to get worse

  • Owl@mander.xyz
    8·
    2 months ago

    In French there is personne (someone) and personne (no one), plus (more) and plus (no more)

  • vividspecter@aussie.zone
    7·
    2 months ago

    Slightly different, but single words meaning multiple conflicting things seem to come to mind more readily:

    • Drop meaning both to abandon or release a product
    • Table meaning both put something aside or putting up for discussion
    • Literally meaning both literal and figurative
    • Brokkr@lemmy.world
      1·
      2 months ago

      Within a region, does table ever mean both of those?

      In the US, it means to set aside or ignore it, but never means to continue the discussion. In the UK it means to discuss it, does it ever mean to also set it aside?

      • vividspecter@aussie.zone
        1·
        2 months ago

        I think there’s some bleed between different countries, given increasing global connectivity. I’ve heard both definitions in Australia which makes sense as we are influenced by both countries but I suspect the British version is more common.

  • clag@lemmy.dbzer0.com
    5·
    2 months ago

    For Australians, yeah, yeah nah, yeah yeah nah, nah, nah yeah nah, nah nah yeah, all have subtly different positive and/or negative meanings, often dependent on the situation.

  • FinjaminPoach@lemmy.world
    4·
    2 months ago

    • Restless and Restful.

    • mark and demarcate. I love this one.

    • also, limit and delimit

    • a bit of a stretch but i can imagine someone saying “You’re a natural” and “you’re a freak” to express someone being abnormally talented at something on their first try.

    “You’re a natural at rock climbing. You’re a rock climbing freak. A freak at rock climbing.”

    • FinjaminPoach@lemmy.world
      2·
      2 months ago

      While checking words that might work here i was reminded of this annoying trio:

      • Allude
      • Elude
      • Illude

      They mean, respectively:

      • to suggest something
      • to escape or avoid something or someone
      • to lie or deceive