It’s ‘Moot Point,’ Not ‘Mute Point’ – Using The English Language Correctly

I'm am not exaggerating that this week I have seen or heard the term "mute point" five times. Once in conversation, twice on Facebook, once on the television news and I just saw it again used by a reporter on Twitter.

If you are trying to say something no longer needs a decision made about it, it is a moot point, not a mute one.

Here is an example of how you could use "moot point" from Using English, "If you are arguing over whether to go the beach or to the park, but you find out the car won't start and you can't go anywhere, then the destination is said to be a moot point."

The definition of a "moot point" in legal terms is "One that need not be decided, due to a change of circumstances." ("Moot" by itself means "Of little or no practical value or meaning; purely academic.")

"Mute" is defined as "Refraining from producing speech or vocal sound."

Substituting moot for mute (or visa versa) in conversation could drastically change what your are trying to say, or just make you sound like a fool.

Now, I am not an English scholar. My wife is a middle school English teacher and she can attest to how often I butcher our language (In fact, you'll probably find some sort of error in this very post). But I draw the line when people start making things up, like "mute points".

What other misuse of the English language drives you nuts?

Picture by crdotx, Flickr.