I’m not the person you were responding to, but I have also never heard anyone other than a child that made a mistake say borrow instead of lend. I’m not saying it isn’t a thing, but maybe it isn’t as widespread as you believe it to be.
Huh, really? I am in the upper midwest, and I grew up in the country, that had a relatively good public school, and it was commonly misapplies as such.
Not like those that say they don’t know nothing when they mean they don’t know anything, that is so common in the cities there is no point in trying to correct them. You know what I’m saying?
Funny, I’m on the eastern side of the upper Midwest, grew up suburban/rural. The phrasing reminds me of using “learn” in place of “teach”, which I’m familiar with the concept of but haven’t heard used unironically.
Edit: I’ve been saying sentences with “borrow me [thing]” out loud and it’s possible that I just haven’t registered folks using it, rather than having never heard it. It sounds off but not alien.
I’d borrow you one of my fucks, but I don’t have any.
I give you knowledge for free, broke ass
These days “borrow” can mean “lend” because it all comes down to common usage. Dictionary writers are historians of language, not arbiters of it.
I’ve only ever heard people who have English as a second or third language mix them up.
Here’s a few relatively modern examples to illustrate my point:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Irregardless
https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/nimrod
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gay
https://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/english/random
It doesn’t matter if you agree with it, it comes down to common usage.
Here’s a nice list and explanation of how English is a living language:
https://wordopedia.org/words-that-changed-meaning
But go ahead and down vote me over dictionary squabbles. I’ll just call you a fool* for arguing.
*(one with a marked propensity or fondness for something)
That’s not true at all in my experience, almost everyone uses them interchangeably. Although many also do correct people on it.
It’s like saying that guy and me, it is improper, it’s that guy and I. But no one follows the rule anymore.
Maybe it’s an American English vs British English thing then.
I’m not the person you were responding to, but I have also never heard anyone other than a child that made a mistake say borrow instead of lend. I’m not saying it isn’t a thing, but maybe it isn’t as widespread as you believe it to be.
fwiw I’ve never heard someone say that they can borrow someone something before. Might be a regional thing.
Huh, really? I am in the upper midwest, and I grew up in the country, that had a relatively good public school, and it was commonly misapplies as such.
Not like those that say they don’t know nothing when they mean they don’t know anything, that is so common in the cities there is no point in trying to correct them. You know what I’m saying?
Apparently regional. Minnesotan born and raised, ‘lend’ is used only rarely, and usually in more formal settings.
I moved to MN a few years ago and I haven’t heard people saying it, but now I’ll be on the lookout (listen out?)
Funny, I’m on the eastern side of the upper Midwest, grew up suburban/rural. The phrasing reminds me of using “learn” in place of “teach”, which I’m familiar with the concept of but haven’t heard used unironically.
Edit: I’ve been saying sentences with “borrow me [thing]” out loud and it’s possible that I just haven’t registered folks using it, rather than having never heard it. It sounds off but not alien.
I’m from Ohio and heard it maybe a few times, but it sounds super wrong to me too