My brain, why?

[fredericks]

[Poll #1765505]

I ask because I've come across "free reign" twice in works of authors whose writing I generally admire (fanfic, not pro fic, so there's that). I read a metric shit ton of Saddle Club books when I was younger and "free rein" just makes more *sense,* in that it's implied that the party involved has liberty to do whatever. Whereas "free reign" just seems redundant... unless you're a monarchial history buff and you want to make some subtle commentary about dowagers and puppet heads of state and the like.

Yes. I am weird. I know this.

ETA - K, I realize how silly this is, particularly when speaking of fanfic, where it's not uncommon to see "prostrate" used incorrectly. Don't people use betas?

Comments

[captainschlumpy.livejournal.com]

ahaha! I commented before I read your other comments! Also, free rein as in giving a horse its head and letting it run. I don't get the reign usage at all. reign means rule. That's just bad English and makes me all sad face. Kind of like totally typing in random words all random. :P

[fredericks.livejournal.com]

*grin* I knew we'd be on the same page.

I don't get the reign usage at all. reign means rule
I feel the same way. It makes me sad that "reign" is getting more use than "rein."

[captainschlumpy.livejournal.com]

I found another one that annoys me. The constant misuse and/or misunderstanding of the word fetish. If you want to read werewolf/twincest/Harry Potter fanfic, it is not your fetish unless you can not perform sexually without the aforementioned fanfic in the room with you. It's just what you like to read, not a fetish. I do not think it means what you think it means fangirls.

[fredericks.livejournal.com]

I always wonder how much is willful ignorance and how much is naivety. I've made a lot of blunders in regards to gender, sexual, and alignment sensitivity from just not knowing over the years. And in fandom it's easy to offend by just not knowing and not knowing to ask.