Dumpth rant #311: "based ON", not "off"
Rant # 311 in my ongoing battle against the Dumpth* of America:
In the latest mutant ill usage of American English, all over the web I'm suddenly seeing people write about how xyz "is based off" name-source-material-here.
The expression is "based on", dammit. As in, "I based my role-playing character on Snape."
As in, to base something is to place it UPON a foundation, that being the source material that inspired xyz.
The work may be a spinOFF from something, but that's a different expression.
How hard is that?
Good grief.
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*Which perfect term is the eponymous title of a great book by Steve Allen. Hats off to Mr. Allen, whose despair over the collective dumpth I share.