It is incorrect to say "a myriad of problems", or "a myriad of" anything. You see it all the time, but it is not correct. There should be no "a" in front of "myriad".
This is incorrect: I have a myriad of psychological issues.
This is correct: I have myriad psychological issues.
I know it's not as egregious or HAUNTING as a misplaced apostrophe, but it gets to me, and I thought I would mention it.
Posted by sheilaI'm suddenly having Heathers flashbacks.
Posted by: Emily at May 6, 2004 03:43 PMRemind me? I love my dead gay son?
Posted by: red at May 6, 2004 03:45 PMI totally thought of Heathers when I read that too!
"I must say I was impressed to see that she made proper use of the word 'myriad' in her suicide note."
Posted by: jess at May 6, 2004 04:09 PMRemember? The word "myriad" symbolized Heather's failings as a human being, since she missed it on the vocab test the week before her "suicide".
Posted by: Emily at May 6, 2004 04:14 PMOh God. Totally remember now.
Posted by: red at May 6, 2004 04:14 PMIt's actually OK to use myriads as a noun, usually with reference to flies.
But a myriad means exactly ten thousand of something. It gets misused in the same way as decimate.
Posted by: dipnut at May 6, 2004 04:25 PMDipnut, even I am not THAT pedantic. Persistent usage has, I'm afraid I must say, changed the definition of both those words.
Posted by: Dave J at May 6, 2004 04:34 PMYes, decimate has moved beyond the original meaning of summary, disciplanary execution of every tenth Roman soldier.
Posted by: j Swift at May 6, 2004 05:15 PMWell, actually...no nevermind.
Posted by: Patrick at May 6, 2004 05:17 PMMisuse of "Myriad" bugs the English major in me...
...but "Apropos" and "Problematic" are about to drive me around the bend.
"Apropos" means "with regard to", not a continental-sounding synonym for "Appropriate".
And "problematic" doesn't mean "has problems", it means "doubtful".
Grrr, I say.
Posted by: mitch at May 6, 2004 06:37 PM