Featured Celebrity Grammar Gaffe


© Barb Alexander
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Jun 29, 2001


"A myriad of . . . "

It's a common mistake with this unusual term, so I have decided to spotlight it here.

It came to my attention while I read the latest issue of Redbook last night. In the featured interview, cover boy John Travolta was asked for his opinion on the "epidemic of marital breakups in Hollywood." Part of his reply was, "Breakups happen for a myriad of reasons."

Eeeeeeeeeeeeecckk!!!! Like nails on a chalkboard. But, at the same time, forgiveable (since lots of people make the same mistake when using this not-such-an-everyday-word).

"Myriad" comes from the Greek for "ten thousand;" today it means "a whole heck of a lot," or something more formal, I'm sure.

When you use this word, think of it as a substitute for the word "countless" or the phrase "lots of," as in

I have myriad things to do today, and yet here I am on the Internet.

Do not say

I have a myriad of things to do today, and yet here I am on the Internet.

John Travolta was, in essence, saying something like, "Breakups happen for a countless of reasons," or "Breakups happen for a lots of of reasons," or even "Breakups happen for a 10,000 of reasons"!

Watch out for this one. True, most people won't even notice, but better to use precautions than to make myriad goofs.

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Here's the follow-up discussion on this article: View all related messages
2.   Jul 4, 2001 7:46 PM
Hi Mom!

I don't know for sure that it was J.T. or the reporter who messed up, but I'm just assuming the reporter, if she were a good one, quoted him verbatim and that he was in fact the one who mad ...

-- posted by JustBeachy
1.   Jul 4, 2001 3:40 PM
Barb, perhaps Travolta was misquoted.
Maybe he used correct grammar, and the
"reporter" goofed. Moi

-- posted by jpecan



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