Both of those are eggcorns. Others include one in the same instead of one and the same, shoe-in instead of shoo-in, free reign instead of free rein (that one in particular gives me a bug up my ass) and without further adieu instead of without further ado.
Yeah, I'm an astrophysicist and I work in science popularization. I'm not an expert in the medical field, but I intimately familiar with the scientific method and its applications, and I can smell unsound scientific practices within one mile.
My favorites that I've seen in test papers: "It's a doggie-dog world." "That very moving film, The Shawplank Reduction." "Don't take it for granite." (God, if I see that again, I'll lose my freakin' mind) "Right from the echo." "A when-when situation." "We will need to tough base." (sigh)
show the kids your halloween avatar! That's good to know. If I want you to completely freak out I'll just have to mention Däniken A colleague of mine got pensioned off a few weeks ago - much to everone's relief. He used to email polls, asking people to use the "voting-bottoms"
Another one I see every damn week--"firstable." ARGH. It's supposed to be "first of all," but they think it's firstable. On Saturday, a friend told us that, in the next town over, there's a neighborhood with Camelot-themed street names but apparently, the city-planners or sign makers couldn't spell. The streets include "King Author's Court" and "Excaliber."
^You spoke "American" Which reminds me; I seriously hate it when the last "i" is missing from the name of the metal aluminium... but that's also just an americanism afaik.
I'm not following... I mean, I just think it's a bit amusing to say "Nucular" when that phrase is not contained anywhere in the word.
^You didn't do anything wrong. Kreacher was agreeing with you, in that she finds it extremely annoying.
I don't think you're to blame for anything here (nor am I sure I totally understand this precise context), but the word "nucular" is a funny one!
You can do worse than that. Try talking about homeopathy, and you will see the fury of the lizard unfold before your very eyes...
Interesting, very so indeed (Thanks for that link!) Doesn't change the fact that is sounds wrong though.
BUT... from your link I can see that it was changed to the "-ium" ending merely for the fact that it sounded wrong* without Just as a side-note; this metal was once the most precious of all metals! ___________ *) Yeah, yeah: "to conform", but isn't that the same?