the garment, mac for short (Macintosh the computer, Mac for short)

no apostrophe

the main road, a mane of hair

Mrs Malaprop in Sheridan's play The Rivals misused words to hilarious effect. But let's keep the laughs down on our site.

means premeditated harm

singular and plural

the place, La Marseillaise the anthem

field marshal, but Marshall McLuhan

Must have capital M

Maybe the island will be overrun, but the island may be overrun

'medium is the message'

'more with Joe Bloggs and I on Monday... Here 'I' is wrong. It should be me. If in doubt try taking Joe Bloggs out and see how wrong it is.

(Doctors without borders)

singular and plural

used to describe the rate of data transfer (download speed) of, for example, internet access technologies such as broadband. Megabits per second can be abbreviated to Mbps

unit of measurement of computer memory, or storage capacity

someone who lives in Melbourne; also Sydneysider, Adelaideian, Perthite, Darwinian, Brisbanite.

not momento

meaning autobiographical writing, has no final E (but aide-mémoire, a reminder, does)

both noun and adjective: beggar and begging

online content for which one may be charged. Not 'metred'.

short for microphone. Problems start when transcribing colloquial phrases like 'He was mic'd up' or 'Mic-ing brass instruments is tricky.' Obviously 'miced' and micing' are too much about mice, not mics, so apostrophes and hyphens are needed.

means a body of soldiers (usually civilians rather than professional soldiers) ... an individual from the militia would be a militiaman or militiawoman.

means small or trivial details. So to say, as we did on our site recently, that people are 'connecting and communicating online often in intricate detail about the miniature of their lives' is wrong in so many ways. Tautology and malapropism come to mind.

A$5,000 or AUD5,000. US$5,000 or USD5,000 etc

either am or pm or morning or afternoon; never both

MP meaning member of parliament applies only in countries with a parliamentary system. There's no such person as a 'Republican MP'.

not MP's. Also CDs, PCs, Mp3s, etc. No apostrophes please.

always capitalised, whether used as noun or adjective (as in Muslim Australians or Australian Muslims)

trademark, so capitalise

official website name is two separate words, both capped

means innumerable, so does not require of. 'We had to cope with myriad health and safety regulations' is correct. Think of how you use many. You wouldn't say *I've got a many of problems, so 'a myriad of...' is equally strange.

'Trudy and myself were both invited' is wrong. 'Trudy and I were both invited' or 'the invitation was for Trudy and me' are both right. 'Reply by email to myself' is wrong. 'Reply by email to me' is right.