The Penguin Dictionary of American English Usage and Style : A ...

362 recommit
chair will allow the lady five minutes to
rebut the gentleman’s statement.” Using
rebut (verb, transitive and intransitive;
pronounced rih-BUT) does not imply a
judgment of who is right or wrong.
To refute something is to prove it
wrong or false. “The Ptolemaic theory of
Earth as the stationary center of the universe
was refuted by Copernicus and
Galileo.” Using refute (verb, transitive;
pronounced rih-FYOOT) declares in effect
that the original statement, belief, or
allegation has been proven wrong or
false. An almanac misused the word:
The “character issue” stemmed from
allegations of infidelity, which Clinton
ultimately refuted in a television interview
in which he and Hillary avowed
their relationship was solid.
It may reasonably be said that he rebutted
the allegations but not that he “refuted”
them. In that interview, he denied
a woman’s statement that they had engaged
in an affair. Six years later, in
sworn testimony, he admitted having
had an affair with the woman.
RECOMMIT. See COMMIT.
RECORD. “You’re well on your way
today to setting new records,” a television
quizmaster told three contestants,
who had amassed substantial scores.
If records will be set, we can assume
they will be “new” records. One might
speak of a new record when comparing
it with an old record.
“All-time record” is often redundant,
although it might be apt in contrast
with, say, “a modern-day record” or “a
record for the century.”
RE-CREATION and RECRE-
ATION. See Punctuation, 4D.
REDUNDANCY, REDUNDANT.
See Tautology.
Reflexive pronouns. See Pronouns,
3, 4, 5.
REFLEX, REFLEXIVELY. See IN-
STINCT.
RE-FORM and REFORM. See Punctuation,
4D.
REFUTE. See REBUT and REFUTE.
REGARDLESS. When we consider
that generations of teachers have been
instructing youngsters that regardless is
correct and “irregardless” is incorrect,
even illiterate, it is somewhat surprising
to find an occasional educated person
using the substandard word.
A physician said on a television news
program, “We’re obligated to do that
biopsy irregardless of the physical findings.”
Of course regardless was the word
to use.
A minister said on a radio talk show,
about a sectarian movement in the news,
“We have to voice our opinion, irregardless
of some of the positive things that
are going on.” Regardless.
“Irregardless” should be shunned for
good reason. It has two negatives. The
prefix, “ir-,” tends to cancel out the suffix,
“-less.” See Double negative.
Nowadays regardless is commonly
used as an adverb. Often, with of following,
it means without regard for or in
spite of. This sentence is typical: “I will
have it regardless of the high cost.” It
would not be wrong to end that sentence
with regardless if the high cost was understood
from the context.
Regardless as an adjective is found in
old literature. It might mean showing no
regard, heedless, or careless; for example,
“With a book he was regardless of
time” (Pride and Prejudice by Jane
Austen). It might also mean paid no regard,
that is, no notice or attention; or
shown no regard in the sense of consideration
or respect.