It's "regardless" not "irregardless"

Twice on my favorite news programs (Countdown and Hardball), I've heard someone use the word "irregardless." Most people know that "irregardless" is one of those words that experienced writers shun like a leper. Its reputation is regarded even more loathingly than many "four-letter words."

• Last week, Wednesday (11.09.05) or Thursday (11.10.05) I believe, Chris Matthews used "irregardless" on Hardball during a bumper (scroll down to "bumper") into a commercial while promoting an upcoming segment of the show.
• This past Friday (11.11.05) on Countdown, reporter Roger O'Neill used "irregardless" on a piece about language, indicating that it isn't a word and you can't find it in a dictionary. He made a big deal about it not being found in a dictionary.

Before I chided Chris Matthews on his use of the word, I thought I should make certain that it is indeed not a word. Boy, was I surprised! It not only is a word, although "nonstandard," it appears in several online dictionaries, such as the Merriam-Webster. In fact, to see how many online dictionaries list it as a word (regardless of whether they approve of its use), do a search at OneLook, which is a place to run a search to get results from multiple (although not exhaustive) sources.

"Irregardless" is one of those words that everyday Americans pull out of the subconscious like a magician pulls a coin out of an ear. Another example is the frequent misuse of the word "fortuitous." Both have been so frequently used, people don't give them any thought. That's probably why they are in the dictionary -- because they're used often, even if they're improper.

I decided to share with the Countdown and Hardball folks and you what I had discovered. A little fact-checking will do wonders to strengthen a claim (or avoid an error), especially with word zealots on-guard.