The most annoying expressions...

Maybe you should lighten up on your parents, who seem to know more than you do!  
Many Latin European countries, such as France and Portugal, use the expresso form. In Spain, they call it "café expreso". In the United States and Canada, (and the rest of the British Commonwealth including the UK) both espresso and expresso are used. Neither is "wrong". Italy uses the term espresso, mainly because x is not considered part of the standard Italian alphabet. You will see Italians saying that the 'x' form is wrong, but both dictionaries and ordinary usage contradict that.

There are cafes called "Expresso" in Dublin, Dallas, Salt Lake City, Bothell, WA, Cambridge MA, Angel Fire NM, Nanaimo BC, East Gosford, NSW (Australia), Puerto Rico, Brazil, Norwich (UK), (where the Expresso form is well established) and lots of other places.

Never knew any of that, so thanks!   

And the thing with my parents is usually don't in fun.  We both do it to each other.  That's just part of our sense of humors, I guess you can say.   

Colloquial schmolloquial. It's still wrong in my book.

The people who use it are not doing so because they know it was correct in the 1600s. They're using it because they don't know any better.

It's not wrong in my book. I guess we'll just have to agree to differ. Do you think colloquial speech is always wrong?

It's not wrong in my book. I guess we'll just have to agree to differ. Do you think colloquial speech is always wrong?

I think you've missed my point. Most people who say "heighth" are not using it because it's colloquial. They're using it because they're mispronouncing "height" - which is the more common pronunciation in the 21st century. Just as most people who say "expresso" are not channeling their inner Frenchman. They just don't know how to spell "espresso" - which is the more common spelling in this country.

most people who say "expresso" are not channeling their inner Frenchman. They just don't know how to spell "espresso" - which is the more common spelling in this country.

You say these things with a certain dogmatic air which practically demands to be challenged. How do you know these things? Also, which is "this" country? The one in which Cornwall is located, or the one where Boston is, where the expresso-glugging parents live?

You say these things with a certain dogmatic air which practically demands to be challenged. How do you know these things? Also, which is "this" country? The one in which Cornwall is located, or the one where Boston is, where the expresso-glugging parents live?

Please don't ruin Christmas. You're sorely testing that whole "goodwill" thing.

I said most people, not all people. And I believe that to be true. I stand by it.

"This" country is obviously the country I live in. If I meant another country, I'd have said so. However, I believe the spelling of "espresso" holds true for the US as well.

OK?

I don't like it when people say 'of-ten'.  I don't know why as I know it's ok to pronounce it that way...it just bugs me.  I say 'of-en'.

I don't like it when people say 'of-ten'.  I don't know why as I know it's ok to pronounce it that way...it just bugs me.  I say 'of-en'.

I say it as "of-ten" so accept this as my apology in advance.   

Please don't ruin Christmas.

I'm "ruining Christmas"?

It bugs me when people say "ought to of", "should of", etc. Basically any replacement of "have" with "of" ("They should of come by now."). There is a structure to sentences, and verb tense, and swapping out entire words mucks about with it.

OMG YES! Of instead of have is one of my all time top things that make me want to slap people.

OMG YES! Of instead of have is one of my all time top things that make me want to slap people.

Ohhh I will join you in the slapping! 

It's not "of" it's " 've" - a contraction for have. I should have, I should've. Now if you're complaining that people are spelling it "of" then I'm right there with you That's up there with people who don't know "cannot" is one word or that "a lot" is two.

And I think with the "heighth" thing Tremula was trying to say that they're still saying it the way people did in the 17th century just like the Northerners who still use thee/thou/thine even though the rest of us consider it archaic.

The bookshop I worked in had a cafe and the cafe people, when off the floor, would often make fun of the "expresso" drinkers.  My favorite jokes were variations on needed their espressos delivered express!

It's not "of" it's " 've" - a contraction for have. I should have, I should've.

I'm guilty of saying shoulda & coulda in place of should've & could've. But I don't recall ever using should of & could of.

It's not "of" it's " 've" - a contraction for have. I should have, I should've. Now if you're complaining that people are spelling it "of" then I'm right there with you That's up there with people who don't know "cannot" is one word or that "a lot" is two.

No, this is when it's written down. Obviously the contraction does sound quite similar to "of", but I generally assume people know the right word when it's spoken.

ETA: Sorry, just noticed that I wrote "say" above, when I meant "write". I blame the cold meds/fever.

The bookshop I worked in had a cafe and the cafe people, when off the floor, would often make fun of the "expresso" drinkers.  My favorite jokes were variations on needed their espressos delivered express!

The point I was trying to make is that in all of Latin America, both Brazilian and Spanish speaking, as well a large part of Europe, the 'expresso' usage is standard, and that in most if not all English speaking countries both 'expresso' and 'espresso' are permissible, and that neither is "wrong". Only in Italy would 'expresso' be a true mistake.