Say what? Decoding the "per say" mistake

What kind of error is it?

Spelling error

Why do people make this mistake?

People often mishear or misinterpret the Latin phrase "per se" as "per say" because the pronunciation of "se" sounds similar to "say" in English.

What is correct?

"Per se" is the correct term. It is a Latin phrase meaning "by itself" or "in itself". It is used in English to indicate that something is being considered in isolation or on its own.