This is hard to admit, but they are actually more correct than you think , old usage.
The "e" is in there, as it used to be in aweful, which just meant impressive rather than something bad, if it was awsome then it would be very dodgy.
Irksome and so on, tending to make you be irked? ( plucked out of thin air like a pedant magnet i`m sure, CBA to pull out the OED at this time of o`snooze, Charly boy 2 minding his manners after Charley boy 1 was rude and got topped for it said on seeing Wren`s St Pauls " I am apalled by its awefulness" IE. "I`m gobsmacked, that is well impressive, innit?".
It may be quoted in either david crystal`s the stories of english, or in Fowler MEU, let me know, i`m in a state of constipated indifference after the day i`ve had.
I think it comes from the Pepys diaries, but after 400ish years my memory may be getting a bit slack.)
(tootired Is searching for a funny sig, nothing good so far, Thu 8 Apr 2010, 23:34, 1 reply)

It's still
bloody annoying............
(pastcaring trembling in a corner....., Fri 9 Apr 2010, 0:47, closed)