Not to get nitpicky and accusatory, but you've
probably used a whole bunch of words incorrectly throughout your life. Are you
a real trooper who's chomping at the bit? Ever made a statement for all
intensive purposes? Had another thing coming? If you've used any of these
phrases before, you're a full-fledged "eggcorner." No shame.
What's an eggcorn, Anyway?
According to Merriam-Webster, an eggcorn is "a word or
phrase that sounds like and is mistakenly used in a seemingly logical or
plausible way for another word or phrase." An example is the classic
phrase "all intents and purposes" and its common eggcorn, "all
intensive purposes." Sure, it's not right, but is it really wrong?
This harmless language gaffe has been called a
"slip of the ear": you hear it one way, and repeat it that way.
Sometimes, the resulting eggcorn can be downright poetic: "hearbuds"
instead of "earbuds," for example.
The origin
of the eggcorn gets pretty involved, seeing as the
word "eggcorn" is an eggcorn itself. In 2003, linguists on a blog
called the Language Log were discussing the case of a woman who called acorns
"eggcorns." The made-up term was incorrect, but still weirdly made
logical sense: Acorns are shaped a little like eggs and are basically to trees
what eggs are to chickens. And like kernels are a cob, acorns are small bits of
a larger thing. Voila! Eggcorn! Why not? Had she called an acorn
"rainstorm," it would've been labeled a mere malapropism. But
"eggcorn" was delightfully different. British-American linguist Geoff
Pullum then suggested that "if no
suitable term already exists for cases like this, we should call them 'eggcorns.'"
This List Passes Mustard
It's very likely that some of the words and
phrases you already use are eggcorns. Here are some commonly made language
errors that still eggcorn-ily make the grade:
1. Chomping at the bit (champing at the bit)
2. Real trooper (real trouper)
3. All intensive purposes (all intents and
purposes)
4. Another thing coming (another
think coming)
5. Bad wrap (bad rap)
6. Beckon call (beck and call)
7. Butt naked (buck naked)
8. Day in age (day and age)
9. Deep-seeded (deep-seated)
10. Doggy-dog (dog-eat-dog)
11. Neck in neck (neck and neck)
12. Jig-solve puzzle (jigsaw puzzle)
13. Hell in a handbag (hell in a handbasket)
14. Nip it in the butt (nip
it in the bud)
15. Pass mustard (pass muster)
16. Platemats (placemats)
17. Real goal-getter (real go-getter)
18. Takes two to tangle (takes two to tango)
19. Baited breath (bated breath)
20. Old timer's disease (Alzheimer's Disease)
19. Baited breath (bated breath)
20. Old timer's disease (Alzheimer's Disease)
(curiosity.com/Joanie Faletto)
----fishducky
