February 18, 2005

The Eggcorn Database Many people who lack a flare for language, when given free reign to write, instead of towing the line, put English through the ringer. In future, don't just grin and bare it; issue a cease and decease! Heave scorn on the abusers! Help preserve the goal standard of written English!

In lame man's terms, an eggcorn is not a misspelling per say. It occurs when a listener semantically reanalyses an expression and spells it to match the new interpretation. Whether or not it's a mistake is something of a mute point; with enough use, an eggcorn has the potential to become a bonified expression. Some expressions that we take for granite today started out as eggcorns. Nonetheless, having to content with them daily on the internet, I find that they often get my gander up. I can barely tolerate them, little lone accept them as linguistically valid. Without further adieu, ladies and gentlemen, I give you The Eggcorn Database. A no-holds-barreled exposition of misconstrued expressions, it hones in on these and helps to explain the deep-seeded underline misconceptions behind them. I'm waiting with baited breath for updates. In the meantime, if you have spotted any eggcorns in the wild that peak your interest and that you think would be a shoe-in for the database, contribute them! I'll be internally grateful. With thanks to Language Hat.

posted by ThreeDayMonk 19 years ago
  • this is a lot to wait threw. good stuff!
  • For all intensive purposes, a descent post!
  • "Without further adieu" and "baited breath" have always gotten my hackles up. Reading this site is like being repeatedly kicked in the jumblies. [This is goodinfuriating]
  • I hate this: it winds me up no end.
  • uncleozzy, you remind me of a time when someone described himself as having "baited breath" in an online group and another someone who knew him IRL expressed opinions about his halitosis to set him straight. This site went right into my aggregator. )))
  • this is funny, but I don't get why it makes anyone angry. There is tons of bad writing in the world, but these aren't really especially bad because, bottom line, the reader knows what you meant. The goal of writing is communication. "Correctness" is important, but these are very trivial errors compared to, for example, the muddled, meaningless crap that passes for most business writing.
  • I once had to get medical attention for attempting to cop a feel on a woman who had baited breasts.
  • It's the fishhooks in the nipples that getcha.
  • Too true.
  • I don't get why it makes anyone angry. Because, for the most part, errors like these indicate that people don't really understand what they're writing. "Baited breath?" What is that supposed to mean? "Bated" has a specific meaning that makes sense in this context; "baited" does not. There are a few -- "free reign," for example -- that make sense in their "wrong" forms, but mostly it's nonsense. If even the writer doesn't understand what he's writing, there's a problem. Also, because I'm a jerk, and I'm usually looking for a reason to dislike someone.
  • Because, for the most part, errors like these indicate that people don't really understand what they're writing. Well, it all depends where you've heard the phrase from. I know its bated breath because I've seen it written down, not because I've ever thought of what bated meant (and I assume that would be true of a huge amount of people). Similarly, there's a huge amount of words I have no idea how to pronounce, yet know exactly what they mean, because I have only ever seen them written down. If I need to use the word renege in public, I have no idea how I should say it. Does that make me an idiot?
  • Screw all you 'it's correct if people luse it that way' laissez-faire linguists, I'm switching to French from now on, they know how to carry a stick-up-the-butt about a language.
  • Once at a conference a friend of mine was in charge of wining and dining twenty foreign dignitaries. Or was that twenty-four indignitaries?
  • Just remember not to say le weekend...
  • What's odd is that collected as "eggcorns," I find them amusing, in that mildly exasperated oh-what-will-you-do-next Mentos-commercial headshake kind of way. However, encountering them in their natural habitat, they can at times piss me off. It's for the same reason that uncleozzy described - people sometimes parrot words without understanding what they're saying, and that irks me. Why? I'm not sure. That and people like to be ignorant, sometimes, and will refuse to change even if they do hear the original spelling/wording, because after all, reading is bad! These things also remind me of situations like that. But. I find the site entertaining. I'd heard of the idea before but hadn't seen the site. Thank you. bated breath. bated. bated. Also "S/he was unphased"? Whimper.
  • That and people like to be ignorant, sometimes, and will refuse to change even if they do hear the original spelling/wording, because after all, reading is bad! Are you sure about this?
  • such as chomping at the bit? Champing dammit!!! CHAMP-ING!!!!!
  • Are you sure about this? You don't think George W. Bush has seen 'nuclear' spelled out before?
  • From intro page: Typical examples include free reign (instead of free rein) or home in on (instead of hone in on) Oops?
  • You don't think George W. Bush has seen 'nuclear' spelled out before? I wouldn't be surprised, actually
  • My inner sub-editor weeps and shudders. I'm probably way too sensitive about this sort of thing, and I know there are far more important things in the world to get worked up about, but this is equivalent to dragging nails down a blackboard for me. Good post, but if you'll excuse me, I'll just go back to huddling in a corner and rocking backwards and forwards until the headache passes.
  • So glad to know that I'm not the only pedant sensitive one around here.
  • Just remember not to say le weekend... Why not, dng? That's exactly what they call it in France.
  • I hope I don't use too many of these...
  • If I wrote "I have grate plans for the weakened," it would not mean that I don't understand the meanings of the words "weakened", "grate", "weekend", or "great". At most, it would just reflect that fact that I can't spell good. More likely, it would just mean that I made a mistake, one that had nothing to do with my understanding of anything. The intent and meaning have no relation to spelling.
  • Why not, dng? That's exactly what they call it in France. I know, but there was some French politician who wanted to outlaw it, a year or two ago. I just couldn't find the article.
  • Until the French can spell my surname correctly without looking at me like I'm insane when I insist I know how to spell it and don't need their kindly suggestions, I shall have no respect for them.
  • Why? Doesn't "Wolof" sound the same in French or English? *snigger*
  • Doesn't "Wolof" sound the same in French or English? No, it doesn't. Neither does "Alnedra". *snorks* Oh noes! It's the "regulars" being kkklikkish! Damn you, Bush!
  • I wish I was regular.
  • Actually, weekend is in French le week-end with a hyphen.
  • More fibre dng.
  • Chocolate-chip granola bar?
  • with a hyphen Quite so.
  • ))), ThreeDayMonk, this is better than Turkmenbashi's birthday! Utterly delghtful!
  • Hi, bees :-)
  • Hi yourself, flashboy! By the bye, are ye familiar with George Fraser's tales o' Flashman?
  • "full blown adults" - on the tube yesterday. quite like that.
  • I just contributed what I think is a rather heartworming example myself.