Lovely Guardian piece about 'eggcorns'

[TheOneWiththeNicestSmile]

\link{http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2014/sep/16/that-eggcorn-moment?CMP=fb_gu\things like damp squid & social leopard}

'The eggcorn is a concept that crystallised on the pages of Language Log, where, back in 2003, Mark Liberman asked for a name to describe a the phenomenon represented by a woman writing “egg corns” instead of “acorns”. The linguists just decided to go with eggcorn, after the canonical example.'

Surely this word could only have been coined by people who have never heard of R. B. Sheridan? I've been calling them malapropisms since 1775.

\link{http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eggcorn\no, they're different}

it's not just using the wrong word - it's 'a meaning that is different from the original, but plausible in the same context, such as "old-timers' disease" for "Alzheimer's disease"'

Aha. I was misled by failing to realise that "egg corn" might actually mean something, but I suppose since "acorn" is derived basically from "oak-corn", it's not too implausible. But I'll have to readThe Rivals again and see how the old bat matches up to the modern terminology.

round here (E Lancs) acorn would be pronounced approx as 'eh-corn'

I don't know where the egg-corn woman was from, but if it was from somewhere similar I can see that hearing that, & looking at an acorn, & knowing it's a baby tree, egg-corn is an entirely reasonable stab at it

I've been calling them malapropisms since 1775

Blimey, prism, you're looking good for your age.

I've not read The Rivals but I know about Malaprop, and surely the joke there is that she says words that are noticeably (to the audience) different from the correct one: the word has some resemblance in sound to the correct one, but its meaning is completely different (if not downright inappropriate) and it's that juxtaposition that creates a humorous effect - is that right? An eggcorn is more subtle and has a plausibly appropriate meaning.

Oh, and if you follow the links in the Guardian article back to the Language Log original, you'll find those who coined "egg corns" were well aware of malaproprisms (and mondegreens - and they explained the distinctions better than I just did).

The Language Log is amazing

I just came across this gem

'Without addressing these issues, NOW and others have nothing to offer the average Jane and in consequence, have allowed Sarah Palin and her elk to define women’s issues'

she lives in Alaska - of course she has an elk!

(oh, it's actually the eggcorn database, sorry)