

Feb 19, 2013 This week's theme

Words for linguistic errors



This week's words

spoonerism

malapropism

Freudian slip

eggcorn

mondegreen

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malapropism PRONUNCIATION: (MAL-uh-prop-iz-ehm)

MEANING: noun: The humorous misuse of a word by confusing it with a similar-sounding word.

For example, "pineapple of perfection" for "pinnacle of perfection".



ETYMOLOGY: After Mrs. Malaprop, a character in Richard Sheridan's play, The Rivals (1775), who confused words in this manner. The name Malaprop is coined from French "mal à propos" (inappropriate). Earliest documented use: 1830.

USAGE: * around my neck'."

Katharine Q. Seelye; Ailing Mayor of Boston Says He's Still Up to the Job; The New York Times; Dec 17, 2012.

*albatross "Mayor Thomas Menino is sometimes made fun of for his malapropisms; he once said the city's parking shortage was 'an Alcatrazaround my neck'."Katharine Q. Seelye; Ailing Mayor of Boston Says He's Still Up to the Job; The New York Times; Dec 17, 2012.

See more usage examples of malapropism in Vocabulary.com's dictionary.



A THOUGHT FOR TODAY: The best way to have a good idea is to have lots of ideas. -Linus Pauling, chemist, peace activist, author, educator; Nobel Prize in chemistry, Nobel Peace Prize (1901-1994)





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