misheard phrases and words (eggcorns)

[Pure]

what are your favorites? seen at Literotica?

examples:
intensive purposes

doggy dog world.

my personal favorite "gladly the cross-eyed bear".

--
across languages as well : french as heard by english "shut the door."

 

[dr_mabeuse]

Ah, like mondegreens?

I can't think of any phrases offhand, but there's a word whose misuse always jumps out at me: Using "jive" for "jibe", as in, "These figures just don't jive."

No, but maybe they boogie, shimmy, and do the hootchie-coo.

Jibe means to agree or coincide.

Jive is a slang word with a bunch of meanings--a kind of big band jazz, a dance, a line of bullshit, etc. etc.

 

[cloudy]

Ah, like mondegreens?

I can't think of any phrases offhand, but there's a word whose misuse always jumps out at me: Using "jive" for "jibe", as in, "These figures just don't jive."

No, but maybe they boogie, shimmy, and do the hootchie-coo.

Jibe means to agree or coincide.

Jive is a slang word with a bunch of meanings--a kind of big band jazz, a dance, a line of bullshit, etc. etc.

It's startling how many people in this area use "ideal" instead of "idea." It makes me grit my teeth every time I hear it.

 

[Dianthus]

Ah, like mondegreens?

I can't think of any phrases offhand, but there's a word whose misuse always jumps out at me: Using "jive" for "jibe", as in, "These figures just don't jive."

No, but maybe they boogie, shimmy, and do the hootchie-coo.

Jibe means to agree or coincide.

Jive is a slang word with a bunch of meanings--a kind of big band jazz, a dance, a line of bullshit, etc. etc.

My favourite in that line was delivered by a senior manager. He, while trying to inspire us during a town hall meeting, kept saying we needed to do more than just 'pass the mustard'.

He either meant 'pass muster' or 'cut the mustard'. I wanted badly to ask which but he wasn't taking questions.

 

[kimbalee]

a boss of mine once said...

"a post to" which was to signify that we were "supposed to" complete the task that followed the phrase

(it was written in an email)

 

[Tio_Narratore]

I once read a review of a maudlin tales that claimed the story "warmed the cog wheels of my heart." And that was before the development of artificial hearts.


Oh...Dr. Mabeuse...very interesting; I thought only Nova Scotians called them "Lady Mondegrens."

 

[Handley_Page]

My current pet hate is misuse of the term 'leverage'.

 

[Katyusha]

Someone I used to work with always said, "Supposebly." Drove me bats. I have others...true misused words, but I can't think of any right now.

 

[TE999]

A former boss used to say "The director takes our department for granite."

 

[sr71plt]

"Here, here" (instead of "hear, hear"). Makes me think of telling your dog to heel.

I've always liked "I stand connected," and I use it as often as possible.

 

[egelante]

"Endure" as opposed to "endue"... It makes for great comedy in some church services. "Endure your ministers with righteousness"...

Then of course there's the favourite abbreviation: Ect.

Don't forget "I envision" instead of "I envisage".

 

[mynameisben]

what are your favorites? seen at Literotica?

examples:
intensive purposes

doggy dog world.

my personal favorite "gladly the cross-eyed bear".

--
across languages as well : french as heard by english "shut the door."

I wrote, "Astroglide is an adequate lube for most intensive purposes" ONCE, and there go the grammar police champing at the bit to ride my ass.

 

[Verdad]

I've seen descending opinions used on Lit. You know, the thing we're allowed to have in a democracy.

One I've actually heard: antidotal evidence.

Now this is a pesky one:

Don't forget "I envision" instead of "I envisage".

Apart from envisage being of older etymology and more common in British English and envision being younger and more commonly used in American English, the difference is hard to pin down. Below is what Merriam-Webster has to say, but perhaps someone can explain in brief.

Main Entry: en·vis·age
Pronunciation: n vizij, en-, -z j, chiefly in pres part -z j
Function: transitive verb
Inflected Form(s): -ed/-ing/-s
Etymology: French envisager, from en- 1en- + visage -- more at VISAGE
1 archaic : to meet squarely : CONFRONT,FACE
2 a : to conceive of : grasp mentally : view or regard in a particular way <envisaging man as simply the locus of a polytheism -- Aldous Huxley> <of all the points of view from which we may envisage their brilliant activity -- G.L.Dickinson> <in the beginning a science is quantitative ...; only later does it envisage its problems mathematically -- Edward Sapir> b : to have a mental picture of in advance of realization : look forward to : have in view : CONTEMPLATE, FORESEE <the plan envisaged lavish use of mechanical equipment of all kinds -- M.A.Abrams> <envisaged a single, centralized state embracing all the former colonies> <men of the ... mental stature to envisage and carry out so great a work -- Yvonne Adamson> <I envisage that in the event of a German collapse the need ... to undertake this work will be all the more apparent -- F.D.Roosevelt>
synonym see THINK

Main Entry: en·vision
Pronunciation: n, en+
Function: transitive verb
Etymology: 1en- + vision (n.)
: to have a mental image of especially in advance of realization : to picture to oneself : look forward to : ENVISAGE, FORESEE <envisioned the perfectibility of man through a long process of ... evolution -- American Scholar> <she envisioned a career in teaching and research -- Leonard Engel> <reading this essay, I automatically envisioned some accomplished slick writer -- F.O.Baker> <he came to the end his prophetic schoolmaster had envisioned -- C.B.Driscoll>
synonym see THINK

 

[egelante]

I've seen descending opinions used on Lit. You know, the thing we're allowed to have in a democracy.

One I've actually heard: antidotal evidence.

Now this is a pesky one:



Apart from envisage being of older etymology and more common in British English and envision being younger and more commonly used in American English, the difference is hard to pin down. Below is what Merriam-Webster has to say, but perhaps someone can explain in brief.

Main Entry: en·vis·age
Pronunciation: n vizij, en-, -z j, chiefly in pres part -z j
Function: transitive verb
Inflected Form(s): -ed/-ing/-s
Etymology: French envisager, from en- 1en- + visage -- more at VISAGE
1 archaic : to meet squarely : CONFRONT,FACE
2 a : to conceive of : grasp mentally : view or regard in a particular way <envisaging man as simply the locus of a polytheism -- Aldous Huxley> <of all the points of view from which we may envisage their brilliant activity -- G.L.Dickinson> <in the beginning a science is quantitative ...; only later does it envisage its problems mathematically -- Edward Sapir> b : to have a mental picture of in advance of realization : look forward to : have in view : CONTEMPLATE, FORESEE <the plan envisaged lavish use of mechanical equipment of all kinds -- M.A.Abrams> <envisaged a single, centralized state embracing all the former colonies> <men of the ... mental stature to envisage and carry out so great a work -- Yvonne Adamson> <I envisage that in the event of a German collapse the need ... to undertake this work will be all the more apparent -- F.D.Roosevelt>
synonym see THINK

Main Entry: en·vision
Pronunciation: n, en+
Function: transitive verb
Etymology: 1en- + vision (n.)
: to have a mental image of especially in advance of realization : to picture to oneself : look forward to : ENVISAGE, FORESEE <envisioned the perfectibility of man through a long process of ... evolution -- American Scholar> <she envisioned a career in teaching and research -- Leonard Engel> <reading this essay, I automatically envisioned some accomplished slick writer -- F.O.Baker> <he came to the end his prophetic schoolmaster had envisioned -- C.B.Driscoll>
synonym see THINK

Ah! How intriguing! I should perhaps qualify that I am in the UK where, in general, envision is not so acceptable. Though it may be that I am outmoded!

 

[Verdad]

Ah! How intriguing! I should perhaps qualify that I am in the UK where, in general, envision is not so acceptable. Though it may be that I am outmoded!

Oh, it's okay; it made me search a bit, and the explanations of the differences were so various and nebulous I'm reminded it's best to be careful with both!

 

[Katyusha]

One of my favorites is saying (or even better, writing) "walla!" Instead of "voila!"

One I saw just recently in an email from my boss: "This is just ensurance against future res failures."

 

[egelante]

Oh, it's okay; it made me search a bit, and the explanations of the differences were so various and nebulous I'm reminded it's best to be careful with both!

Yes, thank you for doing that, and in turn I shall be careful about dismissing the newfangled word "envision"!

 

[mynameisben]

One of my favorites is saying (or even better, writing) "walla!" Instead of "voila!"

For years and years I thought it was "viola!" I may still be saying it that way if not for a chance meeting with a rather bemused cellist.

 

[sr71plt]

There's always the Americanization of "forte," which apparently now is complete. Americans have pronounced it "for-tay" for so long that the proper pronunciation ("fort") has pretty much gone away.

 

[mynameisben]

There's always the Americanization of "forte," which apparently now is complete. Americans have pronounced it "for-tay" for so long that the proper pronunciation ("fort") has pretty much gone away.

Usage drives what "proper" is. There will always be that generation who will cringe (because they are inclined to cringing, I think), but they are also quickly forgotten.

 

[Weird Harold]

I wish I had "Undo influence" over many things in life.

A pet peeve is the use of "Shutter" for "Shudder"

 

[sr71plt]

Usage drives what "proper" is. There will always be that generation who will cringe (because they are inclined to cringing, I think), but they are also quickly forgotten.

Usage varies from place to place. If original usage sticks in some venues, who's to say that a change in another venue is "proper"? (or uncringable to those who know the original derivation)

 

[mynameisben]

Usage varies from place to place. If original usage sticks in some venues, who's to say that a change in another venue is "proper"? (or uncringable to those who know the original derivation)

Not me. I rarely use the word "proper."

 

[sr71plt]

Not me. I rarely use the word "proper."

Not even in a context like "Proper up, mate, and let's 'av another go at 'er"?

 

[mynameisben]

Not even in a context like "Proper 'er up, mate, and let's 'av another go at 'er"?

Okay. You got me.