What are these called? And do you have one to add?

[berkeman]

In a recent PF thread, a poster used a phrase that sounded like the traditional phrase, but had a word changed in a way that sort of still kept the intent of the phrase intact. I've run across a few of these in the past, and I always wondered if there was a name for them. Does anybody know? Here are the ones that I've seen, with the PF poster's listed first:

-- "For all intensive purposes..." when they meant "For all intents and purposes..."

-- "Not A Thorough Road" when they meant "Not A Through Road" (they had been misreading the road signs for years

-- "White Beater Shirt" when they were referring to a "Wife Beater Shirt" (slang for the white sleaveless undershirts that some men wear)

-- "Wipe Board" when they were referring to a "White Board" (they thought the boards were named for how you erased them)

 

[Astronuc]

Malapropisms.

I try to avoid them.

Norm Crosby was a well known comedian whose routines were based on malapropisms.

Etymology: Mrs. Malaprop, character noted for her misuse of words in R. B. Sheridan's comedy The Rivals (1775)
1 : the usually unintentionally humorous misuse or distortion of a word or phrase; especially : the use of a word sounding somewhat like the one intended but ludicrously wrong in the context

from MerriamWebster online

See also - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Malapropism

 

[J77]

The campers were intense all weekend...

 

[berkeman]

The campers were intense all weekend...

LOL. I'm embarrased to say how long it took me to get that one!

Hey thanks for the link, Astro. "For all intensive purposes" was even in there.

 

[Astronuc]

From Wikipedia

"He drank himself to Bolivia" (instead of oblivion)

"Worst case Ontario..." (instead of scenario)

"Denial and Error..." (instead of trial)

On the other hand, the statement as is would be applicable to the Bush administration.

"I feel like a social piranha." (instead of pariah)

I've met a few people who might fit the definition of "social piranha.

 

[Ivan Seeking]

I prefer self-defecating humor.

 

[Curious3141]

The very famous Internet phrase : "I resemble that comment". (as opposed to "I resent that comment.")

 

[George Jones]

LOL. I'm embarrased to say how long it took me to get that one!

I find that I almost have to read a sentence aloud before a get soundplay.

I learned my lesson after it took me forever to understand what Hawking had in mind when he wrote "I think Roger's proposal is Weyl in more than one sense of the word." about Penrose's Weyl curvature hypothesis.

"Worst case Ontario..."

As someone who grew up in Ontario, I not sure how to take this.

Now, if "Ontario" is replace by ", Toronto", ...

Regards,
George

 

[Gokul43201]

I learned my lesson after it took me forever to understand what Hawking had in mind when he wrote "I think Roger's proposal is Weyl in more than one sense of the word." about Penrose's Weyl curvature hypothesis.

I don't get it. "while", "wily" ... ?

Edit : Nevermind. It's 'wild' isn't it ?

 

[George Jones]

I don't get it. "while", "wily" ... ?

Edit : Nevermind. It's 'wild' isn't it ?

Vile!

Regards,
George

 

[rhj23]

one of my friends only recently got the pun in the name of the beatles' record label - apple corps

it's only when you pronounce it rather than just seeing the word that you understand a lot of these kind of things

 

[larkspur]

"I like the look of those pheasant shirts that are so popular today!"

"I need my baby's eyes checked for genital cataracts and stigmata"

"The calvary is coming!"

This was a great ideal to talk about malapropisms!

I get so flustrated when I can't think of the right word to use.

 

[Gokul43201]

Vile!

Regards,
George

Yikes ! Would've never guessed that. Was stuck on the "w" sound.

 

[Chi Meson]

I love this one (I'm trying to remember the original context):

"I'm not exactly an engineer, per say,..."

 

[Danger]

When my darts/baseball teams played out of a pub called 'The Eidelweiss Inn', I named them both 'The Weiss Squad'.

 

[brewnog]

The world is my lobster!

 

[Chi Meson]

The world is my lobster!

That's a Bostonian thing to say. Except it's "lobstah."

 

[DaveC426913]

My favourite of my wife's malapropisms:

"One of the primary tenants of that religion..."

 

[Tojen]

My wife just filled out her "consensus" form.

 

[berkeman]

"I like the look of those pheasant shirts that are so popular today!"

Rats rats rats. I don't get it yet. Little help here folks...

 

[larkspur]

Rats rats rats. I don't get it yet. Little help here folks...

They are "peasant" shirts or skirts.

http://www.blair.com/webapp/wcs/sto...0001&storeId=10001&productId=16424&langId=-1"

 

[Curious3141]

Baines circumscised the world with a 150 foot clipper.

She was taken into radiology to be thoroughly X-rated by a doctor.

 

[selfAdjoint]

Graffito at the U of Wisconsin, Madison, circa 1964: Thoreau the bums out!