Comments on: What is the word for intentionally incorrect spelling? http://painintheenglish.com/?p=644 Forum for the gray areas of the English language Tue, 09 Feb 2010 11:26:56 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9 hourly 1 By: Name (supplied) http://painintheenglish.com/?p=644&cpage=1#comment-10945 Name (supplied) Tue, 17 Nov 2009 17:58:25 +0000 http://painintheenglish.com/?p=644#comment-10945 Well, to be fair, I'd never heard of "malapropism" before. I should also allow that Wikipedia, which was my source, isn't necessarily accurate. I also usually look for alternative sources to see if they match up with Wikipedia. I somehow missed doing that this time. So, according to Wikipedia, the words must sound similar with no concern over whether it's intended. Ian's example does sound similar, but that doesn't mean that all of he and his friend's replacements do. He didn't state that they all do. Having corrected my previous failure to examine other sources, it seems that it's common that they sound similar, not required. It also does not seem to be required that it be intentional, especially considering the source of the word: "Mrs. Malaprop." In short, my bad. However, in light of a more in-depth search, I have to disagree on the arbitrary replacement. I would consider the above example of "I'm having a 'lamppost,'" rather than a "coronary," to be a malapropism as well.<p class="top-comments">Current score: <span class="top-comments-karma" id="karma-10945">0</span> <small>(to vote for this comment, please visit the site)</small></p> Well, to be fair, I’d never heard of “malapropism” before. I should also allow that Wikipedia, which was my source, isn’t necessarily accurate. I also usually look for alternative sources to see if they match up with Wikipedia. I somehow missed doing that this time.
So, according to Wikipedia, the words must sound similar with no concern over whether it’s intended. Ian’s example does sound similar, but that doesn’t mean that all of he and his friend’s replacements do. He didn’t state that they all do.
Having corrected my previous failure to examine other sources, it seems that it’s common that they sound similar, not required. It also does not seem to be required that it be intentional, especially considering the source of the word: “Mrs. Malaprop.”

In short, my bad.

However, in light of a more in-depth search, I have to disagree on the arbitrary replacement. I would consider the above example of “I’m having a ‘lamppost,’” rather than a “coronary,” to be a malapropism as well.

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]]> By: porsche http://painintheenglish.com/?p=644&cpage=1#comment-10941 porsche Tue, 17 Nov 2009 05:07:11 +0000 http://painintheenglish.com/?p=644#comment-10941 Actually, Name, a malapropism is a ridiculous, absurd, or humorous, misuse of a word. It isn't necessarily similar in sound, but usually is. As such, I would say it is exactly what Ian has described, except, of course, for the intentional part. I'm not sure what you're describing. If the word replacement is purely arbitrary, say, “I think I’m having a lamppost.” instead of “I think I’m having a coronary.” then I guess it wouldn't be a malapropism. It certainly wouldn't be funny or ridiculous. It also wouldn't be what Ian was describing. It would just be a pointless non sequitur.<p class="top-comments">Current score: <span class="top-comments-karma" id="karma-10941">0</span> <small>(to vote for this comment, please visit the site)</small></p> Actually, Name, a malapropism is a ridiculous, absurd, or humorous, misuse of a word. It isn’t necessarily similar in sound, but usually is. As such, I would say it is exactly what Ian has described, except, of course, for the intentional part. I’m not sure what you’re describing. If the word replacement is purely arbitrary, say, “I think I’m having a lamppost.” instead of “I think I’m having a coronary.” then I guess it wouldn’t be a malapropism. It certainly wouldn’t be funny or ridiculous. It also wouldn’t be what Ian was describing. It would just be a pointless non sequitur.

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]]> By: Name (supplied) http://painintheenglish.com/?p=644&cpage=1#comment-10940 Name (supplied) Tue, 17 Nov 2009 01:04:47 +0000 http://painintheenglish.com/?p=644#comment-10940 The only problem with using "malapropism" is that they must sound similar. If all of Ian and his friend's words sound similar to the original, then the puzzle is solved. If, however, the word replacement is arbitrary, then that won't do at all.<p class="top-comments">Current score: <span class="top-comments-karma" id="karma-10940">0</span> <small>(to vote for this comment, please visit the site)</small></p> The only problem with using “malapropism” is that they must sound similar. If all of Ian and his friend’s words sound similar to the original, then the puzzle is solved. If, however, the word replacement is arbitrary, then that won’t do at all.

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]]> By: porsche http://painintheenglish.com/?p=644&cpage=1#comment-10932 porsche Sun, 15 Nov 2009 14:59:57 +0000 http://painintheenglish.com/?p=644#comment-10932 To Ian, what about "malapropism"? It's not exactly what you are looking for, but it's close. It describes the word misuse exactly, but does not require the misuse to be intentional. Of course, you could just say, "intentional malapropism". I have a friend who does this both often and unintentionally. My favorite was his description of a philanthropist as a philanderer.<p class="top-comments">Current score: <span class="top-comments-karma" id="karma-10932">1</span> <small>(to vote for this comment, please visit the site)</small></p> To Ian, what about “malapropism”? It’s not exactly what you are looking for, but it’s close. It describes the word misuse exactly, but does not require the misuse to be intentional. Of course, you could just say, “intentional malapropism”. I have a friend who does this both often and unintentionally. My favorite was his description of a philanthropist as a philanderer.

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]]> By: Victoria Gonzalez http://painintheenglish.com/?p=644&cpage=1#comment-10930 Victoria Gonzalez Sat, 14 Nov 2009 17:54:06 +0000 http://painintheenglish.com/?p=644#comment-10930 I meant to say word<p class="top-comments">Current score: <span class="top-comments-karma" id="karma-10930">0</span> <small>(to vote for this comment, please visit the site)</small></p> I meant to say word

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]]> By: Victoria Gonzalez http://painintheenglish.com/?p=644&cpage=1#comment-10929 Victoria Gonzalez Sat, 14 Nov 2009 17:53:42 +0000 http://painintheenglish.com/?p=644#comment-10929 METAPLASMUS I think this is the work you are all looking for :) Hope this helps<p class="top-comments">Current score: <span class="top-comments-karma" id="karma-10929">0</span> <small>(to vote for this comment, please visit the site)</small></p> METAPLASMUS I think this is the work you are all looking for :) Hope this helps

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]]> By: Name (supplied) http://painintheenglish.com/?p=644&cpage=1#comment-10917 Name (supplied) Tue, 10 Nov 2009 22:31:39 +0000 http://painintheenglish.com/?p=644#comment-10917 Ian, I don't think there's a word for that, but I would call it a "misnym."<p class="top-comments">Current score: <span class="top-comments-karma" id="karma-10917">0</span> <small>(to vote for this comment, please visit the site)</small></p> Ian, I don’t think there’s a word for that, but I would call it a “misnym.”

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]]> By: Ian http://painintheenglish.com/?p=644&cpage=1#comment-10916 Ian Mon, 09 Nov 2009 23:12:49 +0000 http://painintheenglish.com/?p=644#comment-10916 Hmmm. This is all very interesting to me, but I am looking for the word for intentional misuse of a word, not intentional misspelling. Can anyone help me? My example would be from when my friend and I would be surprised by something, one of us would say, "I think I'm having a cataract," instead of "I think I'm having a cardiac [arrest]" or "I think I'm having a coronary." We got started with our "mis-phrase" years ago, and I only now am wondering what this linguistic occurrence is. Thanks!<p class="top-comments">Current score: <span class="top-comments-karma" id="karma-10916">0</span> <small>(to vote for this comment, please visit the site)</small></p> Hmmm. This is all very interesting to me, but I am looking for the word for intentional misuse of a word, not intentional misspelling. Can anyone help me? My example would be from when my friend and I would be surprised by something, one of us would say, “I think I’m having a cataract,” instead of “I think I’m having a cardiac [arrest]” or “I think I’m having a coronary.” We got started with our “mis-phrase” years ago, and I only now am wondering what this linguistic occurrence is.
Thanks!

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]]> By: Dan http://painintheenglish.com/?p=644&cpage=1#comment-10819 Dan Mon, 12 Oct 2009 09:07:29 +0000 http://painintheenglish.com/?p=644#comment-10819 A friend sent me the link to this interesting site when I recently posed the same question myself. Having read the discussion and considered the various suggestions, how about "SPERV"? Being a diminutive of "spelling perversion"?<p class="top-comments">Current score: <span class="top-comments-karma" id="karma-10819">0</span> <small>(to vote for this comment, please visit the site)</small></p> A friend sent me the link to this interesting site when I recently posed the same question myself. Having read the discussion and considered the various suggestions, how about “SPERV”? Being a diminutive of “spelling perversion”?

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]]> By: cici http://painintheenglish.com/?p=644&cpage=1#comment-10572 cici Thu, 03 Sep 2009 20:16:21 +0000 http://painintheenglish.com/?p=644#comment-10572 is the answer purposely?<p class="top-comments">Current score: <span class="top-comments-karma" id="karma-10572">0</span> <small>(to vote for this comment, please visit the site)</small></p> is the answer purposely?

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