20:
37:
is the alteration of a word or phrase through the mishearing or reinterpretation of one or more of its elements, creating a new phrase having a different meaning from the original but which still makes sense and is plausible when used in the same context. Thus, an eggcorn is an unexpectedly fitting
74:
and logic to make sense of an expression – often a stock one – that includes a term which is not meaningful to them. For example, the stock expression "in one fell swoop" might be replaced by "in one foul swoop", the infrequently used adjective "fell" (for "fierce", "cruel", or "terrible") being
301:
is a misinterpretation of a word or phrase, often within the lyrics of a specific song or other type of performance, and need not make sense within that context. An eggcorn must still retain something of the original meaning, as the speaker understands it, and may be a replacement for a poorly
483:
292:
generally derives its effect from a comic misunderstanding of the user, often creating a nonsensical phrase; an eggcorn on the other hand is a substitution that exhibits creativity or logic.
473:
723:
563:
1038:
311:, the speaker or writer intentionally creates a humorous effect, whereas an eggcorn may be used or created by someone who is unaware that the expression is
78:
Eggcorns are of interest to linguists as they not only show language changing in real time, but can also shed light on how and why the change occurs.
690:
823:
992:
943:
516:
50:. Eggcorns often arise as people attempt to make sense of a stock phrase that uses a term unfamiliar to them, as for example replacing "
75:
replaced with the more common word "foul" in order to convey the cruel/underhand meaning of the phrase as the speaker understands it.
460:
445:
405:
59:
1091:
715:
610:
662:
559:
170:
882:
770:
745:
108:, a group blog for linguists. In his article, Liberman discussed the case of a woman who had used the phrase
835:
534:
906:
352:
1068:
1133:
794:
1075:
988:
935:
508:
357:
246:
219:
1054:
205:
51:
372:
118:, and he noted that this specific type of substitution lacked a name. Pullum suggested using
319:
Where the spoken form of an eggcorn sounds the same as the original, it becomes a type of
8:
1143:
55:
969:
184:
1138:
478:
212:
275:
is a change in the form of a word caused by widespread misunderstanding of the word's
239:
135:
1128:
632:
441:
401:
312:
279:, an eggcorn may be limited to one person rather than being used generally within a
198:
191:
346:
280:
43:
1148:
931:
95:
1019:
265:
Eggcorns are similar to but distinct from several other linguistic expressions:
149:
142:
1083:
584:
271:
226:
163:
856:
177:
1122:
99:
1078:
The
Chronicle of Higher Education: Chronicle Careers. Retrieved 2009-06-23.
939:
691:"A damp squid, for all intensive purposes: 14 'eggcorns' to make you laugh"
654:
104:
288:
253:
39:
23:
Cafe chalkboard advertising a "pre fixed" menu, an eggcorn of the French
297:
156:
611:"Yes, Trump Really Is Saying 'Big League,' Not 'Bigly,' Linguists Say"
474:"Analyzing Eggcorns and Snowclones, and Challenging Strunk and White"
320:
276:
25:
1084:"This Is What 'Eggcorns' Are (and Why They're Jar-Droppingly Good)"
1062:
Far from the
Madding Gerund and Other Dispatches from Language Log
857:"This Is What 'Eggcorns' Are (and Why They're Jar-Droppingly Good"
1113:
71:
19:
1069:"Egg corns: folk etymology, malapropism, mondegreen, ???"
509:"Egg corns: folk etymology, malapropism, mondegreen, ???"
114:
47:
400:(fifth ed.). Boston: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. 2011.
307:
398:
American
Heritage Dictionary of the English Language
345:
344:
1120:
989:"LADY MONDEGREEN SAYS HER PEACE ABOUT EGG CORNS"
462:'fell', adjective, at Merriam-Webster dictionary
1060:Liberman, Mark, and Geoffrey K. Pullum. (2006)
98:in September 2003 in response to an article by
1081:
924:
883:"Eggcorns and other cute things children say"
431:
429:
427:
425:
423:
421:
419:
417:
46:"eggcorn" is itself an eggcorn, derived from
824:"Word Watch: The Eggcorn – Lend Me Your Ear"
1071:Language Log (weblog) Retrieved 2009-06-23.
1064:. Wilsonville, OR: William, James & Co.
967:
907:"Whet one's appetite vs wet one's appetite"
440:. Oxford University Press. pp. 57–59.
435:
302:understood phrase rather than a mishearing.
716:"'For All Intensive Purposes': An Eggcorn"
528:
526:
438:Damp Squid: The English Language Laid Bare
414:
70:Eggcorns arise when people attempt to use
817:
815:
94:) was coined by professor of linguistics
963:
961:
652:
532:
506:
18:
1036:
1017:
880:
523:
502:
500:
1121:
986:
936:"Phrases for lazy writers in kit form"
930:
821:
812:
684:
682:
680:
16:Altered phrase that is still plausible
958:
946:from the original on October 17, 2007
608:
557:
507:Liberman, Mark (September 23, 2003).
471:
387:
385:
383:
340:
338:
336:
849:
771:"'Just Deserts' or 'Just Desserts'?"
497:
373:participating institution membership
260:
677:
13:
1018:Diamond, Graeme (September 2010).
1011:
970:"Humanity's Best Eggcorn Examples"
795:"Old wives' tale vs old wise tale"
726:from the original on June 18, 2020
380:
333:
218:"on the spurt of the moment" for "
169:"for all intensive purposes" for "
131:"baited breath" for "bated breath"
65:
14:
1160:
1107:
1094:from the original on 12 June 2019
995:from the original on 8 March 2019
887:Stratton Craig Copywriting Agency
822:Peters, Mark (March–April 2006).
665:from the original on May 16, 2020
633:"'Review: Don't be a Damp Squid'"
235:"ripe with..." for "rife with..."
232:"real trooper" for "real trouper"
90:(later contracted into one word,
54:" with "old-timers' disease", or
609:Stack, Liam (October 24, 2016).
533:Wallraff, Barbara (2006-09-01).
519:from the original on 2004-04-04.
472:Erard, Michael (June 20, 2006).
980:
899:
874:
787:
763:
738:
708:
688:
646:
625:
602:
566:from the original on 2007-03-22
486:from the original on 2006-08-13
162:"the feeble position" for "the
1082:Katy Steinmetz (30 May 2015).
1076:"Like a Bowl in a China Shop."
746:"'Free Rein' or 'Free Reign'?"
653:Anu Garg (February 21, 2013).
577:
551:
465:
454:
1:
1067:Liberman, Mark. (2003-09-23)
1053:Harbeck, James. (2010-06-02)
987:Zwicky, Arnold (2 Nov 2003).
562:. New Scientist. p. 52.
326:
881:Fozzard, Anna (2017-06-09).
436:Butterfield, Jeremy (2008).
183:"in one foul swoop" for "in
171:for all intents and purposes
81:
62:" with "to the manor born".
7:
1074:Peters, Mark. (2006-08-09)
1037:Freeman, Jan (2010-09-26).
968:Marko Ticak (24 Nov 2016).
204:"old-timers' disease" for "
125:
10:
1165:
1020:"September 2010 new words"
1024:Oxford English Dictionary
353:Oxford English Dictionary
252:"wet your appetite" for "
245:"to the manor born" for "
220:on the spur of the moment
834:(2): 18. Archived from
358:Oxford University Press
238:"scandally clad" for "
225:"preying mantis" for "
30:
1057:Retrieved 2012-01-26.
1039:"So wrong it's right"
211:"old wise tale" for "
197:"just desserts" for "
22:
934:(October 27, 2003).
613:. The New York Times
560:"The word: Eggcorns"
558:Staff (2006-08-26).
190:"jar-dropping" for "
356:(Online ed.).
206:Alzheimer's disease
134:"beckon call" for "
122:itself as a label.
56:William Shakespeare
52:Alzheimer's disease
1055:"My Veil of Tears"
1041:. The Boston Globe
932:Pullum, Geoffrey K
479:The New York Times
247:to the manner born
176:"free reign" for "
155:"ex-patriot" for "
148:"damp squid" for "
60:to the manner born
31:
447:978-0-19-923906-1
407:978-0-547-04101-8
371:(Subscription or
261:Similar phenomena
1156:
1114:Eggcorn database
1103:
1101:
1099:
1050:
1048:
1046:
1033:
1031:
1030:
1005:
1004:
1002:
1000:
984:
978:
977:
965:
956:
955:
953:
951:
928:
922:
921:
919:
918:
903:
897:
896:
894:
893:
878:
872:
871:
869:
867:
853:
847:
846:
844:
843:
828:Psychology Today
819:
810:
809:
807:
806:
791:
785:
784:
782:
781:
767:
761:
760:
758:
756:
742:
736:
735:
733:
731:
712:
706:
705:
703:
701:
686:
675:
674:
672:
670:
650:
644:
643:
641:
639:
629:
623:
622:
620:
618:
606:
600:
599:
597:
596:
581:
575:
574:
572:
571:
555:
549:
548:
546:
545:
530:
521:
520:
504:
495:
494:
492:
491:
469:
463:
458:
452:
451:
433:
412:
411:
389:
378:
376:
368:
366:
364:
349:
342:
281:speech community
44:autological word
1164:
1163:
1159:
1158:
1157:
1155:
1154:
1153:
1134:2003 neologisms
1119:
1118:
1110:
1097:
1095:
1044:
1042:
1028:
1026:
1014:
1012:Further reading
1009:
1008:
998:
996:
985:
981:
966:
959:
949:
947:
929:
925:
916:
914:
905:
904:
900:
891:
889:
879:
875:
865:
863:
855:
854:
850:
841:
839:
820:
813:
804:
802:
793:
792:
788:
779:
777:
775:Merriam-Webster
769:
768:
764:
754:
752:
750:Merriam-Webster
744:
743:
739:
729:
727:
720:Merriam-Webster
714:
713:
709:
699:
697:
695:www.metro.co.uk
687:
678:
668:
666:
651:
647:
637:
635:
631:
630:
626:
616:
614:
607:
603:
594:
592:
583:
582:
578:
569:
567:
556:
552:
543:
541:
531:
524:
505:
498:
489:
487:
470:
466:
459:
455:
448:
434:
415:
408:
391:
390:
381:
370:
362:
360:
343:
334:
329:
263:
213:old wives' tale
128:
102:on the website
96:Geoffrey Pullum
84:
68:
66:Language change
17:
12:
11:
5:
1162:
1152:
1151:
1146:
1141:
1136:
1131:
1117:
1116:
1109:
1108:External links
1106:
1105:
1104:
1079:
1072:
1065:
1058:
1051:
1034:
1013:
1010:
1007:
1006:
979:
974:grammarly blog
957:
923:
898:
873:
848:
811:
786:
762:
737:
707:
676:
645:
624:
601:
576:
550:
522:
496:
464:
453:
446:
413:
406:
379:
331:
330:
328:
325:
317:
316:
303:
293:
284:
272:folk etymology
262:
259:
258:
257:
256:your appetite"
250:
243:
236:
233:
230:
227:praying mantis
223:
216:
209:
202:
195:
188:
185:one fell swoop
181:
174:
167:
164:fetal position
160:
153:
146:
139:
132:
127:
124:
83:
80:
67:
64:
15:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
1161:
1150:
1147:
1145:
1142:
1140:
1137:
1135:
1132:
1130:
1127:
1126:
1124:
1115:
1112:
1111:
1093:
1089:
1085:
1080:
1077:
1073:
1070:
1066:
1063:
1059:
1056:
1052:
1040:
1035:
1025:
1021:
1016:
1015:
994:
990:
983:
975:
971:
964:
962:
945:
941:
937:
933:
927:
912:
908:
902:
888:
884:
877:
862:
858:
852:
838:on 2006-07-09
837:
833:
829:
825:
818:
816:
800:
796:
790:
776:
772:
766:
751:
747:
741:
725:
721:
717:
711:
696:
692:
685:
683:
681:
664:
660:
656:
649:
634:
628:
612:
605:
590:
586:
585:"Beckon call"
580:
565:
561:
554:
540:
536:
529:
527:
518:
514:
510:
503:
501:
485:
482:. p. 4.
481:
480:
475:
468:
461:
457:
449:
443:
439:
432:
430:
428:
426:
424:
422:
420:
418:
409:
403:
399:
395:
388:
386:
384:
374:
359:
355:
354:
348:
341:
339:
337:
332:
324:
322:
314:
310:
309:
304:
300:
299:
294:
291:
290:
285:
282:
278:
274:
273:
268:
267:
266:
255:
251:
248:
244:
241:
240:scantily clad
237:
234:
231:
228:
224:
221:
217:
214:
210:
207:
203:
200:
196:
193:
189:
186:
182:
179:
175:
172:
168:
165:
161:
158:
154:
151:
147:
144:
141:"bigly" for "
140:
137:
136:beck and call
133:
130:
129:
123:
121:
117:
116:
111:
107:
106:
101:
100:Mark Liberman
97:
93:
89:
79:
76:
73:
63:
61:
57:
53:
49:
45:
41:
36:
29:(fixed price)
28:
27:
21:
1098:20 September
1096:. Retrieved
1087:
1061:
1043:. Retrieved
1027:. Retrieved
1023:
997:. Retrieved
982:
973:
950:November 25,
948:. Retrieved
940:Language Log
926:
915:. Retrieved
913:. 2016-03-20
910:
901:
890:. Retrieved
886:
876:
864:. Retrieved
861:www.time.com
860:
851:
840:. Retrieved
836:the original
831:
827:
803:. Retrieved
801:. 2016-03-31
798:
789:
778:. Retrieved
774:
765:
753:. Retrieved
749:
740:
728:. Retrieved
719:
710:
698:. Retrieved
694:
667:. Retrieved
659:A Word A Day
658:
648:
638:November 24,
636:. Retrieved
627:
615:. Retrieved
604:
593:. Retrieved
591:. 2010-01-22
588:
579:
568:. Retrieved
553:
542:. Retrieved
539:The Atlantic
538:
535:"Word Court"
513:Language Log
512:
488:. Retrieved
477:
467:
456:
437:
397:
393:
361:. Retrieved
351:
318:
313:non-standard
306:
296:
287:
270:
264:
199:just deserts
192:jaw-dropping
119:
113:
109:
105:Language Log
103:
91:
87:
85:
77:
69:
38:or creative
34:
32:
24:
755:13 December
689:McG, Ross.
289:malapropism
40:malapropism
1144:Lexicology
1123:Categories
1029:2010-09-16
917:2023-07-18
911:Grammarist
892:2023-07-18
842:2006-07-13
805:2023-07-18
799:Grammarist
780:2023-07-18
617:August 29,
595:2023-07-18
589:Grammarist
570:2006-12-21
544:2023-07-18
490:2006-12-21
375:required.)
327:References
298:mondegreen
157:expatriate
150:damp squib
143:big league
1139:Etymology
1045:3 October
866:26 August
655:"eggcorn"
392:"eggcorn
377:, sense 2
347:"eggcorn"
321:homophone
277:etymology
178:free rein
86:The term
82:Etymology
26:prix fixe
1129:Eggcorns
1092:Archived
993:Archived
944:Archived
730:June 18,
724:Archived
700:7 August
669:June 18,
663:Archived
564:Archived
517:Archived
484:Archived
269:Where a
126:Examples
120:egg corn
110:egg corn
88:egg corn
999:29 June
92:eggcorn
72:analogy
35:eggcorn
1149:Acorns
444:
404:
363:24 May
42:. The
369:
305:In a
115:acorn
48:acorn
1100:2019
1088:Time
1047:2010
1001:2018
952:2007
868:2022
757:2021
732:2020
702:2022
671:2020
640:2021
619:2024
442:ISBN
402:ISBN
365:2022
254:whet
112:for
58:'s "
396:".
308:pun
33:An
1125::
1090:.
1086:.
1022:.
991:.
972:.
960:^
942:.
938:.
909:.
885:.
859:.
832:39
830:.
826:.
814:^
797:.
773:.
748:.
722:.
718:.
693:.
679:^
661:.
657:.
587:.
537:.
525:^
515:.
511:.
499:^
476:.
416:^
394:n.
382:^
350:.
335:^
323:.
295:A
286:A
1102:.
1049:.
1032:.
1003:.
976:.
954:.
920:.
895:.
870:.
845:.
808:.
783:.
759:.
734:.
704:.
673:.
642:.
621:.
598:.
573:.
547:.
493:.
450:.
410:.
367:.
315:.
283:.
249:"
242:"
229:"
222:"
215:"
208:"
201:"
194:"
187:"
180:"
173:"
166:"
159:"
152:"
145:"
138:"
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.
