I’m editing Book 7 of the Walkerville Desires series. There’s a shy girl and a shy boy so communication is difficult resulting in mistakes (even with not so shy boys and girls). I want to convey that while they may not articulate their feelings, they find other ways to ‘shore up’ their relationship – a gentle touch on the shoulder, a caress as one moves out of the room, a smile letting the other know they light up the room.

I wanted to make sure ‘shore up’ was the best word to use here.

Thank the universe, again, for google.

Anyway, I got peeled off, something I critically blame AC for doing when he does research. In other words, I went down a rabbit hole for 90 minutes. I was researching ‘shore up’ and I end up researching eggcorn and WTF.

I feel that one of my favorite utterances is being misappropriated and legitimatized.

WTF was added to dictionary with the following definition: to be used especially to express or describe outraged surprise, recklessness, confusion, or bemusement.

I was glad that crema, that layer of tan creamy froth that forms on the top of freshly made espresso has been legitimatized.

So are you ready for eggcorn? This word has really passed the mustard.This has spread like wildflowers. It’s the best thing since life’s bread.

Photo: anchorvalesupermart.com-Singapore

An eggcorn according the Merriam-Webster dictionary is a word or phrase that sounds like and may be mistakenly used in a logical or credible way for another word or phrase.

The word eggcorn is itself an eggcorn; many people pronounce ‘acorn’ this way.

One of the criteria for inclusion the dictionary is ‘substantial use in a variety of sources over an extended period of time.’

The ‘extended period of time’ is vague. I think it took 12 years for ‘eggcorn’ to make it.

 

 

More eggcorns:

Never regions / nether regions

Come to not / come to naught

Curtsey call / courtesy call

World wind romance / whirlwind romance

Rot iron fence / wrought iron fence

Cold slaw / cole slaw

Pre Madonna / prima donna

Valentime’s Day / Valentine’s Day

Ice tea / iced tea (moi)

Physical policy / fiscal policy

Nip it in the butt / nip it in the bud

Mute point / moot point

Mist of things / midst of things

Medium strip / median strip

Expresso / espresso

Extreme court / Supreme court

Escape goat / scapegoat

Duck tape / duct tape (my favorite)

 

 

So in my house I blurted out many many years ago, “Where’s the pancake turner?”

I meant, of course, the TV remote.

To this day that’s what we call it.

 

I think that’s another topic which I may research one day soon. Any eggcorns you like?

 

Love, yk

6 April 2019 – It’s Official: WTF and Eggcorn

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This website uses cookies to improve your user experience. If you continue on this website, you will be providing your consent to our use of cookies.