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malapropism

i learned a new word today: malapropism. it means

the mistaken use of a word in place of a similar-sounding one, often with unintentionally amusing effect

an example would be saying something isn’t your fort, when you really meant to say, forte (if someone knows how to insert an accented e, i’d love to know how).

i came across the word while trying to finally figure out if the phrase is “for all intents and purposes” or “for all intensive purposes.” both sounded rightish to me, but it turns out there’s only one winner.

if that page stirs your porridge, you might enjoy “the eggcorn database’s” whole list of commonly misspoken phrases.


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2 Responses to “malapropism”

  1. on 21 Jan 2006 at 10:58 pm kjeanninew@hotmail.com

    a guy at a class at church said his sister is “particulous”

    amusing? He also referred to God as “impotent” instead of omniscient – that is funny.

  2. Επισκευή καρτας γραφικων στην Ανοιξη γρηγορα
    και εγγυημενα. Τωρα η EASolutions βρισκεται διπλα σας.
    Για οποιαδηποτεερωτηση μη διστασετε να εποικινωνησετε στα τηλεφωνα μας.

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