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Chris -- 2018-04-11

#1 2007-04-21 01:16:28

sheiman
Member
Registered: 2007-04-21
Posts: 1

By and large

Folks,

I keep hearing “by and large,” meaning “for the most part” and it keeps driving me crazy. Is not the correct/original phrase “by en large”?

thanks,
Michelle

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#2 2007-04-21 08:21:46

jorkel
Eggcornista
Registered: 2006-08-08
Posts: 1456

Re: By and large

Welcome to the eggcorn website. One thing you can do at this point is click on the “Eggcorn Database” option on the red menu bar above. From there, click on the “Browse eggcorns” option and scroll down. The list is alphabetical, and the corresponding entries have been prepared by individuals with a language expertise.

The one thing to keep in mind about eggcorns is the old saying: Nothing is obvious to the uninformed. Our personal language usage is shaped by what we perceive as proper. I’ve posted many eggcorns on this site where I wasn’t sure which was the standard usage and which was the eggcorn. For instance, check my recent posting (below) which my wife corrected me on several years ago…

DISECT a frog (dissect) by jorkel Contribute! 0 Yesterday 07:01:05 by jorkel

Last edited by jorkel (2007-04-21 08:28:23)

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#3 2007-04-21 21:26:10

patschwieterman
Administrator
From: California
Registered: 2005-10-25
Posts: 1680

Re: By and large

The Database article for “by enlarge” is here: http://eggcorns.lascribe.net/english/234/by-enlarge/

Prof. Zwicky’s comment to his own article is also worth reading.

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