Discussions about eggcorns and related topics
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Thanks for your understanding.
Chris -- 2018-04-11
I see this one used constantly on the web, in emails, in blogs, etc. It turned up in ~1400 pages in a google search (even after removing ” ‘don’t touch’ basis”). People may also be using it verbally, but these two are almost entirely indistinguishable when spoken aloud, so who really knows?!?
I’m assuming the term “touching bases” or “touch base” evolved from the fact that a runner in baseball is required to go back and touch the base with his foot after a hitter hits a pop fly that is caught (i.e. returning to the place you were at before, in order to check in as required by custom?).
A question for the community, though: Being that baseball is popular in a limited number of countries (US, Japan, Cuba, etc), is it possible that “touching basis” has caught on in countries where baseball is not popular?
PS – I’ve started an entry on this in the database and it’s awaiting review (provided I click the right buttons).
Examples:
This roundtable will give wholesalers an opportunity to touch basis with each
other and share valuable experiences and market knowledge, and to brainstorm …
www.fairtradefederation.com/ 2005ftconference/schedule.htm
When your need arises feel free to touch basis with us so that we can give you
the information that you need. · E-mail us for a quick response. ...
https://www.giisonline.com/index_files/Page1009.html
Follow-up: What day next week would be a good day to touch basis with you on this
matter? Thank you for your time and the work you are doing in Washington. ...
www.results.org/website/article.asp?id=1637
Meet with the International Student Advisor: Throughout the semester it is
important that you touch basis with the international student advisor at least …
www.arc.losrios.edu/~intl/how.html
... to the family and to the nanny, once a week for the first three to four weeks.
Thereafter a once a month call to touch basis is always appreciated. ...
www.4nanny.com/interviewing_agency.shtml
In this article I’m going to touch basis on what the average female is looking
to accomplish in the gym, and then talk about how to get there. ...
www.teenbodybuilding.com/bigfem.htm
We are in full swing here at the office getting ready for the season, and I want
to touch basis with you at least one more time before we are on the block. ...
www.summitreforestation.com/newsletter/newsletter.htm
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This may be just a misspelling. Re the original meaning, surely it has more to do with a runner’s need to touch the bases to advance or score a run than to “tag up” on a fly ball. (For a soccer fan, this is encouragement that baseball is less than universally popular, as it once might have been.)
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For me “touch bases†itself is likely an eggcorn—the standard is, I think, “touch baseâ€. The imagery is not that of touching the bases as you run around the diamond, but of going back to the base you had taken a lead off, not advancing, but making sure things are safe before beginning the next play. If it were the other, I would expect it to be “touch the basesâ€.
We’ll be touching bases constantly,
I tried to touch bases with you last year and am trying to touch bases again now.
I want to touch bases with you regarding your plans for further processing of the resolution I discussed with you when I was recently in North Dakota.
We have a number of topics that we need to touch bases on and move forward.
I have had two who used “touch bases†confirm that what they had in mind was something like two chess pieces’ bases being touched to each other, rather than tagging up in baseball. Others have said they did still have baseball in mind.
In any case, touching the bases as you round them is different imagery from going back to tag up, even though both come from baseball and involve touching a base in that game, and for those whose imagery is of two chess pieces touching their bases to each other, there is a pretty clear eggcorn.
“Touch basis†is likely to be a further step of eggcorning: it would mean something like getting down to brass tacks, or getting to the root of things.
I want to touch basis with you about yesterday’s lunch.
What day next week would be a good day to touch basis with you on this matter? Thank you for your time and the work you are doing in Washington.
“Touch basis†is also used as a noun:
Once a month we have a touch basis with each person and have a one on one with them.
Just to complete the picture: people also say “check baseâ€, “check basesâ€, and “check baseâ€. Since touching base with someone is checking in with them (if not checking up on them), these blends shouldn’t be surprising.
I just wanted to check bases with you to see if you received the email I sent you a couple weeks ago?
[she could] check base with [him every so often]
Check basis with some airlines. only ticketed www.renoairport.com united Vacations – Vacation Packages to Hawaii Maui Las Vegas
Last edited by DavidTuggy (2008-10-20 17:53:00)
*If the human mind were simple enough for us to understand,
we would be too simple-minded to understand it* .
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