Discussions about eggcorns and related topics
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Chris -- 2025-05-10
“Hamas infused Islamization with Political Goal of Subplanting Israel”
Now I suppose this could just be a misspelling, but I think it’s an eggcorn. “Sub” has crept in there by unconscious incorporation of such ideas as “undermine” and “undercut.” I see the influence of “substitute” as well. “Plant” is reinforced by “root out” and the like.
A larger point—I think in deciding whether something is an eggcorn, we often put too much emphasis on whether it makes literal sense in its own terms, and end up reaching for rather far-fetched explanations. But I think eggcorn formation generally results from unconscious reinterpretation of confusing words and idioms. The association of “sub” with “under” here is a good example.
Incidentally, I don’t know how common this is, because there is a noun “subplant,” like “substation,” which dominates any Google search.
David
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“Subplant” is just a misspelling, isn’t it? “Supplant” is, after all, “sub” + “planta” (i.e., something under the sole of the foot). Latin plosives that come together when two words are joined commonly become “pp.” “Supposition,” for example, from “supponere,” “sub” + “ponere.”
Hatching new language, one eggcorn at a time.
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I just posted about “surplant” for supplant, which I think along the same line of reasoning as the original post here on “subplant” could be an eggcorn.
It was not a misspelling, because it was spoken (I was transcribing it).
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