Discussions about eggcorns and related topics
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Chris -- 2018-04-11
This substitution is fairly common, but I’m not sure what the writers think they’re saying. Any explanations out there? Examples:
... if you are eligible, you still have to pay them back anyhow so don’t take it likely. You could ruin your financial health.
ashrufzz.blogspot.com
Don’t take it likely. Ask often, ‘Do I have a vision?’; ‘What target I am going to hit?’
www.businessforum.net/network-marketing-t6005p3.html – 48k –
Most parents struggle with this decision and don’t take it likely.
blogs.abcnews.com/theblotter/2006/05/some_parents_ea.html
“I don’t take it likely that their business model is going to be harmed,” said Ong.
www.purdueexponent.org/2001/08/29/city/index.html
They don’t take it likely and will go to extents to prevent theft, even if it is for a single individual. Unauthorized use of cable is a federal offense …
www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,15199960 –
I urge everyone who has any kind of lump, breat pain, anything…don’t take it likely and get to a doctor to have it checked.www.thecancerblog.com/2006/10/19/cancer-personality-fearful-women-more-prone-to-cancer/
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Ran across some more examples:
you must be on your guard. Such threats as he has made are not to be taken likely. What would he not do?
These records are not to be taken likely.
All I can figure is that people are thinking something like “likely to do nothing bad / unpleasant / problematicalâ€. Not sure how much sense that makes.
*If the human mind were simple enough for us to understand,
we would be too simple-minded to understand it* .
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Some perps could be thinking that “likely” is the adverbial form of “like” (in the sense of enjoying or approving of something). Thus, taking something likely would mean enjoying or approving of it. I think this would satisfy the requirement of an eggcornish meaning connection.
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Didn’t think of that. Yes, I think it works.
*If the human mind were simple enough for us to understand,
we would be too simple-minded to understand it* .
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