Eggcorn Forum

Jan Freeman’s long-running column in the Ideas section of the Boston Globe has been mentioned frequently in this forum. And she has cited the forum in her columns. She uses her newspaper pieces to beat the bounds of the English language to find curiosities, contradictions and confabulations. You can check out her pieces online at http://www.boston.com/bostonglobe/ideas/jan_freeman/

In an April 2007 discussion of an eggcorn (http://www.boston.com/news/globe/ideas/ … _eggcorns/), Freeman invited her readers to send in their own eggcorns. She has reported several of the responses in 2008 articles. Some of these contributions, ones that appear to be real eggcorns, have not found a place in this forum. As I have time, I’ll try to bring over some of these submissions for consideration.

One of these proposed eggcorns, a classic that should have appeared here before now, is the common confusion between body and bawdy, especially in the compound “bodyhouse.”

(Warning: some sites NSFW–Not Safe for Wordwonks)

A forum post: “The member across the way, who’s mother, with the pretence of running a common bodyhouse, was caught receiving stolen goods.” (http://www.bautforum.com/archive/index.php/t-4815.html)

Erotica bulletin board: “Incalls fall in the ‘common bodyhouse ’ section of the law which makes it illegal.” (http://www.erotic-canada.com/forums/sho … php?t=3883)

Essay on sexual lifestyles: “This is one of the grey areas and in some areas, depending on where you live; you may be subject to ‘common bodyhouse ’ laws.” (http://www.very-koi.net/lifestyle/polyamory_02.htm)

X-rated Asian movie description: “He use his mortgage to setup a cyber cafe, but all of the customer thought is body house (http://bt.avistaz.com/details.php?id=03 … 50e9c1f0f7)

From a web term paper: “Child prostitution consists of soliciting, living of the avails of child prostitution, operating a body house, and providing children to people for the service of prostitution.” (http://www.customessaymeister.com/custo … n/7806.htm)