Discussions about eggcorns and related topics
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Chris -- 2018-04-11
The Unshelved webcomic for 2010-12-07 has a library patron saying “I hear you’re the information gatekeeper.” Dewey, the slackerish librarian main character, replies “I see myself as more of a doorjamb.”
Google search for “doorjamb” shows a heck of a lot of professional and advice and sales hits. One of those is How does a door jamb work? from Yahoo! Associated Content. It begins:
A doorjamb is a wedge usually in a skinny triangular shape. It can be made out of plastic, wood, or rubber. Its main use is to hold a door open. Since doors don’t automatically stay open you can place the door as far open as you want it and then slide the doorjamb underneath the door. It should be pushed in as far as it can go. This jams the door and keeps it in place. The door will not close unless you remove the doorjamb.
Of course, a /’dor,jæm/ must be something that jams a door shut.
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Winner! Looking up the acorn of a doorjamb, I was brought up short by the realization that it is the door’s gams. I wonder if your discovery can be extrapolated to reveal a delicious hidden eggcorn. How many think that a doorjamb is the frame that the door is jammed into, or is that board that can turn fingers to jam.
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I wrote to the “Unshelved!” contact address and got this reply from the writer, Gene Ambaum:
I’m just mad at my doors for not setting me straight first.
-Gene
Last edited by Mark Mandel (2010-12-08 10:59:09)
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