Discussions about eggcorns and related topics
You are not logged in.
Registrations are currently closed because of a technical problem. Please send email to
The forum administrator reserves the right to request users to plausibly demonstrate that they are real people with an interest in the topic of eggcorns. Otherwise they may be removed with no further justification. Likewise, accounts that have not been used for posting may be removed.
Thanks for your understanding.
Chris -- 2018-04-11
Much came from the loss of the last syllable of M.E. muchel, itself vowel-shifted from O.E. micel, signifying “great in amount or extent,” from P.Gmc. * mekilaz, from PIE *meg- “great.” So much is related to mega: amazing. Mickle is still around in place names and dialects, and in the idiomatic expression ‘Many a little makes a mickle.’ Why little and not lickle is hard to explain. For a’ that, there is a widespread eggcorn in East Asia which has magicked it into a miracle. At least one of the sources is an idiom translation glossary from English to Chinese, that has it wrong.
Many a little makes a miracle.
Japanese savings advice
Reduce the money that you spend in almost all respect systematically, and you’ll find that many a little makes a miracle.
ESL thrift advice
There’s a saying, “Many a little makes a miracle.”
Japanese student in Montreal blog
Amazing Cherry Tree
Look at this tree. This breaks a big rock and keep growing to bloom flowers. This is telling me “constant dripping wears away the stone”. Many a little makes a miracle…
Japanese blogger
Offline