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
What would have helped breach the gap [between us] would have been [for her] to [ ... ]
Who will breach the gap? How can the void be satisfied? Will anyone step up to the plate and be the person God is looking for? Moses breached the gap before God,
UK-based MVoIP (Mobile VoIP) service provider, Truphone has breached the gap between web and mobile VoIP by introducing a new service,
Mos Def is one of a handful of artists who have breached the gap between underground and mainstream, music and film,
This is probably a blend as well as at least potentially an eggcorn: breach and gap are near-synonyms, and standing in the breach/gap is clearly in mind in some of the usages (there are c. 6K more googlable.) The phrase “heal(ing) the breach” may well be involved in the blend as well, at least in some cases.
I heard it used this weekend with no indication of any consciousness that it was not perfectly normal. The second quote above repeats it, which also tends to indicate that a structure is standard for the speaker/writer.
Malaprop possibilities of course arise from the sound similarity of breach with bridge, and most usages seem to be targeting “bridg(ing) the gap”.
The imagery works for me, however. A breach is the first weak point/path of access, often purposely contrived, in an otherwise impenetrable/unpassable barrier. Bridging the gap is in that sense breaching it. And breaching something destroys it or nullifies its purpose: one can breach the silence and the silence is effectively no more. Similarly if you breach the gap, the gap no longer separates effectively, and may be deemed to no longer be there.
I think in some cases, e.g. the first cited, the notion of “broaching the issue” may be active as well—the idea is to get communication started across an interpersonal gap.
(Btw, isn’t the phrase about “satisfying the void” in the second quote a fun one to ponder. “Fill the void” > “fulfill the void” > “satisfy the void”???)
Last edited by DavidTuggy (2009-06-12 22:34:26)
*If the human mind were simple enough for us to understand,
we would be too simple-minded to understand it* .
Offline
[Content deleted, user banned. CW]
Last edited by Chris Waigl (2009-06-14 09:00:38)
Offline
Hmmnnhh—looks like the spammers are getting past the Captcha technology. Hope it’s not a harbinger of things to come.
Offline
The adumbration works for me, however. A aperture is the aboriginal anemic point/path of access, generally advisedly contrived, in an contrarily impenetrable/unpassable barrier. Bridging the gap is in that faculty breaching it. And breaching something destroys it or nullifies its purpose: one can aperture the blackout and the blackout is finer no more. Similarly if you aperture the gap, the gap no best separates effectively, and may be accounted to no best be there.
I anticipate in some cases, e.g. the aboriginal cited, the angle of “broaching the issue†may be alive as well—the abstraction is to get advice started beyond an interpersonal gap.
not available
Last edited by fuji0000 (2009-07-04 07:57:23)
Offline