Eggcorn Forum

Discussions about eggcorns and related topics

You are not logged in.

Announcement

Registrations are currently closed because of a technical problem. Please send email to if you wish to register.

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

#1 2009-06-29 02:12:20

patschwieterman
Administrator
From: California
Registered: 2005-10-25
Posts: 1680

"flora and fawna" for "flora and fauna"

I usually avoid homphonous reshapings because they can so easily be misspellings. And that possibility is unavoidable here. But if flowers can be a stand-in for all plant life in the phrase “flora and fauna,” why can’t cute little baby deer be a symbol for all animal life? Even beyond the obvious puns, some of the hundreds of people using “fawna” just have to be making that connection. Fauns and fawns aren’t etymologically related, and in fact “fawn” is ultimately derived from “fetus.” “Flora and fawna” rarely shows up in edited prose (but see the first example); it’s easy to find on discussion forums, etc., however – 158 ughits for the string.

Examples:

The focal point of this ecosystem
project is the pupil-made pond surrounded
with flora and fawna indigenous to the area.
http://74.125.155.132/search?q=cache:Da … clnk&gl=us
[From the Congressional Record, May 21, 1997]

Visitors and travelers enjoy frequent sightings of bald eagles, osprey, moose, elk and other indigenous flora and fawna along the way.
http://www.harrisonidaho.org/tourism.cfm

An EA is not a serious study of local impacts on the population, flora and fawna.
http://arcticcircle.uconn.edu/SEEJ/NMD/ … ertell.htm

I cant think of the name but remember it was a movie about a space exploration that included bringing hydroponics or sustainable flora and fawna along with them.
http://www.movietome.com/forums/show_ms … _id=690940
[Easy question – I’ve seen Silent Running about 30 times.]

The greeks really have a good sense of aesthetics to garnish a public toilet entrance with flora and fawna.
http://www.clubsnap.com/forums/showthread.php?t=223637

It gives the basic history of the islands, the geology of the islands, and some of the flora and fawna.
http://astore.amazon.com/cosee-20/detail/1877856746

Offline

 

#2 2009-12-29 13:36:32

kem
Eggcornista
From: Victoria, BC
Registered: 2007-08-28
Posts: 2872

Re: "flora and fawna" for "flora and fauna"

I’m going through this year’s posts. I see that one of the best passed without comment. Great eggcorn, Pat. I must have been asleep at the switch when this train passed through.

Last edited by kem (2009-12-29 13:37:10)


Hatching new language, one eggcorn at a time.

Offline

 

Board footer

Powered by PunBB
PunBB is © 2002–2005 Rickard Andersson
Individual posters retain the copyright to their posts.

RSS feeds: active topicsall new posts