Discussions about eggcorns and related topics
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Chris -- 2011-03-08
Three times in the last month someone has asked me about having a criminal record “sponged off” instead of expunged.
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There may also be a movement afoot to expunge Sponge Bob.
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Expunge comes from the same roots as pungent and punchy. It was imported from L. expungere “mark (a name on a list) for deletion”, by pricking out holes above or below it, in the days of scribes, before white-out. Sponge as a verb for “imbibe with a sea-animal’s flexible endoskeleton” precedes it by at least 60 years. To have a criminal record exsponged is a very common desire on web advice boards. Exsponge Bob as a friendly brand name is still up for grabs.
Free advice site
If I have a D.U.I on my record does mean I will be unable to hold a liquor license? Also can I ecsponge my record then obtain the license?
Young writer’s society
Skin covered in words – Like blood – That I wrote And cannot ecsponge.
Legal advice
Is there anyway I can exsponge a felony record? I have did time in jail but had gotten out a couple of years now and I would like to get a better job but I would like to exsponge my record
Last edited by David Bird (2010-07-28 11:22:56)
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Interesting. So all those people who expunch a record/case/conviction are returning to the etymological root of the mutilated word.
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If expunging does not work, try explunging. You can hear the satisfying sucking sound of a well-executed legal service.
Bulletin board question: “How long do I need to wait to explunge my criminal record in UK?”
Complaint to webmaster: “I think that the expunge option for the memo service is a bit hard to remember… If it’s changed to something easy like clear or something, it’d be a lot easier to clean my recycler. I’ve always typed ” explunge ”, then find out that I got it wrong”
Software support forum: “ [I] then clicked on explunge, and now for some strange reason i’ve lost all my mail from every single folder.”
Phone scan forum: “ we ard workin to explunge these harrasing rude money hungry savages”
Cruise ship discussion: “ I am in process of trying to find out if I need to file forms to explunge record or some other type of papers.”
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I know the sucking sound of working with lawyers. Explosive sponging is not too far off the mark. Not to be confused with the Cambridge Society of Explungers, who are (or were) plunging explorers.
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