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
The PIE root word _* ghosti_, for “stranger”, morphed into the English doublets guest, host, hostile, hospital, hospitable and hospice. A hospice was initially a place for travelers to rest, and then, by the start of the XX c., was used to refer to a home for the elderly or for palliative care. An auspice was once an omen evident in the flight of birds. Nowadays, to be under the auspices of someone or something is to be under its watchful eye or benevolent guidance. Under the hospices of is clearly a malaprop, but it casts an egg-shaped shadow, as in “under the care of”.
Forum introductions
Beaker is the almighty powerfull global mod under whose hospices we reside.
Mental health reform
Under the hospices of the stated goals of mental health reform and based on best practices, PREP was envisioned to be an integral and complementary part of a regional mental health care delivery system
There are several dozen legit hits for this one. See also hospicious.
Last edited by David Bird (2010-05-30 19:48:29)
Offline
For many ‘h’ – dropping BrEnglish speakers these would be homophones and the the hospice probably more familiar than prophesy through the wheelings and dealings of birds, so I lean more eggwardly than malapropically – a nice find.
Here’s a seemingly genuine variant – just the one but sometimes one’s enough:
I believe when I was under the allspice of the NHS quick turnaround of patients was needed because of the lack of resources so power chair …
Offline
Allsome, Peter. (And David.)
*If the human mind were simple enough for us to understand,
we would be too simple-minded to understand it* .
Offline