Discussions about eggcorns and related topics
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Chris -- 2025-05-10
Hello all.
I read about this site in New Scientist, and I thought “At last a home for my friend J” (who shall remain anonymous). These are not only spotted in the wild, I’ve witnessed their birth. They’re all real. They’re all unintentional. And they’re all from a single person (who is incidentally very good at Cluedo.)
I hope I’m not off-topic. Apologies if so.
1. “Laying on of tongues”. Just what you would expect from those lascivious televangelists. (a mash of “laying on of hands” and “speaking in tongues”).
2. “Movie mongols”. Unscrupulous film financiers – usually moguls as well.
3. “Yippies”. Yuppies out for a good time, or hippies who’ve smoked too much weed. I’m not sure which.
4. “Missing Patrol”. This is the 4WD vehicle previously known as a “Nissan Patrol”. I see Snoopy and a platoon of thirsty legionnaires searching for Fort Zinderneuf in air-conditioned comfort.
5. “Mongolian whores”. Unscrupulous, inscrutable contractors hard at work in the cube farm, wearing spiked hats.
There have been many more, but these are all I can remember.
Hope you enjoy them.
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You have a nice supply of creative language usage. The one item on your list that would probably qualify as an eggcorn is “movie mongols.” It seems to fit the standard tests: 1. Having an unintention alteration of another close-sounding term (moguls), and 2. Having an imagery which is apt (i.e., suited to a purpose) but distinct from the original term.
You might also consider running Google searches on your finds—to see just how many other people might have made the same blunder. You can even cut and paste a few examples to bolster the documentation.
Last edited by jorkel (2006-08-31 11:08:02)
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re YIPPIES
I dimly recall that YIPPIES were political, somewhat violent hippies, back in the Age of Aquarius. This was about five years before YUPPIES. I am embarrassed that I cannot recall fully. So YIPPIE may be an actual word.
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