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
Kramer’s recent entry, ‘restbit’, reminded me of my frequent exposure to this eggcorn but with a slight variation. I have to assume that American pronunciation of the word ‘respite’ sounds like ‘orbit’ or ‘rabbit’. On this side of the big water it’s pronounced like ‘despite’ but with the stress on the first syllable ( I do hope Americans don’t pronounce ‘despite’ as ‘dess-pit’ otherwise I’m wasting my time). It’s interesting that both cultures have eggcorned this and the differing imagery of both should still be effective. The American bit of rest contrasts significantly with the English escape from teeth.
5290 ghits for restbite www.pressbox.co.uk/detailed/Society/res … 10003.html – 10k
and 718 ghits for rest-bite
Offline
I’ve wrinkled this out because it seems topical, and I had omitted the circumstances in which I first heard it. At the time I worked with difficult/damaged children, one of whom had been sent home after, amongst other things, sinking his teeth into a member of staff. His departure was solomnly announced as being due to his need for ‘rest-bite’.
Offline