Eggcorn Forum

The English words “monument” and “monumental” descend from a Latin term for remembering. In a broad sense, anything that holds memories can be a monument – a picture, a lock of hair, a view. Because, however, the best way to cement a memory is to, well, cement it, over the years “monument” has become closely (and sometimes strictly) associated with stone. The lithic component has almost edged out the mnemonic role.

The long association between stones and remembering may have propelled the leap from “monument/monumental” to “montument/montumental.” “Mont” is recognized as a morpheme for mountain.

A few of the hundreds of examples on the web:

Comment on a poem: “In shock I could not write..this is such a montumental thing that has happened I am sure all of us will be chipping away writing the emotions of it for years. ”

Comment at trucker’s site: “He did! And created a montumental traffic jam in the process …. this was the first time it had been done. ”

Basketball article: “The Blazers win also sets up a montumental showdown at Memphis on Thursday. ”

Picture caption: “WWII Memorial with the Washington Montument in the background.”

Genealogy forum: “Only a montument standing now to mark the spot. ”