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
I stumbled upon this one in an online discussion of the movie “The Incredibles”: “it is perhaps the best superhero film ever made because it doubles over as one of cinema’s best stories about the family unit.” I doubt we could call this an eggcorn, as it seems to be just a blend of a couple of idioms. Anyhow, my Google sampling yielded nearly 200 unique hits, such as:
The Ooma Telo Phone headset also doubles over as an intercom system.
There is an amazing line of incognito sensation toys that doubles over as amazing pieces of jewelry and artistic accessories.
We also visited an artisanal pottery where they showed us around someone´s house that doubles over as a pottery factory.
Offline
Which idioms do you see as blending here?
If the idea is there in the perps’ minds of the subject bending itself into an awkward shape (bending over backwards?) in order to fit a dual function, then we have an eggcorn, regardless of its origin as a blend or whatever. Or, of course, they may have another eggcornish construal I haven’t thought of.
*If the human mind were simple enough for us to understand,
we would be too simple-minded to understand it* .
Offline
DavidTuggy wrote:
Which idioms do you see as blending here?
“Double over” (as when punched in the stomach) and “double as” (to serve two functions).
If the idea is there in the perps’ minds of the subject bending itself into an awkward shape (bending over backwards?) in order to fit a dual function, then we have an eggcorn, regardless of its origin as a blend or whatever.
I wasn’t suggesting that its being a blend of idioms means it’s not an eggcorn, DT. I was saying that it was just a blend of idioms and not an eggcorn because I saw no plausible meaning connection to make it an eggcorn. But you’ve just suggested a plausible meaning connection, so that hurdle is passed.
However, isn’t there another hurdle on the way to eggcornicity? Doesn’t the pronunciation have to be similar enough for the two to be auditorily confused? How could someone auditorily confuse “double over as” with “double as”? The”eggcorn” has 2 extra syllables inserted into the “acorn”, resulting in a construction that couldn’t possibly be auditorily confused with the original. Isn’t that prohibitive?
Offline
Dixon Wragg wrote:
Which idioms do you see as blending here? ¶ [A] “Double over” (as when punched in the stomach) and “double as” (to serve two functions).
OK, that is somewhat unusual, though. Most blends (of this type) involve two idioms (or words or whatever) which both are tied somehow to the intended meaning. As you note, doubling over when punched in the stomach doesn’t easily link to the notion of taking on an additional role.
I wasn’t suggesting that its being a blend of idioms means it’s not an eggcorn, DT.
Sorry, wasn’t directing that remark at anybody, just thinking out loud.
Doesn’t the pronunciation have to be similar enough for the two to be auditorily confused? How could someone auditorily confuse “double over as” with “double as”? The”eggcorn” has 2 extra syllables inserted into the “acorn”, resulting in a construction that couldn’t possibly be auditorily confused with the original. Isn’t that prohibitive?
Yes, you’re right. I was just thinking that the semantic requirement would be met, and misspoke. I should have said that we would have a more normal blend (in that both meanings would contribute to the final result) with the eggcornish attribute of constructing surprising meaning in the process of blending.
fwiw, we should probably put things we’re pretty sure aren’t eggcorns in the “Slips, Innovations and Reshapings†section instead of here under “Contribute!†(I’m guilty of having put them here as well.) I think Pat is the one with the majestic powers to actually move things, or can you too, Kem?
Last edited by DavidTuggy (2013-02-11 07:17:01)
*If the human mind were simple enough for us to understand,
we would be too simple-minded to understand it* .
Offline
can you too, Kem?
No, it’s Pat or Chris you need. My superpower consists entirely in the ability to spot an eggcorn, and sometimes I have doubts about that.
Hatching new language, one eggcorn at a time.
Offline
DavidTuggy wrote:
fwiw, we should probably put things we’re pretty sure aren’t eggcorns in the “Slips, Innovations and Reshapings†section instead of here under “Contributeâ€...
Sheeesh! there was a time when I would have done it as you suggest, but then a couple of the Eggcorn Forum old-timers (I forget who) told me I should be putting almost everything under “Contribute”, so I started doing that. Now I don’t know what the hell to do. Could one of you who told me some time ago to put more things in the “Contribute” section please step forward and clarify? Thanks.
Offline
Dixon, I think you must be referring to this bit, a few years back:
Oh, okay. I noticed Dixon’s pattern of posting in Eggcornology a couple of years back, and I was puzzled by it, but decided it didn’t matter much. And, frankly, I still don’t think it matters very much. And, heck, the “Eggcornology†page is fairly rarely visited, so maybe it’s just nice that somebody is keeping the chair warm over there. That said, Dixon, I don’t see why you shouldn’t post these sorts of comments on Contribute—you always make it clear that you know the eggcorn is already in the Database, so no one can get confused. And they fit a little better in Contribute than they do in “Eggcornology,†where I personally expect a more abstract, “theoretical†discussion that’s widely applicable to a range of reshapings. But ultimately it’s up to you as far as I’m concerned.
http://eggcorns.lascribe.net/forum/view … hp?id=5281
My understanding is that new eggcorns go into “Contribute”, things that aren’t (necessarily) eggcorns but interesting to you anyway can go into “Slips, Innovations and Reshapings”, stuff about the nature of eggcorns will go to “Eggcornology”, and the two others are self-explanatory.
Offline
OK, thanks for the clarification.
Offline