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#1 2010-08-20 18:04:53

samarkeolog
Member
Registered: 2010-08-20
Posts: 3

pass time, pass-time, pastime

I searched here and didn’t find it, so I don’t think it’s been recorded. I’ve seen uses of the terms “pass time” or “pass-time” instead of “pastime”. (A slightly polluted search gets 424,000 hits: http://www.google.co.uk/search?q=%22a+pass+time%22 – so I don’t think it’s simply orally-learned English.) I don’t know whether you would count them, as they are returns to the original fifteenth-century Anglicisation of “passe-temps”.

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#2 2010-08-20 19:31:37

DavidTuggy
Eggcornista
From: Mexico
Registered: 2007-10-11
Posts: 2714
Website

Re: pass time, pass-time, pastime

For me these are all orthographical variants. Past time and passed time are potential eggcorns—they are apparently standard for some. The first at least has been discussed here and elsewhere on the site.
.
The orthographical variants may overlie some potentially eggcornish silent reshapings. Is pass-time (however it is spelt) a “transitive.verb+object=action/instrument/subject” structure (parallel to break-fast ), or an “intransitive.verb+subject.head” structure (parallel to a literal hum-bug ), or ? But you are fairly distant from prototypical eggcornhood when you look at these shifts.

Last edited by DavidTuggy (2010-08-20 19:45:12)


*If the human mind were simple enough for us to understand,
we would be too simple-minded to understand it* .

(Possible Corollary: it is, and we are .)

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#3 2010-08-20 20:38:15

samarkeolog
Member
Registered: 2010-08-20
Posts: 3

Re: pass time, pass-time, pastime

Isn’t it impossible to tell, with these forms, whether the user has merely used a different orthography or whether they have performed an eggcornish reshaping (because if it was eggcornish, it would simultaneously coincide with the centuries-old spelling)?

If it is “a pass time” as in “a (thing to do to) pass time”, it would be prototypically eggcornish, wouldn’t it, since it would be a substitution that still makes sense – or would it not be eggcornish because it wouldn’t be “very” wrong?

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#4 2010-08-20 20:48:06

DavidTuggy
Eggcornista
From: Mexico
Registered: 2007-10-11
Posts: 2714
Website

Re: pass time, pass-time, pastime

To me if it means “a (thing to do to) pass time” that is the true, proper, standard, original meaning. It is what I think of when I use the word (which of course makes it right!!) It is true that some people don’t perceive that structure and use the word as an undivided lexical entry, but I don’t think I am imputing new structure to it, any more than if I perceive vile+th in filth or heal+th in health . Perceiving such ancient structure is not constructing an eggcorn, though I willingly admit (in fact, I would insist) that one uses similar abilities and cognitive procedures in the two endeavors.


*If the human mind were simple enough for us to understand,
we would be too simple-minded to understand it* .

(Possible Corollary: it is, and we are .)

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#5 2010-08-20 20:50:49

samarkeolog
Member
Registered: 2010-08-20
Posts: 3

Re: pass time, pass-time, pastime

Okay, that makes sense; cheers.

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#6 2017-04-08 13:48:45

DavidTuggy
Eggcornista
From: Mexico
Registered: 2007-10-11
Posts: 2714
Website

Re: pass time, pass-time, pastime

If your looking for something to past the time? We got you covered with Darts & Golden Tee Golf.

speculation or whatever else we ladies can think of to past the time

Inner Harbor: A good place to past the time. – See 2216 traveler reviews,

Don’t think we’d listed this variant. To past something = to cause it to be in the past.

See also examples like

jump on the column and crouch to past the entry of a passage and run to go outside.

I think if someone were to past a milestone that maybe the mods can post a bulletin thread about it

As one travels, what one has passed (or passted?) is what one has encountered in the past, so again passing it moves it to the past.

Last edited by DavidTuggy (2017-04-08 13:51:11)


*If the human mind were simple enough for us to understand,
we would be too simple-minded to understand it* .

(Possible Corollary: it is, and we are .)

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