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’m new to this site and am not certain this qualifies as an eggcorn. I first saw this expression in a thank-you note from a close family member years ago and have never forgotten it. Then a colleague told me about eggcorns and it came to mind. I googled it and had a handful of hits, two of which I give here:
This project involved technology which is very important to know how to use if you want to accel in life. <http://www.k12.hi.us/~rfujimot/Period%203/Crime%20-%20Violence/alan3.htm>
It must be so difficult to accel in life when all you know at home is considered wrong by the general public and the police… <http://www.420times.com/forums/general-420-talk/167-best-arguements-legalize-weed.html>
Clearly the confusion stems from “accelerate” and a certain semantic felicity that comes of American culture’s association of success and progress with speed. And I imagine a lot of people don’t really see the word “excellent” as being morphologically complex or derived from the verb “to excel” (and it’s not, I guess, since the process isn’t productive).
Offline