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Chris -- 2018-04-11

#1 2018-12-08 14:42:28

Dixon Wragg
Eggcornista
From: Cotati, California
Registered: 2008-07-04
Posts: 1375

"straight" for "strait"

Today I encountered this online:

It always amuses me when such straight laced performers try to “get down.”
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I’m sure I’ve seen this one before. It’s been in our Eggcorn Database (here) for years. I quote:

The adjective “strait” ‘narrow, tight’ is pretty much restricted in modern English to the two expressions “straitjacket” and “strait-laced”, which most speakers seem to find opaque; its homophone “straight” at least makes some sense, especially in “straight-laced”, where there’s some possible connection to “straight” ‘conventional’. Merriam-Webster’s Dictionary of English Usage…notes: “The straight- spellings originated as errors, and they are still regarded as errors by many people [AMZ: Brians and Cochrane among them]. Because of their common occurrence in reputable publications, however, they are recognized as standard variants in almost all current dictionaries.”

I mention it here because it’s a good example of an eggcorn becoming so common that it becomes accepted as standard.

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#2 2018-12-09 23:13:16

yanogator
Eggcornista
From: Ohio
Registered: 2007-06-07
Posts: 237

Re: "straight" for "strait"

I still correct people on it, though.


“I always wanted to be somebody. I should have been more specific.” – Lily Tomlin

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