Discussions about eggcorns and related topics
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Thanks for your understanding.
Chris -- 2018-04-11
Google counts on June 30, 2007
36,600 “A word in edgeways”
129,000 “A word in edgewise”
According to one source, either form of the idiom “Can’t get a word in edgeways/edgewise” is correct. So, one of these was probably an eggcorn of the other at one time, and now they are both mainstream. Probably should be documented in the Database in some manner once we get to the bottom of this.
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-ways is the usual form in the UK.
-wise is the usual form in the US.
-wise and -ways are closely related.
http://dictionary.reference.com/search?q=-wise
Adrian
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both seem fine, but in the same context (or otherwise) I have only ever heard sideways, never sidewise. Strange.
Give a man a fish and he will eat for a day; teach a man to fish and he will buy a ridiculous hat – Scott Adams (author of Dilbert)
Build a man a fire and he will be warm for a day; set a man on fire and he will be warm for the rest of his life – Terry Pratchett
http://blog.meteorit.co.uk
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