Discussions about eggcorns and related topics
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Chris -- 2025-05-10
Found here: http://forums.somethingawful.com/showth … t333712163
I have nothing to add.
Last edited by tentaclesex (2007-09-22 19:56:07)
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Mis-spelling, sure, but I don’t see an alternative meaning in the author’s intent that they somehow felt that underwelling had a meaning related to welling or anything else. On that basis it would not be an eggcorn, as there is no mix-up of meanings.
Underwhelmed is itself an odd one, being a deliberate juxtaposition of the idea of being overwhelmed (which stems from a literal meaning of flooding, if I recall correctly) with being so not overwhelmed, not even slightly whelmed, so must be underwhelmed.
A bit like my Uncle’s expression for being tipsy or even quite drunk – after one iced G&T / cold beer you feel refreshed, so by extension someone may be described as being [a bit] over-refreshed
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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