Discussions about eggcorns and related topics
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Chris -- 2018-04-11
The word “roundabout,†as an adjective, means “circuitous, indirect.†It often occurs in the phrasal context “in a roundabout way.â€
A “runabout,†on the other hand, is an open or light vehicle (boat, car) for making short or pleasurable trips. It is almost never used as an adjective. Which makes the phrase “in a runabout way†(see examples below) peculiar. “Runabout” in this phrase may be just a misheard word. But it may be more. People who say “in a runabout way†could have in mind a meandering trip in a pleasure craft. A hither-and-yon voyage in a runabout might be described as “circuitous.†If so, perhaps we have an eggcorn.
Web examples:
Installing a piece of computer hardware: “ok i fixed it but i had to do it in a runabout way.†(http://www.linuxquestions.org/questions … al-388884/)
An attempted satirical comment about postings: “How about the non-social individuals who spend there time criticising people who criticise quotes, but doing it in a runabout way. “ (http://fr.boards.cityofvillains.com/sho … ain=641935)
In a script: “CHRIS: She’s right… in a runabout way†(http://somewhere-inbetween.mzp-tv.co.uk … ib1×18.htm)
Comment on a political article: “the congressman for my distrcit…said in a runabout way a few weeks ago that he didnt really support the tax cuts†(http://forums.spacebattles.com/archive/ … 47130.html)
Last edited by kem (2007-11-11 01:38:13)
Hatching new language, one eggcorn at a time.
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kem writes:
“Runabout†in this phrase may be just a misheard word.
Actually, being misheard (and subsequently reused) almost always helps the case for something being an eggcorn. And, I’d say that “runabout” indeed appears to be an eggcorn. I’m reminded of the notion of “running circles around someone” or giving someone a “run for his money” or even the general notion of running about but getting nowhere. All these idioms create a backdrop for the “runabout” eggcorn. Nice find kem.
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