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Chris -- 2018-04-11

#1 2008-02-27 12:46:33

parkidavid
Member
Registered: 2008-02-27
Posts: 1

"cast dispersion on" for "cast aspersion on"

Source: The New York Post

http://www.nypost.com/seven/02242008/bu … _99008.htm

Context: 2nd paragraph:

” It’s a run that will make any retirement fix even more painful and expensive than it already is. Rather unfortunately, it is also likely to cast dispersion on the private market solutions to the Social Security mess.”

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#2 2008-02-28 11:53:52

nilep
Eggcornista
Registered: 2007-03-21
Posts: 291

Re: "cast dispersion on" for "cast aspersion on"

Hmm. I’m not sure that the author intended (a reshaping of) “cast aspersions” – it’s not clear to me what the author means. This is paragraph two of a nine paragraph article discussing 401(k) retirement accounts and their effects on the stock market. In this context, “cast dispersions on the private market solutions” could mean that something (though I don’t understand what) will be dispersed or distributed among some financial “solutions”. Or, it could mean that something (again, not clear what) will reflect negatively on those financial solutions – i.e. cast aspersions on them.

I’m not sure whether I’m inept at reading financial columns, or this author has crafted an inept turn of phrase.

On the other hand, a Google search for “cast dispersion on” does return 122 unique hits.

On the other other hand, most of those hits don’t seem to reflect a reshaping of “cast aspersions”.

“The effect of the amount of gluten in the casting dispersion and the amount of cast dispersion on film characteristics was studied”
http://linkinghub.elsevier.com/retrieve … 9002000924

“When target is damaged this spell has a 3% chance to cast Dispersion on caster.”
http://eq2.wikia.com/wiki/Dreadscale_Greaves

The first 10 hits also include the NY Post article parkidavid cites, as well as his posting here.

But then there is this:

Acid Partisanship and an Poll!!! – Mac Forums
“so when i cast dispersion on bush, it has **** all to do w/ the fact he’s a republican, it’s got everything to do w/ his actions in office.”
http://forums.macrumors.com/showthread.php?t=73094

Customer Review
“And so,unsurprisingly, the critics may take advantage of that and use it to cast dispersions on ‘They Were White and They Were Slaves’.”
http://www.amazon.com/review/R18JCTATO95S9P

So, it may be out there as a reshaping.

If so, I would suggest that, semantically, “dispersion” might be primed by “cast”. But unlike, say “eggcorn” – referring to a somewhat egg-shaped seed (corn) – “dispersion” doesn’t seem to be related to calumny. Perhaps its a demi-eggcorn?

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#3 2008-02-28 11:58:58

jorkel
Eggcornista
Registered: 2006-08-08
Posts: 1456

Re: "cast dispersion on" for "cast aspersion on"

This one’s been discussed a number of times. Click on “Search” in the red menu bar above and enter the word “aspersions”...

‘assertion’ for ‘aspersion’ by honzik20 Contribute! 1 2007-11-28 05:29:03 by jorkel

“Casting nasturtiums” for “aspersions” by keenanpepper Contribute! 2 2007-09-06 04:05:26 by AdamVero

‘hole cloth’ for ‘whole cloth’ by klakritz Contribute! 0 2006-06-20 16:52:12 by klakritz

‘cast dispersions’ for ‘cast aspersions’ by klakritz Contribute! 1 2005-11-28 16:36:54 by Ben Zimmer

Last edited by jorkel (2008-02-28 11:59:46)

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