Discussions about eggcorns and related topics
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Chris -- 2025-05-10
At the October 7th Presidential debate Obama said:
“Now, Sen. McCain suggests that somehow, you know, I’m green behind the ears and, you know, I’m just spouting off, and he’s somber and responsible.”
I thought the expression was “wet behind the ears,” which means the same thing pretty much as “green” or “a little green.”
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Yes, it’s a classic blend. Not much of an eggcorn, as “green†and “wet†do not sound at all alike. It does seem to be standard for some speakers, though, which is eggcorn-like. Still, it’s a fun one.
Welcome to the forum, by the way.
*If the human mind were simple enough for us to understand,
we would be too simple-minded to understand it* .
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