Discussions about eggcorns and related topics
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Thanks for your understanding.
Chris -- 2018-04-11
I’ve just noticed that this is on the eggcorn list, but it doesn’t seem sufficiently eggcornish to me, because it seems like it would be more accurately classed as a folk etymology. I say this because I’ve always had the impression that “step foot” was more common than “set foot” in certain regions and/or subcultures, i.e., used by groups rather than just by individuals. I was raised white middle-class in Michigan, and we said “set foot”. It may be instructive to hear from others as to where they were raised, and in what ethnic group or subculture, and whether their community favored “step foot” or “set foot”.
Afterthought: It also seems that it’s an unlikely eggcorn because “step” sounds so different from “set” that it’s hard to believe that anyone would confuse the two sounds. So the eggcorn requirement of auditory confusion may not be satisfied by this phrase.
So I say folk etymology, not eggcorn.
Dixon
Last edited by Dixon Wragg (2008-11-25 17:01:45)
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