hierarchy » higherarchy

Classification: English

Spotted in the wild:

  • This only confirms the age old practice of caste higherarchy where a higher caste man marrying a woman from lower caste is more aceptable than woman from higher caste marrying a lower caste man. (indiafamily.net)
  • She took the advice of many and went through all the proper channels in the Higherarchy of the church. (term-papers.us)
  • In 1978, Berg destroyed the higherarchy make-up of the group. There had been rummurs of maltreatment and abuse. When the higherarchy was distroyed, some of the “higher leaders” left due to no power. (link)
  • For you will be moving from a profession founded principally on meritocracy and ability to get the job done — your worth is based primarily on the quality of your work, to a profession founded principally on higherarchy and ‘length of service’ — your worth will be perceived strictly according to your position within the ’school higherarchy’ …at least initially. (link)
  • Dominance Higherarchy Influences Adult Neurogenesis In The Dentate Gyrus (U Wisconsin-Madison, from: Neuroscience 675 Required Reading)

Analyzed or reported by:

| Comments Off link | entered by Chris Waigl, 2005/07/18 |

bombé » Bombay

Chiefly in:   Bombay chest

Classification: English – cross-language

Spotted in the wild:

  • Because Trust is a commodity. Very, very expensive. Not like a plasma TV screen, or a Hummer. But like a great-grandmother’s Bombay chest, or a Civil War journal. (link)
  • These guys are in my opinion on par with the masters in furniture making from the past. […] Randy O’Donnell (what a great Bombay chest he makes) (woodworkersedge.blogspot.com)
  • This is a French Bombay Chest with a cream and cocoa beveled marble top (classified ad)
  • Absolutely gorgeous! The chest is created from solid wood and MDF and features resin legs. This hand painted design gives this Bombay chest the perfect touch of detail that your room needs. (shopnbc.com)

Analyzed or reported by:

A page on interior decoration at About.com explains:

> “Bombé Chest”
>Definition: A bombé chest is a cabinet with a bulge or serpentine front (and sometimes sides), usually with drawers.
>Pronunciation: bom-bay’
> Common Misspellings: Bombay Chest

The French word _bombé_, which can of course be spelled _bombe_ in English, means “curved outward”.

| 1 comment | link | entered by Chris Waigl, 2005/07/18 |

fait » fate

Chiefly in:   fate accompli

Classification: English – cross-language

Spotted in the wild:

  • She asked Dr. Rabianski to head a subcommittee to investigate the issue. Dr. Rabianski agreed and asked that the Committee discuss the issue even if it is a fate accompli. (Georgia State University Senate, P&D Committee minutes, Sep. 23, 1999)
  • Thus a social order dictated by the ‘free’ market and yet, ironically, ‘determined’ by the globalised capital is fast imposing itself as a fate accompli. (Tribune of India, Oct. 14, 2001)
  • “My reaction was they’re just giving them more time so they can take over more, that the military wing of the opposition can take over more ground in Haiti and create a fate accompli,” Kurzban said. (Democracy Now!, Feb. 25, 2004)
  • Many thousands have worked tirelessly for decades in opposing (and fighting against) a merger with India or Pakistan as a fate-accompli. (Pakistan Observer, Apr. 28, 2005)

Analyzed or reported by:

A particularly apt cross-linguistic eggcorn, since a _fait accompli_ seems “fated” to occur.

| 3 comments | link | entered by Ben Zimmer, 2005/07/18 |

in » end

Chiefly in:   from here on end

Classification: English – final d/t-deletion

Spotted in the wild:

  • “Every match from here on end is an opportunity to make a dent in our schedule and make a statement” for the NCAA tournament selections committee, Drzal said. (Univ. of Virginia Cavalier Daily, Mar. 8, 2001)
  • So from here on end, I guess, as Raymond Carver said, ‘it’s all gravy’. (Australian Broadcasting Corporation, 7:30 Report transcript, Nov. 19, 2001)
  • From here on end all British Columbians can do is see their surgeries get cancelled, see the quality of education decline, see some taxes cut, see some deregulation of government services, business flourishing and the Liberals in office for a long time. (The Commentary, May 28, 2002)
  • Do you think the Phil will pretty much abandon the triangle from here on end given their success with less offensive structure against the Spurs? (USA Today chat transcript, May 19, 2004)

Probably influenced by _on end_ meaning ‘without interruption’ (as in _for days/weeks/months/years on end_) — so perhaps this is an idiom blend?

| Comments Off link | entered by Ben Zimmer, 2005/07/18 |

middlin' » midland

Chiefly in:   fair to midland

Classification: English – final d/t-deletion

Spotted in the wild:

  • Adrien Brody is fair-to-midland, calling up the best Steinbeckian dimwit that the constricting storyline will allow. (FilmForce review, July 30, 2004)
  • I tried Ofoto once, and it was FAIR, but I must confess I mailed them the film, so I could only expect fair to midland prints from that roll anyway. (Frugal Living forum, Dec. 7, 2004)
  • The Governor got an A from the Sierra Club, no big surprise that a Democratic Governor gets an A. Gave her a C this year. That’s not just fair to midland, that’s pretty poor. (KAET Horizon transcript, May 27, 2005)

Analyzed or reported by:

Quinion calls _fair to Midland_ “a Texas variation on the phrase [_fair to middlin’_], a joke on the name of the city called Midland in that state.” Though it’s often used humorously (as in the name of a Texan band and a Dwight Yoakam song), there are many attestations of serious (usually uncapitalized) usage with no apparent allusion to the city of Midland.

| Comments Off link | entered by Ben Zimmer, 2005/07/18 |