Malapropism

by ymelup

Mon Oct 09 2000 at 20:15:08

A misuse of the word, that is usually embarassing to the person misusing it, and amusing for the rest of us. Some examples (mostly from students):

"Are you incinerating that I hit him?" (obviously, the person means insinuate, not incinerate).
"Arabs wear turbines on their heads" (turbines vs turbans. Wearing a turbine on your head would make you an alpha geek).
Charles Darwin was a naturalist who wrote the Organ of the Species.
He (Jesus) fought with the Philatelists, a race of people who lived in Biblical times.

I like it!

(definition)

by Webster 1913

Wed Dec 22 1999 at 1:01:20

Mal"a*prop*ism (?), n. [From Mrs. Malaprop, a character in Sheridan's drama, " The Rivals," who makes amusing blunders in her use of words. See Malapropos.]

A grotesque misuse of a word; a word so used.

I like it!

Malapropos	Philatelist	alpha geek	Spoonerism
magnificent octopus	prunetang	The freedom of poverty	Pennies from Heaven
oikolect	Bushisms	Mondegreen	naturalist
Technique and tone in playing guitar	Parapraxes	The Poisonwood Bible	E2 node tracker
Malaprop	eggcorn	jerry-rigged	Quotation marks used to denote emphasis
The Two Ronnies	He's the bread	magnum opiate