This sounds like an example of what's called a "mondegreen". (Google it, and you'll find some interesting entries.) One of my favorites is the hymn title "Lead on, O Kinky Turtle."
Herb
-----Original Message-----
From: Assembly for the Teaching of English Grammar on behalf of Nancy Tuten
Sent: Thu 3/16/2006 7:37 PM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: Question: Language change and malapropism
I know several people who say "I would just assume stay home tonight"
instead of "I would just as soon . . ."
And I once read a first-year student's placement essay claiming that Tina
Turner has a big ego because her fans have put her on a pedal stool.
Nancy
Nancy L. Tuten, PhD
Professor of English
Director of the Writing-across-the-Curriculum Program
Columbia College
Columbia, South Carolina
[log in to unmask]
803-786-3706
_____
From: Assembly for the Teaching of English Grammar
[mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Paul E. Doniger
Sent: Thursday, March 16, 2006 7:28 PM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: Question: Language change and malapropism
Here are a couple of others that I think are rare:
Years ago, my father often would say, "You need to have a clear prospectus
about ... (whatever it was that he thought I didn't have a clear
perspective on)." Once, I tried to correct him, but he insisted that he was
right and I was wrong; I didn't have the heart to continue insisting. I've
never heard anyone else use this malapropism.
A student of mine recently, in a journal response to Arthur Miller's The
Crucible, wrote about Tituba's belief in "view-due." I had to read that a
couple of times before I registered her mistake!
This is fun,
Paul D.
"Spruiell, William C" <[log in to unmask]> wrote:
My favorite should-be-a-wordism from my most recent bout of grading:
He may have been moti! vated by his subconscientious mind.
Bill Spruiell
Dept. of English
Central Michigan University
_____
From: Assembly for the Teaching of English Grammar
[mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Diane Allen
Sent: Thursday, March 16, 2006 9:51 AM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: Question: Language change and malapropism
Diane Allen, M.A.
Technical Writing Coordinator
Midland College
AFA 131
432/685-6458 office
432/686-4901 fax
[log in to unmask]
>>> [log in to unmask] 3/16/2006 7:43 AM >>>
The discussion of the broadening of the meaning of 'unique' is interesting,
but I see a different problem that I might call widespread malapropism.
My students often create terms or use them as malapropisms--and these may be
derived from rap music or these may have their roots in Microsoft Word's
spell-checker. Does anyone else know anything more about this?
One frequently occurring example is the word 'blase' to mean "bla-bla-bla"
or 'yadayadayada". My students will actually say: "blase blase blase"
thinking that it is equivalent to these other terms. So when this phrase
enters widespread use, can we say that the meaning of 'blase' has altered?
(even though most students who use it in this context do not k! now that
they have altered a meaning; they think they have learned a new word.)
How do they pronounce "blase" in this case: "blah-zay" or "blaze"? Or
maybe some other inimitable way?
Diane
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