Comments on: 4 Exasperating Malapropisms

By: umber

umber — Mon, 15 Mar 2010 22:29:57 +0000

My favorite was when a student in a class on law and the courts told us that picking the cases they would or would not hear was the purgative of the Supreme Court.

By: Travlee

Travlee — Thu, 28 May 2009 18:37:03 +0000

My favorite aunt always talks about far she walked on her threadmill. Don’t have the heart to correct her and I chuckle everytime I hear her say threadmill.

By: Sas Harris

Sas Harris — Thu, 23 Apr 2009 13:45:59 +0000

A radio announcer made me crazy one day by repeatedly asking people to call in and answer the question: “Is Justin Trudeau the epitome of his father Pierre Trudeau?” When I heard it the first time, I thought that someone would rush in and correct him as it was the question of the day and bound to be repeated. But no … it went on and on for the full half-hour.

I have also heard a newsreader on TV say someone was a “child protegee”

By: Loretta Woods

Loretta Woods — Mon, 16 Mar 2009 01:56:23 +0000

1. Years ago a school principal, who was a nun (a very intelligent lady, by the way) looked at some paper sculptures that hung from a classroom ceiling, and commented: “Those are interesting motels the children made.”

Making mobiles in elementary art education was an innovation at the time, and I guess the Sister hadn’t stayed at many motels.

2. My mother was intelligent in many ways, but her highest skills were not in English usage and vocabulary. One evening she thought my father’s making himself a large sandwich between supper and bedtime amounted to gluttony. “Don, you’re so gullible!” she scolded.

Maybe “gullible” sounds too much like “gobble.”

By: Loretta Woods

Loretta Woods — Mon, 16 Mar 2009 01:36:58 +0000

In a sermon I heard this morning, the priest kept repeating “preservere” for persevere. I think he used the mispronunciation 8 – 10 times. It was an otherwise good sermon, but “preservere” was distracting. I guess a case could be made that one who perseveres is preserving his resoluteness to continue in a struggle or effort — pressing on.

I hope to submit comments on other issues regarding misuse of words.