The malaprop issue
Dec. 7th, 2004 10:47 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
moonwiseAfter seeing the following statement on CNN.com, I've lost my patience and feel a need to rant.
Astronomers have pieced together what appears to be the first direct evidence that solar storms canreek wreak havoc with comets, destroying the ion tails of icy wanderers in a collision of highly charged particles.
All definitions are taken from Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary.
MALAPROPISM: the usually unintentionally humorous misuse or distortion of a word or phrase; especially : the use of a word sounding somewhat like the one intended but ludicrously wrong in the context.
EXAMPLE 1: See above.
REEK: 1 : to emit smoke or vapor 2 a : to give off or become permeated with a strong or offensive odor b : to give a strong impression of some constituent quality or feature
WREAK: 2 : to give free play or course to (malevolent feeling) 3 : BRING ABOUT, CAUSE
EXAMPLE 2:
Mary was notphased fazed by the final exam.
PHASE: 1 : to adjust so as to be in a synchronized condition 2 : to conduct or carry out by planned phases 3 : to introduce in stages -- often used with in (phase in new models)
FAZE: to disturb the composure of : DISCONCERT, DAUNT (nothing fazed her)
EXAMPLE 3:
Our boss gives us freereign rein to do whatever we want.
Free reign: Easy to mistake for "free rein" b/c of the conjunction of freedom and power
Free rein: Refers to letting a horse go where it wills; loosening the reins enough that the horse is in control and not the rider.
Got one? Post it! These last two have been annoying me every time I see them. It's getting to the point where ppl think that's the correct word to use b/c everyone else uses it. It's NOT the correct word. It's WRONG.
Astronomers have pieced together what appears to be the first direct evidence that solar storms can
All definitions are taken from Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary.
MALAPROPISM: the usually unintentionally humorous misuse or distortion of a word or phrase; especially : the use of a word sounding somewhat like the one intended but ludicrously wrong in the context.
EXAMPLE 1: See above.
REEK: 1 : to emit smoke or vapor 2 a : to give off or become permeated with a strong or offensive odor b : to give a strong impression of some constituent quality or feature
WREAK: 2 : to give free play or course to (malevolent feeling) 3 : BRING ABOUT, CAUSE
EXAMPLE 2:
Mary was not
PHASE: 1 : to adjust so as to be in a synchronized condition 2 : to conduct or carry out by planned phases 3 : to introduce in stages -- often used with in (phase in new models)
FAZE: to disturb the composure of : DISCONCERT, DAUNT (nothing fazed her)
EXAMPLE 3:
Our boss gives us free
Free reign: Easy to mistake for "free rein" b/c of the conjunction of freedom and power
Free rein: Refers to letting a horse go where it wills; loosening the reins enough that the horse is in control and not the rider.
Got one? Post it! These last two have been annoying me every time I see them. It's getting to the point where ppl think that's the correct word to use b/c everyone else uses it. It's NOT the correct word. It's WRONG.
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Date: 2004-12-07 08:11 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2004-12-07 09:06 am (UTC)