misnomer 'misconception'

Beverly Flanigan flanigan at OHIOU.EDU
Fri Oct 22 16:07:55 UTC 2004


I get this usage now too, with "substitute with" as a variant.  I used to
think it was a NNS "error," and I'd patiently explain the difference.  Now
I get it from American undergrads too, so I've given up.

At 08:29 PM 10/21/2004, you wrote:
>Fritz, you speak the tired language of yesterday. Nowadays you'd get the
>salad.  See, "substitute" means "replace."  "Can I substitute the fries?"
>"Of course. Would you care for a salad?  Or baked sweet potato?"
>
>In the words of Dave Barry, "I am not making this up."
>
>JL
>
>FRITZ JUENGLING <juengling_fritz at SALKEIZ.K12.OR.US> wrote:
>---------------------- Information from the mail header
>-----------------------
>Sender: American Dialect Society
>Poster: FRITZ JUENGLING
>Subject: Re: misnomer 'misconception'
>-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
>
> >Note too that "substitute for" is now used generally for "replace with,"
> >as in "You can substitute the fries for a salad," meaning just the opposite
> > of what you'd exspect.
>
>OK, from this statement, I think I am going to get fries, not a salad.
>So, what do I get?
>Fritz
>
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