misnomer 'misconception'

[James A. Landau]

In a message dated Thu, 21 Oct 2004 14:24:02 -0400,  "Dennis R. Preston"
<preston at MSU.EDU> curmudgeoned:

>  Shame on you! You have misconstrued. This is clearly 'misgnomer,'
>  homophonous, to be sure, but obviously meaning something like "bad
>  knowledge."

For "misgnomer" (analogous to "misanthrope", "misogynist") the best example
is Mrs. Weasley of the Harry Potter books, who in _Chamber of Secrets_ insisted
on having Harry, although a guest, join the Weasley brothers in helping to
degnome the garden.

(Wizards prefer not to use pesticides because of environmental effects
unknown to us muggles, e.g. Hagrid, also in _Chamber of Secrets_ , was only able to
find buy slug repellant that was flesh-eating.)

       - James A. Landau