eggcorn

[Arnold M. Zwicky]

On May 11, 2005, at 1:20 PM, FRITZ JUENGLING wrote:

> Here is an email that I received from our registrar--maybe it could
> be added to some eggcorn list somewhere (reminds me of Utah speech):
>
> If you have any questions please fill free to ask away.

as the discussion has since indicated, this is surely a phonological
variant spelled "by ear", and not a reanalysis of "feel free".
though it's imaginable that, as a next step, some speakers might
interpret /fIl fri/ as involving the verb "fill" (as in "fill the
glass").  we just don't have an'y evidence that that's happened.

nevertheless, the example will get a brief mention on Language Log
soon, with credit to ADS-L.

arnold