reversals in usage judgments

[Arnold Zwicky]

On Jan 17, 2009, at 6:27 PM, Herb Stahlke wrote:

>
> I've found that paradoxical reaction with "hone in on," which several
> people have insisted to me was the correct form and "home in on" made
> no sense at all.  I believe we've discussed this one before.  I
> noticed that the edition of MWDEU that I have credits the earliest
> usage to George H. W. Bush in a 1977 or 1978 campaign speech.  The
> newer edition, I believe, traces it back at least another decade, but
> I don't have that edition.

see the ecdb discussion, with links to three Language Log pieces (one
citing some ADS-L postings):
   http://eggcorns.lascribe.net/english/48/hone/

such reactions are routine with eggcorns that have become mainstream,
or nearly so, and sometimes with other eggcorns as well.

arnold

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