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As much as I play the amateur most of the time, I am aware of the
distinction. Whether the error is an eggcorn or a mere spelling
error in the particular quoted passage is almost beside the more
general point.<br>
<br>
It's <i>sometimes </i>a spelling error. I don't believe it is <i>always
</i>a spelling error. I've actually asked some people if they
intended to write "palette" and what they meant by that and the
explanation I sometimes got was that it's like "tasting different
colors". This is why I made the distinction between palate 1. and
palate 2. The former is always just a spelling error. Being an
ESLer, I'm always sensitive to such issues. I don't believe we have
a category "sometime eggcorn", so it's just an eggcorn, with the
caveat that sometimes it's just a spelling confusion.<br>
<br>
A related story. I had someone connect with me on LinkedIn some time
ago. The woman listed her current occupation as the "Principle" of a
company. I thought, maybe it's a typo and this was meant to be
"Principal X" title that somehow got corrupted. I asked what the
title meant. In an ensuing email exchange I eventually asked her if
she intended "principle" or "principal". She stuck with "principle"
and specifically rejected "principal", because, she said, she's in
charge of things, like "the principle scientist". I let that go.<br>
<br>
Here's the job description:<br>
<br>
<blockquote type="cite">Principle<br>
XXX<br>
January 19XX – Present<br>
Negotiation consulting and training with global clients. Teach
basic negotiation skills, negotiation with emotional intellgence,
advanced negotiation and have recently started a negotiation boot
camp. Work with groups, one on one and conduct key notes. <br>
</blockquote>
<br>
The company has many employees, so it's not just a way to express
that this is a sole proprietorship. Nor did she start the company,
so we can't say that she was the source. She is, however, in charge,
although the company also has a President (who's been with the
company 5 years longer) and a CEO. This is a Harvard graduate, by
the way, and a former teacher. As Wilson says, youneverknow.<br>
<br>
VS-)<br>
<br>
On 5/25/2012 11:39 PM, Arnold Zwicky wrote:
<blockquote cite="mid:201205260340.q4P9FHpj018497@willow.cc.uga.edu"
type="cite">
<pre wrap="">On May 25, 2012, at 8:20 PM, Victor Steinbok wrote:
</pre>
<blockquote type="cite">
<pre wrap=""> I was surprised not to find the palate/palette alteration in the
Eggcorn Database, as IME it has been quite common.
</pre>
</blockquote>
<pre wrap="">
yes, it's common, but it's just a spelling confusion. there's no evidence of any semantic reanalysis here.
"eggcorn" doesn't mean 'spelling mistake'.
arnold
</pre>
</blockquote>
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