eggcorn

[Rachel E. Shuttlesworth]

On the quest for the example I saw of "Feel out the following form," I
did a Google search of "feel out the form"
(http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q=%22feel+out+the+form%22) and got
377 hits. Haven't looked at their regions of origin yet, but only one
seems to be describing a "typo".

Rachel

... If you wish to receive our newsletter please feel out the form
below. If you already are receiving our newsletter and wish to
unsubscribe please use the ...
http://www.schwabfound.org/subscribe.htm

... Note: If you have a world wide web access you can feel out the form
on our web server: http://www.rec.hu/REC/Databases/REED/REEDAdd.html
Dear colleague: ...
http://ces.iisc.ernet.in/hpg/envis/reedoc10.html

... A versasuite sales executive would be happy to send you additional
information . Just feel out the form to the left and an executive will
contact you. ...
http://www.versasuite.com/sales/demo.php

... I did notice a couple of typos, like 'feel out the form' instead
of 'fill' and I would suggest setting your bullet list to be flush left
instead of centered. ...
http://chat.ynotmasters.com/newbie/ChatView.cgi?Site_ID=new&T=621

... Please feel out the form below completely to receive a copy of the
RNF form. Account Name:. Account Number:. Mail to:. Address on file at
OCW ...
http://www.ozarkcoop.com/home/RequestInfo/return_notification_form.htm




Quoting "Arnold M. Zwicky" <zwicky at CSLI.STANFORD.EDU>:

> ---------------------- Information from the mail header
> -----------------------
> Sender:       American Dialect Society <ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU>
> Poster:       "Arnold M. Zwicky" <zwicky at CSLI.STANFORD.EDU>
> Subject:      Re: eggcorn
> ----------------------------------------------------------------------
---------
>
> 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
>


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Rachel E. Shuttlesworth
University of Alabama Libraries CLIR Fellow
Box 870266 • Tuscaloosa, AL 35487-0266
209 Gorgas Library
205.348.4655
rachel.e.shuttlesworth at ua.edu