Eggcorn: vagary = something vague

[Karl Hagen]

I posted about this some time ago in the eggcorn database forum, but got
no response, so I thought I'd try here.

In that earlier post
(http://eggcorns.lascribe.net/forum/viewtopic.php?id=517) I dug up
examples of this confusion accompanied by a spelling change (vagueries,
etc.), which was how I originally encountered it. Recently, it occurred
to me to check for instances that would not offend a spell-checker. They
were easy to find. For example:

 From http://www.retropoll.org/press_release_poll02.htm:

"The question on war against various nations contains compound elements.
By including other unnamed nations as well as Iraq, the poll
intentionally incorporates the vagaries that are part of the double
speak issued by Government officials and advisors about attacking other
nations. However, these vagaries have unclear impacts upon peoples'
understanding of the question, so that this element should be reworded
for future polls."

 From a National Association of Physician Recruiters newsletter
(http://www.napr.org/newsletter/NAPR2004WINTERNEWS.pdf):

"The Code of Ethics was amended this year. In reality, the Ethics
Committee and the Board of Directors almost rewrote the Code in its
entirety. The changes were made because our members overwhelmingly
mandated them. The concepts did not change, rather, they were clarified
and modernized for easier interpretation. The sections and subsections
of the Code most frequently misinterpreted or abused were expanded to
remove, as much as possible, the vagaries and unclear language."

 From the Virginia Business Magazine
(http://www.gatewayva.com/biz/virginiabusiness/magazine/yr2006/may06/region2.shtml)

"The demands were strong, but the language vague, leaving a worried
populace to wonder if rolling back development around the base meant
condemning or purchasing the more than 3,000 homes and businesses that
were already established when the Navy redrew the lines of its crash
zones in 1998.... For nine months leading up to the deadline, city
planners, financial officers and attorneys struggled to develop the
plan. Befuddled by vagaries (such as 'reverse' in development, and
'incompatible' land use) laid out by the federal government, they
weren't sure what would satisfy the demands."

 From http://www.carter.democrats.org.au/html/print.php?sid=259:

"Although the outcome of the bill is unclear because of its hazy
vagaries, it may be the case that, if passed, this bill will restrict
the activities of legitimate domestic voluntary euthanasia advocacy groups."

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