one-off (was Re: Dropping the aitch from "human")

[Arnold M. Zwicky]

On Dec 20, 2006, at 5:27 AM, Jon Lighter wrote:

> A "one-off" in Britspeak is a unique example, usually (and app.
> originally) a manufactured item, such as a prototype.
>
>   OED 1947 (but 1934 as adj.).

originally british, but imported in recent years to the u.s.  in both
places it has been eggcorned to "one-of", which makes more sense to
many people.  in a further development, "one-of" speakers who
encounter "one-off" take *that* to be the innovation (and an error).
discussion in the ecdb:

   http://eggcorns.lascribe.net/english/495/one-of/

arnold

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