eggcorn or flubbed dialect? non-standard uses of non-standard 'oughtened'

[Laurence Horn]

>I doubt this is an eggcorn, but I want each of you to read my post.
>
>I just this morning stumbled across an oddly used word, 'oughtened',
>while reading an entry at the nytimes.com reader forum.
>
>A female physician with the handle doccarie posted this:
>
>        I have found that if a lover of any stripe complains about a woman's
>equipment, he's probably doing something he oughtened--he's used to
>equipment that somehow is not standard issue. It is really rare that
>women don't look just fine. Besides, in the heat of it all, who's
>looking exactly?
>
>Above excerpted from
>(http://forums.nytimes.com/top/opinion/readersopinions/forums/magazine/
>thefutureofplasticsurgery/index.html?offset=3&fid=.f891118/3)
>
>The poster may have a firm grip on what she intends, jocular dialect
>perhaps, but Google shows us that 'oughtened' has seemingly
>contradictory applications.  Google has 127 hits for 'oughtened'.  Some
>convey "ought not"

Specifically, "oughtn't", which is standard for many speakers, rare
for others, and totally unfamiliar to still others.  I agree that
when "oughtened" appears with negative meaning, it is indeed an
eggcorn, but for "oughtn't".  Very nice!

Larry

>and others "ought to"
>
>exx:
>
>"Mebbe I oughtened have spoken. I oughter remembered that times this
>sort o' thing must be rather rough on you and her. You follow me?"
>Bret Harte ('authentic' jocular dialect!) (30 Googlits are versions of
>this)
>
>"I fergot the link I reckon I oughtened to have hung fire a little
>before I hit that ol' Submit button."
>- forum poster (confused jocular dialect)
>
>"So the menu from CD1 is pretty much on its own while I eject cd1 to
>insert cd-2, but there is no access to that folder on cd 2 when i press
>the button that oughtened to open the folder. "
>- forum discussant (just plain confused)
>
>It is these latter two exx that I find interesting.
>
>I won't go further ( thank you, boss, for paying me to post to ADS-L)
>but will warn that if you also are interested in looking at 'oughten',
>which is logical, you'll contend with the fact that Oughten as a proper
>name is preponderant.
>
>Cheers,
>
>Erik
>
>
>
>
>In spite of what I wrote a few moments ago, I couldn't resist a short
>foray where I oughtened:
>
>And they therof merveileden gretly, and seide
>that sholde never betyden, with Goddes grace, and wele oughten he to
>have shame
>that this shame hath purposed to his liege man.
>
>- Uther and Ygerne, line 255 (old school authentic dialect)