Wife's eggcorn

[Dennis R. Preston]

Wilson,

These little "phonological euphemisms" have taken many forms over the
centuries to avoid saying the taboo. My favorite has always been the
Polish syllable "kurrrrrrrrrrrrrrr-" pronounced with an elongated
(trilled of course) /r/ and with no hint of final intonation. Finally
the speaker ends with "-cza," rendering "kurcza" (chicken), but the
elongated /r/ makes everyone suspect that the taboo "kurwa" (whore)
is coming up instead.

"Kurwa" is, by the way, used exclamatorily in Polish, like English
"shit," but unlike English "whore."

Prestonski



>I don't know why it's taken me so long to flash on this as an eggcorn,
>but, for years, I've been annoyed by hearing my wife say, when she's
>stressed out:
>
>"I feel like _Dog Chow_!"
>
>"Dog Chow," is, of course, a registered trademark of the
>Ralston-Purina Co.  of St. Louis, my beloved home town. What my wife
>is reaching for is, "I feel like dog _shit_!" But what elderly
>gentleman wants to hear the language of a common night walker from the
>lips of his dear wife? So, I've not tried to correct her. (Probably
>not a smoove[sic] move, in any case!)
>
>-Wilson Gray


--
Dennis R. Preston
University Distinguished Professor
Department of English
15-C Morrill Hall
Michigan State University
East Lansing, MI 48824-1036
Phone: (517) 353-4736
Fax: (517) 353-3755
preston at msu.edu