Double eggcorn

[Jonathan Lighter]

The possum was found nocturminated.

  JL

Charles Doyle <cdoyle at UGA.EDU> wrote:
  ---------------------- Information from the mail header -----------------------
Sender: American Dialect Society
Poster: Charles Doyle
Subject: Re: Double eggcorn
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

My four-year-old grandson, having found a dead possum in his yard yesterday, opined, "I think a nocturminal did it." Pretty obviously, one of his parents had tried to explain something about "nocturnal animals," which words he blended. The pun on "terminal" is almost certainly accidental--but, well, just so damn brilliant and adorable . . . .

--Charlie
_____________________________________________________________

---- Original message ----
>Date: Tue, 5 Jun 2007 20:31:21 -0400
>From: Enid Pearsons
>Subject: Double eggcorn
>
>Googling for information about installing two operating systems on my computer and dual booting, I came across this on a computer forum:
>
>"I've been told its possible to install XP on the same logical drive as Vista but its not advised so I am not going to attempt faith."
>
>(We can ignore the "its" problem for now.) "Attempt faith" in Google appears to occur in religious contexts or comments about Faith Hill, so this may be unique. I checked the eggcorn database and did not find this.
>
>Enid

------------------------------------------------------------
The American Dialect Society - http://www.americandialect.org



---------------------------------
Need Mail bonding?
Go to the Yahoo! Mail Q&A for great tips from Yahoo! Answers users.

------------------------------------------------------------
The American Dialect Society - http://www.americandialect.org