not quite eggcorns

[Arnold Zwicky]

On Dec 19, 2008, at 8:10 PM, Victor wrote:

> ... 1.    I don't want to wear this hat because it's too big for me.
> -- Do
> you want to wear my hat? -- No, it's *too-bigger*!

this is from a kid, but "too bigger" 'too much bigger' (and "so
bigger", "that bigger", etc.) are moderately common (as a non-standard
variant, not an error).

   Too bigger of a bag and you end up packing too much stuff into it
and killing your shoulders and back by the end of the day! [note "of"
variant of exceptional degree marking]
www.flickr.com/groups/timbuk2/discuss/72157604100642703/

   ..too big is terrible... hehe... yes, C CUP is enough ...above D is
too bigger... A/B should be ignored. ...
bbs.chinadaily.com.cn/viewthread.php?gid=2&tid=594913&extra=&page=40

   But in this example, it doesn't occurs, i can't draw a polygon that
is too bigger than its rectangle. When i try, this message (above)
appears.
wikimapia.org/forum/?t=2537

the kid example has a somewhat different semantics for "too much
bigger" -- something like 'even more too big'.  as in this example:

   If GM and Chrsyler are too big to fail, wouldn't merging make them
"too bigger to fail" like all of these banks that are swallowing
each ...
www.huffingtonpost.com/2008/10/28/gm-making-case-that-its-t_n_138493.
html

an extra wrinkle is that "too bigger" (etc.) sometimes occur with what
looks like ordinary degree modification (without the "a(n)"):

   It's not too bigger deal, I'm sure this list is mirrored somewhere.
www.nabble.com/Can't-import-keys-on-OSX-td19287064.html

even to the point of allowing a preceding determiner:

   Is 15 years a too bigger age difference?? I am 22 he is 37?
answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20080326042005AAkFuhS

arnold

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