"cumberbund"

Chris Waigl chris at LASCRIBE.NET
Wed Nov 19 19:50:45 UTC 2008


On Wed, 19 Nov 2008 14:24:19 -0500, Benjamin Zimmer
<bgzimmer at BABEL.LING.UPENN.EDU> wrote:
>
>
> But what makes it an eggcorn and not just a case of anticipatory
> assimilation?
> Do people think they're encumbered by the article of clothing, or that it
> hails
> from Cumberland?

Good point, this does need more googling and evaluation. I'll try not to
jump to conclusions, even though, being German, I of course associate the
article of clothing with sorrow, grief and pain and therefore find it
utterly unsurprising that English speakers would consider it at least
mildly cumbersome.

Best,

Chris

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