"failed victim"

[Baker, John M.]

        Really an eggcorn?  Or a writing error?  It looks like an eggcorn, of course, but I'm inclined to believe that this professional writer knows that the standard phrase is not "has failed victim."  Nor does it appear to be an intentional play on words.  Rather, my guess is that the writer inadvertently combined "failed" and "fallen victim," something he would not have done if he had written more carefully.


John Baker


-----Original Message-----
From: American Dialect Society [mailto:ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU] On Behalf Of Dan Goodman
Sent: Monday, June 28, 2010 2:48 AM
To: ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU
Subject: "failed victim"


 From the UK edition of Google News, a new-to-me eggcorn:


    National UK Newspaper Spreads Fake iPhone 4 Recall Rumour
    <http://news.google.com/news/url?sa=t&ct2=uk%2F4_0_s_0_0_t&ct3=MAE4AkgAUABqAnVregF0&usg=AFQjCNH9bdGpDzkfVjm7-gZDbg7zV_NZJA&sig2=ds7ZTpEeDemDPgdMHYrojQ&cid=17593767514453&ei=4kEoTNjcHaXWNJrt7_gC&rt=HOMEPAGE&vm=STANDARD&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.itproportal.com%2Fportal%2Fnews%2Farticle%2F2010%2F6%2F27%2Fnational-uk-newspaper-spread-fake-iphone-4-recall-rumour%2F>
    <javascript:void(0);>

ITProPortal - Desire Athow
<http://news.google.com/news/search?cf=all&ned=uk&hl=en&q=author%3A%22Desire+Athow%22&scoring=n>
- ‎5 hours ago‎
Brit Newspaper, the Daily Mail, has failed victim to the infamous Fake
Steve Jobs after the latter twittered on his ceoSteveJobs account early
this morning that Apple may have to recall the new iPhone 4 before
adding that "this, I did not expect".

--
Dan Goodman
"I have always depended on the kindness of stranglers."
Tennessee Williams, A Streetcar Named Expire
Journal dsgood.dreamwidth.org (livejournal.com, insanejournal.com)

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