[Ads-l] on accident

Laurence Horn laurence.horn at YALE.EDU
Fri Jun 17 17:10:10 UTC 2016


> On Jun 17, 2016, at 12:10 PM, Jonathan Lighter <wuxxmupp2000 at GMAIL.COM> wrote:
> 
> Typed sign under doorknob in doctor's office:
> 
> "Be careful of doorknob button. Please do not lock door on accident."
> 
> Clearly infl. by "on purpose."
> 
> JL
> 
> -- 

I think we've had threads about "on accident" in the past.  It's certainly been around for decades and speculated (at least by me) to be a borrowing from children's language.  

LH

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