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What is malapropism?
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What is malapropism? |
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angel girl Member
since 1999-07-23
Posts 322within a whisper... |
What is malapropism? ------------------ The world is in your hands; it is what you make of it. keep on chuggin' |
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pandora Member
since 1999-07-26
Posts 184 |
hey, angel- The dictionary tells us-- Mrs. Malaprop, character noted for her misuse of words in R. B. Sheridan's comedy The Rivals (1775) First appeared 1849 1 : the usu. unintentionally humorous misuse or distortion of a word or phrase; especially : the use of a word sounding somewhat like the one intended but ludicrously wrong in the context -------------------------------- There was a very popular TV comedy back in the 1970s called "All in the family"... you may or may not remember.... the main character, Archie Bunker, used to use malapropisms all the time, misusing some saying or word and substutiting another. Also, there was a stand-up comedian same era... geez, can't remember his name (how soon we forget).... who's entire routine was based on malapropisms. If it wasn't 5AM and me, without much sleep, I'd probably be able to come up with some examples. Maybe later.  pandora |
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angel girl Member
since 1999-07-23
Posts 322within a whisper... |
no, i don't remember the very popular TV comedy back in the 1970s called "All in the family" (LOL). probably because i wasn't born until the early 80s. sorry about that one. ------------------ The world is in your hands; it is what you make of it. keep on chuggin' |
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Jessica Pahre Junior Member
since 1999-07-22
Posts 12Fort Polk, LA, USA |
Tim's re-structuring of his neighbor's advice all the time, on the TV show Home Improvement could be considered as an example, I think? It's rather early here, and I'm low on caffeine, but I think that fits.  |
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angel girl Member
since 1999-07-23
Posts 322within a whisper... |
yeah, i watch home improvement a lot (well, sometimes). however, i feel really stupid because i still don't know what malapropism is. sorry, i guess i'm having one of those clueless days. normally, i'm pretty smart. ------------------ The world is in your hands; it is what you make of it. keep on chuggin' |
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Ron
Administrator
Member Rara Avis
since 1999-05-19
Posts 8669Michigan, US |
Maybe this will help - an intentional malapropism is called a pun ... [This message has been edited by Ron (edited 07-28-99).] |
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Tim Senior Member
since 1999-06-08
Posts 1794 |
You mean malapropism isnt an ailing airplane...? |
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pandora Member
since 1999-07-26
Posts 184 |
Ok.... I guess Ron's version is the simplified version of this (which you'd probably rather read), but I thought I'd go into a little more depth.... a pun is *similar* to a malapropism in that it is a play on words-- but they are not the same thing. If you read the examples below, you'll understand why Ron called a malapropism an "intentional" pun to summarize... but there's more. They are really quite different. Basically, there are three different types of "play on words" recognized and defined in the English language (well, there may be more than three, but as far as I know these are the main three.) #1- A Pun-- (from the dictionary) "A pun is a CLEVER AND INTENTIONAL play on words and humorous use of a word in such a way as to suggest two or more of its meanings or the meaning of another word similar in sound." Here's an Example of a pun: "There were 12 rabbits and we divided them in the pen, 6 on one side and 6 on the other side. I can't believe my mother said we were splitting hares!" #2 Spoonerism--(from the dictionary) "William A. Spooner died 1930 English clergyman & educator] First appeared 1900-- a transposition of usu. initial sounds of two or more words" Example of a spoonersim: Saying "tons of soil" for "sons of toil". Another famous spoonerism (to my family, at least) is the joke about a baseball pitcher by the name of Mel Famey who drank too many beers before pitching the game. Punch line, "It was the beer that made Mel Famey walk us". Of course, you're probably too young to remember the commercial for Old Milwalkee beer which said, "It's the beer that made Milwaulkee famous". And there's another joke about a piano tuner by the name of "Oburnokity" who would only tune a piano once. When asked why, he said, "Oburnokity only tunes once". (a spoonerism of "Opportunity only knocks once".) Ok, and now for... (whew! finally!!) #3-- Malapropism (I quoted the dictionary definition above, but will do it again so you won't have to scroll up... hehehe) "the usu. UNINTENTIONALLY humorous misuse or distortion of a word or phrase; especially : the use of a word sounding somewhat like the one intended but ludicrously wrong in the context" From a website about malapropisms called Conan the Grammarian: "Mrs. Malaprop, for whom these misused words are named, was the leading lady in Richard Sheridan's "The Rivals," a late eighteenth-century play about a lady whose husband came into some money and who was thrust into the uppercrud of society. Mrs. Malaprop did not want to seem out of place, so she simply used big words to appear genteel. Malapropisms are in the same class as spoonerisms and puns, but are not for the feint of heart." Examples of malapropism: The man is an idiom. (meaning "idiot") He wears shoes made of stimulated alligator. (meaning "simulated") I resemble that! (meaning "resent") That girl who ate the squid... did she eat the testicles too? (meaning "tentacles") We had a 15 inch erotic house plant in our living room. (meaning "exotic") I need the afternoon off to attend my brother's consummation. (meaning "convocation"). That's a mute point.(meaning "moot") (Some of the above were also quoted from another website) Alrighty then, I guess I better be quiet for a while.... hehehe.... I just LOVE this stuff and thought all of the above examples very funny and wanted to share them with you guys. Hope you all enjoyed these! ------------------ With one wish we wake the will within wisdom. With one will we wish the wisdom within waking. --pandora |
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pandora Member
since 1999-07-26
Posts 184 |
Oops.... forgot to tell you... the comedian I mentioned earlier was Norm Crosby. |
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Balladeer
Administrator
Member Empyrean
since 1999-06-05
Posts 25505Ft. Lauderdale, Fl USA |
Pandora, you are TERRIFIC!!! |
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angel girl Member
since 1999-07-23
Posts 322within a whisper... |
okay, i definately know what a pun is. thanks a bunch you guys. ------------------ The world is in your hands; it is what you make of it. keep on chuggin' |
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pandora Member
since 1999-07-26
Posts 184 |
I was very glad to help, angel girl. So, you say you now know what a pun is. Cool! Do you also know what a malapropism is? And do you know what a spoonerism is? Just curious and wondering if you read my last lengthy post. pandora |
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Red Letter Member
since 1999-05-24
Posts 85Allentown, PA |
*SHAKING HEAD IN ABSOLUTE DISBELIEF* Angel girl, Sweetheart, Darling, love.... If you were born in the early 80's you couldn't POSSIBLY be that young... I will have to assume you just had a serious brain glitch (hell, happens to all of us)... But here, my lovely friend Pandora, has just launched into quite a well-written and educational response to EXACTLY what a malapropism is - correcting our dear Ron as well (well, simply expanding on his comment) - that a malapropism is actually quite DIFFERENT from a pun -- citing examples, using dictionary definitions and doing a wonderful job of teaching in the process... And what do you respond with??? "Ok, now I know what a PUN IS." Are you seriously that dense??????? Please, please, please, please tell me you were just kidding. |
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angel girl Member
since 1999-07-23
Posts 322within a whisper... |
i said i know what a pun is because a malalpropism is similar to a pun. i realized what a malapropism is when it was compared to a pun. don't worry, i'm not too terribly dense, and i DO know there is a difference between a malaprism (he he he) and a pun (hey, i also know what that difference is). and no, i have never used malapropisms in my poetry. angel p.s. i WAS born in the early 80s and i AM that young. ------------------ The world is in your hands; it is what you make of it. keep on chuggin' |
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Sally S. Senior Member
since 1999-06-07
Posts 847Ohio |
Here's an example ... My mother once asked..."Have you seen the "condoms" they're building down the street?" Well, she meant "condos" of course. That is malapropism.....unintentional, not meant to be funny....BUT....WOW!!! LOL....It was. Now, remember..that's just one little example. |
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Ron
Administrator
Member Rara Avis
since 1999-05-19
Posts 8669Michigan, US |
Pandora, I want you to know your efforts were very much appreciated. As Balladeer pointed out, it was a TERRIFIC job, and I can't imagine it being explained more adroitly (or more humorously). Thank you for taking the time. In fact, my only possible complaint is that it will be seen by too few people, especially hidden as it is in The Alley. I'd love to see you add a short intro (all writers love words, both seriously and in play) and email it to me for inclusion in the Digital Passion newsletter first, and then to be posted in the Learning Center on the main site. This is exactly the kind of thing I've been looking for! |
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pandora Member
since 1999-07-26
Posts 184 |
Thanks, Hon... whoops... I mean Ron. I'll have to get this off to you in my spare time... hehehe... Geez... you know more about fitting things into spare time than I do, huh? Nonetheless... let's do the NEWSLETTER!! |
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Red Letter Member
since 1999-05-24
Posts 85Allentown, PA |
Sally, LOL!!! Loved that one! That would also be known as a freudian slip, eh? hehehe Red |
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DreamEvil Member Elite
since 1999-06-22
Posts 2396 |
Just a statement concerning criticism and basic human psychology. Criticism needs to be neither rude or inflammatory to get the point across. In fact, people are less likely to respond favorably to spite than they would to genuine concern and understanding. This may be the Alley, but some civility would go a long way toward actually getting someone to listen and respect your point of view. ------------------ Shall I indulge in flights of fancy hampered by clipped wings? DreamEvil© |
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~one voice~ Senior Member
since 1999-07-08
Posts 664Billings, MT USA |
*SHAKING HEAD IN ABSOLUTE DISBELIEF* I can NOT believe how terribly RUDE some people can be! angel girl, I am so sorry that you have to get rudeness thrown at you like this. It doesn't matter how young you are... Only the smart ones are the ones that ask the questions... at least we know how to learn, right? Don't let it get you down, and keep on with your writing! ------------------ ~onevoice~ "She looked at her life like lines, never-ending, constantly forming, reforming and bending." [This message has been edited by ~one voice~ (edited 08-01-99).] |
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