EGGCORNS

EGGCORN (definition from Dictionary.com): a word or phrase that is a seemingly logical alteration of another word or phrase that sounds similar when being misheard or misinterpreted: e.g.: "old wise tale" for "old wives tale".

See "THE EGGCORN DATA BASE" for an extensive list.

Geoffrey Pullum, a Professor of Linguistics coined the word in response to an article written by Mark Lieberman. (See LANGUAGE LOG, a blog for linguists.) Lieberman wrote about the use of "eggcorn" by a woman who substituted it for "acorn"; thus, the term.

Finally, a word for IT!

I have collected numerous EGGCORNS and used them on my continuing BLOG articles: CRINGE: FAYETTE COUNTY TALK. Some of my favorites:

DOGGY-DOG WORLD (dog-eat-dog world)
IN TERM (interim)
WHEN ALL IS SET AND DONE (when all is said and done)
A NEW LEASH ON LIFE (a new lease on life)
COLD SLAW (cole slaw)
SIGNAL OUT (single out)
HOLLAND DAY or HOLIDAYS SAUCE (Hollandaise sauce)
UPMOST (utmost)
PHYSICAL YEAR (fiscal year)
EARDROP or EASEDROP (eavesdrop)
CAR LINKS (car lengths)
QUICK CLAIM DEED (quit claim deed)
MY AS WELL (may as well)
TEN YEAR PROFESSOR (tenured professor)
DISSOLUSION (dissolution)
LIP SING (lip synch)
HALF MASS (half mast)
CLICK (clique)
BOBBED WIRE (barb wire)
CO-OP (co-opt)
COLOR COATED (color coded)
RIGHT AWAY (right of way)
GUN-HO (gung-ho)