What Is a Malapropism Definition and Examples

The term  malapropism refers to the incorrect use of a word in place of a similar-sounding word, typically with a humorous result. Malapropisms are usually unintentional, but they can also be used intentionally to create a comic effect. Whether accidental or deliberate, malapropisms often turn serious statements into funny ones.   Malapropisms are sometimes called  acyrologia  or  phonological word  substitutions. History of the Term The word malapropism is derived from the  French word â€Å"malapropos,† meaning being improper or inappropriate. However, malapropism did not enter common parlance as a grammatical term until  the publication of Richard Brinsley Sheridan’s 1775 play  The Rivals. The Rivals  featured a comedic character named Mrs. Malaprop, who frequently confused  words  that sound alike but have wildly different meanings. Some of her  mistakes included substituting the word contagious for contiguous  Ã¢â‚¬Å"contagious countries† and geometry for geography.  These slip-ups earned her big laughs from audiences and resulted in the creation of the term malapropism. William Shakespeare was known for using malapropisms in his work. He called the verbal mistakes Dogberryisms, named after a character from  Much Ado About Nothing. Just like Mrs. Malaprop, Dogberry frequently conflated similar-sounding words, much to the audiences amusement.   Common Malapropisms In everyday life, malapropisms are frequently used unintentionally. Malapropisms can muddle the meaning of a sentence, and they often generate a laugh at the speakers expense. Remember that  just because two words look  or sound alike, they do not necessarily have similar meanings. Here are some of the most common malapropisms.   Jive vs. Jibe: The term â€Å"jive† refers a dance style, while â€Å"jibe† refers  to two or more entities complementing each other. Peanut butter and jelly do not â€Å"jive,† but the two tasty spreads certainly do â€Å"jibe when combined in a sandwich.  Statue vs.  Stature: A â€Å"statue† is a sculpture of a person, place, or thing. The term stature† refers to an individuals height or reputation. You can describe a person as having an impressive stature, not an impressive statue — unless theyve just had their likeness memorialized in bronze.Erratic vs. Erotic: The word erratic describes something that is unpredictable and irregular. Dont confuse it with the word erotic, which refers to something that is suggestive of sexual desire.  Calling someones behavior erratic has a very different implication  than calling someones behavior erotic.  Installation vs.  Insulation: When you order a new refrigerator, chances are youâ€⠄¢ll have to pay for installation: the process of physical set-up. But if you take your coffee to go, you’ll want to keep it in a thermos with insulation, which is a special material that retains heat. You wouldn’t say, â€Å"My thermos has lots of installation,† but you might say, â€Å"It has proper insulation.†Monotonous vs. Monogamous: A monotonous job is a boring one. A monogamous relationship is one that involves two people only. Telling your spouse you don’t want a â€Å"monogamous lifestyle† when you actually meant â€Å"monotonous lifestyle† can land you in some serious trouble. Malapropisms in Popular Culture Celebrities and other public figures have used plenty of malapropisms over the years.  Their verbal slip-ups generate lots of laughs and often enter the permanent pop culture record. Here are some of the funniest malapropisms in recent memory. â€Å"Texas has a lot of electrical votes.†Ã‚  New York Yankee  Yogi Berra meant to discuss â€Å"electoral† votes. Electrical votes do not exist,  unless  you’re voting on the best electrician.â€Å"We cannot let terrorists and rogue nations hold this nation hostile or hold our allies hostile.†Ã‚  Its true that terrorists may be  Ã¢â‚¬Å"hostile† (or unfriendly) to our nation, but President  George W. Bush  meant to use the word hostage: hold this nation hostage or hold our allies hostage. (the act of detailing a prisoner).â€Å"Alcoholics  Unanimous.† Chicago’s former mayor Richard J. Daley swapped the word â€Å"anonymous† (unknown or nameless) with â€Å"unanimous† (consistent or united). The resulting malapropism suggests an organization that unites individuals with alcoholism.â€Å"Listen to the blabbing brook.†Ã‚  Comedian Norm Crosby is known as â€Å"The Master of Malaprop. In this line, he ca lls a brook blabbing (as though it wont stop talking) when he really means babbling (which refers to the soft sound of water flowing).â€Å"Why, murders the matter! Slaughters the matter! Killings the matter! But he can tell you the perpendiculars.† Here, The Rivals  infamous  Mrs. Malaprop uses the word â€Å"perpendiculars† (which refers to two lines at a 90 degree angle) when she should have used â€Å"particulars† (which refers to the specific details of a situation).

A Note On The Stock Market - 1051 Words

Introduction The stock market has seen a lot of fluctuation during the months of February, March, and beginning of April. This can be noted to the new President in office, Mr. Trump. He has spent a great amount of his life as a businessman, and many investors saw this as a positive omen as to what would happen to the stock market and their investments. In fact, right before the presidential election in November, stock prices and indexes plunged as uncertainty in whether he or Mrs. Clinton would take office in such a close presidential race. After the announcement that there was a projected win for Mr. Trump, these stock prices and indexes that recently plummeted, increase rapidly; even to a price higher than before the uncertainty of the†¦show more content†¦He signed executive orders that limited new regulations and was calling for review of Dodd-Frank regulation of financial firms. Companies that benefitted most from these deregulations contributed to most of the growth. T he first quarterly earnings after the election showed growth and many companies plan to spend money on new equipment and hiring. Companies setting out to hire more employees lowered the employment rate, which continue the stock market growth. The hallmark of stock indexes increasing was on Thursday, March 2nd when the DIJA surged over 300 points. The SP 500 rose 32.32 points and the Nasdaq rose 78.59 points as well. Investors showed optimism in the President to deregulate more and passing tax policies that are better for corporations, as well as hopes that the federal reserve will increase interest rates. The rise came after President Trump spoke to Congress with an optimistic tone; however, he offered few details for his plans. These events also caused a rise in the treasury interest rates on ten-year treasury notes, causing bank stocks like J.P. Morgan Chase and Bank of America to increase in price as well. The promising of the Trump’s presidency has many investors optimis tic, but slightly concerned by the high surge. Following the surge in stock indexes, the Federal Reserve raised interest rates. Before they official rose rates, there were many statements from officials about a strong possibility that interest rates would rise. ThisShow MoreRelatedA Note On Stock Market1550 Words   |  7 Pagesentire income into the stock market, now your beautiful family are victims of the stock market’s rollercoaster ride. You don’t know if you’ll wake up rich or lose everything, it’s quite the rush. The stock market is a very complex subject, there are experts and people who think they are experts. It revolves around one subject, and one subject only Money. 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A standard deviation of 8.2 is a pretty strong deviation, and shows people that are willing to invest in the company that they are investing in a strong company that has shown the ability to grow, and create dividends for its stock holders consistently. The beta of Read MoreEfficient Market Hypothesis1521 Words   |  7 PagesEfficient Market Hypothesis Road Map Part A Introduction to Finance. Part B Valuation of assets, given discount rates. Part C Determination of discount rates. Part D Introduction to corporate finance. †¢ Efficient Market Hypothesis (EMH). †¢ Capital investment decisions (capital budgeting). †¢ Financing decisions. Main Issues †¢ Efficient Market Hypothesis (EMH) †¢ Empirical evidence on EMH †¢ Implications of EMH †¢ Questions and practical issues about EMH 13-2 Efficient Market HypothesisRead MoreBlah Blah Blah1270 Words   |  6 Pagespreferred stock. A. Convertible bonds can be converted to other corporate securities during some specific time after issuance. B. 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Sir, Gawain’s Traits Free Essays

Gawain’s rise to the game. Arthurian legends are medieval romances that tell wondrous tales of fantasy and chivalry. The chivalric code of knights was highly revered as a way of life. We will write a custom essay sample on Sir, Gawain’s Traits or any similar topic only for you Order Now This code of bravery honor and loyalty was followed by every knight and royal in the medieval ages. Sir Gawain and the Green knight is a medieval romance that demonstrates Sir Gawain’s demonstrations and lack there of chivalry through his bravery, loyalty and honor. However he follows the code of chivalry more so than breaking it. One of Gawain’s traits that made him a model of chivalry is his bravery in the face of danger. Gawain was ready to take the challenge of the green knight and save his king from it as soon as he could. â€Å"Command me to step down from the dais and take this game. †(ML 123-124) King Arthur was the only knight to step up to the challenge, and seeing this wanting to protect him Sir Gawain decides to take the game from him. â€Å"’only you as my uncle have I any honor. † (ML138) In this situation, Gawain is also being loyal to his king and uncle by saving his life in taking the game. Gawain shows both modesty and hid courtesy towards his queen all just moments from he shows his bravery. â€Å"‘That I might without bad manners move down from my place (though I couldn’t if my liege lady disliked it)’ â€Å"(ML 128-129). Gawain is saying that he will listen to whatever his queen says to do, regardless of the situation he is in. Before he ta kes the challenge of the knight Gawain states â€Å"’My life would be the least missed if. † (Ml 137) Gawain, while sounding somewhat critical of himself, is actually demonstrating his great sense of modesty during the story Honor is a trait that is not found very much in this day and age. In the end, the lord of the castle discovers that not even Gawain was honorable to him. â€Å"You have failed me in our exchange, so I’ve trapped you here, that sash you wear by your scabbard belongs to me’† (ML348-350). Another trait that is highly regarded in this day and age is faith. There is faith in religion, faith in yourself, or even faith in objects. Gawain puts faith in a magical green sash that is enchanted and would save his life. (67) In conclusion, Gawain follows the code of chivalry and makes a worthy knight of the round table. Granted that some of the traits of chivalry are not his strong suit, Gawain still follows true to the almighty code that all of the knights follow. Any mistake that Sir Gawain made during this he was either forgiven for, or they went unnoticed, given that this is straying from the code, in the end Gawain is still the most worthy knight of the round table. How to cite Sir, Gawain’s Traits, Papers

Should Marijuanna Be Legalised free essay sample

According to (Abuse, 2013), Marijuana also known as Cannabis , Pot , Weed is defined as a green, brown or greyish mixture of dried shredded leaves, stems, seeds and flowers of the hemp plant called Cannabis Sativa . Although it is known for medicinal purposes such as in the treatment of cancer and even asthma it is also commonly used in illegal drug trafficking. This drug is known to be highly addictive and over time it may even control the lives of the users. So really do you think that governments worldwide should legalize Marijuana? To this question I would say no. Marijuana is very addictive and studies have shown that it is the most widely used illegal drug worldwide. This simply suggests that once people begin using Marijuana they just cannot stop. Advocates of legalizing pot have tried on several occasions to dismiss the arguments but failed to do so. According to (Drug Policy Alliance, 2014) clinical studies have shown that people who use Marijuana multiple times a week found it almost impossible to quit. We will write a custom essay sample on Should Marijuanna Be Legalised or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page These people who tried to withdraw stated in their reports that they felt moody, tense, and anxious and they were very much unable to sleep. In recent years there has been a large ruckus about whether this plant should be legalized. Once Marijuana is legalized it becomes more accessible to persons, this leaves the door open to minors who may now think that it is cool to take this dangerous drug even though their parents may strongly forbid it. If Marijuana is legalized it now opens the door to Children whom now have easier access to it. This may but their education in jeopardy since it may now take their focus off of school and place it on the urge to obtain the drug. In Today’s world Movies portray ‘potheads’ or Marijuana smokers as being harmless, loving people who spend their time partying and feasting on snacks , however what they dont show is these people flunking out of school, losing their jobs, frustrated because they are too hung up on one thing, Marijuana. Don’t you want your children, nieces and nephews and even your siblings to have a bright future? The legalization of Marijuana will make it more acceptable in society, easily obtainable and the consumption rate would go up. For example after Marijuana was legalized in the Netherlands there was a high rise in the amount of people that was using it. With more people using it, more individuals are now opened to the dangerous health effects. In an interview Dr.David Murray stated that Marijuana use is the leading cause of treatment need for those abusing or dependent on illegal drugs’. Hence not only will more people use the drug, but more of them will become addicted. The advocates of marijuana legalization may say that the drug makes people happy and it is not any more dangerous than alcohol, it may also be said that it cures diseases and enables creativity and open-mindedness, But is this really so ? Yes, Marijuana does in fact help to cure diseases but Cannabis takes a toll on your health and even though it aids in the curing of cancer and asthma, do you actually know that it is bad for both your mental and physical health? Marijuana is even more toxic than cigarette smoke. Regular users face lung problems as much as twenty years earlier than cigarette smokers do (Hawkins, 2014) . He also stated that it decreases the fertility rate in men and can cause serious birth defects, mental abnormalities and an increased risk of leukemia in children. The smoking of Marijuana even five hours before driving can cause an accident because of motor impairment. Yes, we may say that Cannabis should be legalized, but how would you knowing that the person driving ahead or even behind of you can get into an accident endangering your life because they were just smoking pot? Isn’t it scary? Cannabis is a gateway to other drugs. Since Marijuana is addictive it is evident that people who use it may more likely move on to harder drugs. Do we move on from there to Crack or even Heroin? According to (Swift, 2011) the smoking of Marijuana daily and on a regular basis sets up users for a lifetime of multiple drug use .This is so since daily or even weekly drug users are three times more likely to take other drugs than occasional users. Once individuals begin using Marijuana heavily they are more likely to resort to crime to keep up with their addictions and it may in fact cause a breakdown in their relationships with others. Some people would say, â€Å"If they want to do it, great, then its no business of ours†, but is this true ? Now is the time to think about it because although its easy to thoughtlessly legalize a drug like marijuana, when things go predictably wrong, it will be a lot harder as they say to put the genie back in the bottle. Indeed there are both positive and negative effects when dealing with the topic at hand, but before arguing and create a large ruckus about legalizing Marijuana. We should realize that whichever way we go there would always be consequences to face. So I urge you to think about your own life than may be placed in danger, and even the lives of your love ones. Is the legalization of Marijuana worth it?