# Is There a Term for this Quirk of Speech?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-term-for-this-quirk-of-speech/1003846>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [July 7, 2024, 10:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-term-for-this-quirk-of-speech/1003846 "2024-07-07T22:22:49Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 5\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Stephe96](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/bbe5ce/32.png) [@Stephe96](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stephe96)\
**Post date:** [July 7, 2024, 10:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-term-for-this-quirk-of-speech/1003846/1 "2024-07-07T22:22:49Z")

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I wasn’t sure what else to call it, but you’ll know it when I describe it because everyone does it. You’ll be speaking to someone, get an obvious fact wrong, and then mutter the incorrect fact to yourself before continuing on with the corrected fact.

Example: “Just as the Civil War was over, President Lincoln was assassinated next to his wife in Dealey Plaza by……_Dealey Plaza!_…of course, I mean Ford’s Theater.”

Is there a term for that muttered self-admonishment? If there isn’t, there should be.

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**Author:** ![Schnitte](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/schnitte/32/9033_2.png) [@Schnitte](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Schnitte)\
**Post date:** [July 8, 2024, 9:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-term-for-this-quirk-of-speech/1003846/2 "2024-07-08T09:44:55Z")

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Just to clarify what exactly it is you’re asking about: It’s not the self-correction but the repetition of the incorrect bit that interests you? I’m asking because I think self-correcting an incorrect statement is not a quirk of speech.

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**Author:** ![Joey\_P](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/919ad9/32.png) [@Joey\_P](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joey_P)\
**Post date:** [July 8, 2024, 11:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-term-for-this-quirk-of-speech/1003846/3 "2024-07-08T11:03:09Z")

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> [@Stephe96](#):
>
> Is there a term for that muttered self-admonishment? I

I think that’s all it is. It’s you saying “WTF were you thinking” to yourself. Like a very minor version of any number of Chris Farley characters doing the “[I’m so stupid](https://i.makeagif.com/media/6-14-2017/Zcg1Ux.gif)” thing.

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**Author:** ![PatrickLondon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/patricklondon/32/4422_2.png) [@PatrickLondon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PatrickLondon)\
**Post date:** [July 8, 2024, 11:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-term-for-this-quirk-of-speech/1003846/4 "2024-07-08T11:13:24Z")

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It expresses some exasperation at one’s own mistake and anticipates someone else’s correction. I’ve never heard a fancy name for it, but I suppose you could say it’s (not quite) a variety of [apostrophe](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apostrophe_(figure_of_speech)), [captatio benevolentiae](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Captatio_benevolentiae), [ecphonesis](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ecphonesis) or [procatalepsis](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Procatalepsis)

Or just ‘self-correction’ or ‘self-reproach’ would be simpler.

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**Author:** ![Stephe96](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/bbe5ce/32.png) [@Stephe96](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stephe96)\
**Post date:** [July 8, 2024, 5:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-term-for-this-quirk-of-speech/1003846/5 "2024-07-08T17:28:36Z")

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Yes, the repetition is what I mean. Like I said, I wasn’t sure what to call it.