I’ve noticed that there is a small subset of people who seem to be constantly getting things mixed up. Typically, they have a vocabulary problem whereby they will substitute an incorrect but similarly pronounced word in place of the correct one.
For example, I once had a co-worker who was an avid vegetable gardener. Apparently, he used a chemical fertilizer called ‘Miracle Grow’ to increase the yield of his plants. But he didn’t actually say this. Instead, he claimed he used ‘Miracle Whip’ on his garden, which is a type of mayonnaise substitute.
I asked him to repeat his gardening secret in front several of my other co-workers, and each type he said he used ‘Miracle Whip’ fertilizer, much to our amusement. Eventually, someone asked him if he actually meant ‘Miracle Grow’ and he admitted that was what he meant to say.
But he made similar substitution errors all of the time, and so do others. What disorder do these people have?
Malapropism??
“the usually 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.”
They are cursed with pedantic co-workers who insist on humiliating them publicly rather than correcting them politely? Seriously, it’s not a disorder, it’s normal: it’s called “fallibility.” You’ve got some, too.
We’re all human, and we each make mistakes. Linguistic goofs and gaffes like this have been endlessly categorized: malapropisms, spoonerisms, and so on. chrisk has nailed this particular mistake on the head – it’s a malapropism. Like the time a friend of mine insisted that there was a German Ace called the “Red Barbarian.” Took me forever to figure out what she meant. I once forgot the word for “oven mitt” and in my haste to take something hot out of the oven, asked for a “grabbie-hot”. I still have to think carefully when using the words “bootleg” and “boycott” because I learned their definitions backwards. And in my last job, the terms “rocket motor” and “rocket engine” were distinct and not interchangeable.
Next time, think back to a time you messed up, and cut the poor malapropper a break without drawing a crowd first.
Originally Posted by Surreal …I asked him to repeat his gardening secret in front several of my other co-workers, and eachtypehe said he used ‘Miracle Whip’ fertilizer, much to our amusement… I think malapropism is the correct term. Sort of like your malapropism of substituting “type” for “time”.
Heh. My gran (and therefore my mother) refers to oven mitts as – I can’t believe I’m telling you this – “paddy paws”. Yeah, we have a bunch of weird sayings like that. But I remember living in fear of actually using this phrase in front of a stranger. My sister has confessed that she once asked her housemate at university to “pass the paddy paws”. Oh, the shame! :o
For some reason, I have a mental block with the abbreviation “cwt”. I **know ** it means “hundredweight” but my inner voice whenever I see it (not that often, admittedly) screams “kilowatt”…
I happen to have it as a result of chemical exposure. It can also be part of several learning disabilities. It can also be permanent or temporary.
I know what I want to say, I simply can not come up with the word to save my life, although in an hour I may ‘know’ the word again. It helps that I am multilingual because often I can come up with what I need to say in a different language. It happens the most when I am stressed or tired.
I think the OP is referring to a consistent substitution of the wrong word, not a once in a while slip-up when you are stressed and can’t get the word out. My boss does this. She consistently uses the wrong word, even when you repeat the right word back to her. And it’s not even an easier word! We have an item in the store whose color is called limone (lee-moan) and she always calls it linoleum. I teased her the one day about it (first time I have ever really called her on this…she has about twenty words she substitutes other words for) and she really tried to get it right. The next time she was showing a customer the item she stopped, turned to me and said "now how do you pronounce this color again? and I replied “Gold”.
