Definition: 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.
Etymology: Mrs. Malaprop, character noted for her misuse of words in R. B. Sheridan’s comedy The Rivals (1775)
Quotation: “Earlier this year a friend of mine said of an ineffectual person, ‘She will never pass mustard.’ I knew I would go on muttering this bewitching malaprop until I was able to share the gift with someone else.”
- from A Jolly old Elf, a Master of Gloom: The Gifts of Peter De Vries in The New York Times
I really wanted to quote this article about malaprops, but it never used the lower-case version of the word. Very enlightening though.
4 responses so far ↓
1 cheech // Jul 2, 2008 at 8:24 am
The Sopranos is notorious for this. It’s great tongue in cheek humor.
2 bp // Jul 2, 2008 at 10:20 am
malapropisms = sweet
people obnoxious about grammar = some of the worst.
seriously, that second technique in the article is horrible. repeat the person’s sentence just subtly corrected? yeah, real smooth.
3 bp // Jul 2, 2008 at 10:20 am
that being said, I do appreciate it when our leaders are able to convey their thoughts in a somewhat articulate manner.
4 admin // Jul 2, 2008 at 10:26 am
That second technique is kind of a dick move, but I can’t say that I haven’t relished the chance to do exactly that in an argument with a particularly disagreeable person.
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