Malapropisms

My Grandfather, rest his soul, used to call the little Snoopy dogs Bagels. Growing up, we had a Cocker Spanial/Bagel mix. Part dog, part pastry. That always cracked me up. But poor Penny (our pastry mutt), was called a Bogock (bog - ock) by my sister when she was little. No idea where that came from. But half my neighbors still call their dogs bogocks...

I think we could start an entire thread on colloquialisms like idear (my cousin calls them ideals - which is ironic if you ask me). My dad cheers for the Philadelphia Iggles, and niny-nine comes before 100. And Baltimore, Maryland? Er ah, Balmer, Merlin if you believe the locals, has enough to colloquialisms to sink a small ship.
 
My nephew calls Walmart .. MallMart

My mother has a friend that calls and Onion .. an URNyun

The one that really bothers me is Kindly .. I have never understood that .. my MIL says it ALL the time ... and the way she uses it .. she thinks it is a word that means "similar" .. ?????

one that I personally mangle .. Gastroenterology ... I get it all mangled up!! LOL I can read it correctly .. but to have to say it it always comes out something it is not!!

I have a friend that pronounces Osteoporosis .. Ostprosis

The slang ones:
Ax instead of ask
Fiddy instead of Fifty
"where you stay" instead of "where do you live"
"case quarter" .. meaning one quarter coin
"holla" .. instead of Holler
 
I took a guy's deposition once and when asked if right or left handed he replied that he was an aphrodisiac.

People also claim they get "corporal" tunnel syndrome.
 
"Ooh I had a friend whose mom always said "yous guys" That drove me nuts!!"

Oh that is sooo Philadelphia... I grew up around there and heard it so often.
 
OK, this is just a southern saying that bugs the crap out of me, but I HATE it when people say, "I'm fixin to do this or that." "FIXIN?" Hate it.
 
>OK, this is just a southern saying that bugs the crap out of
>me, but I HATE it when people say, "I'm fixin to do this or
>that." "FIXIN?" Hate it.

Yep, I grew up with that one. Also "usedta could" as in "I usedta could ride my bike all day and not get tarred." I still use these phrases when I'm trying to be funny and talk with my old Texas twang. I also like to say "in yonder" or "over yonder" to amuse the hubby.

[font face="comic sans ms" font color=green]***Lainie***
fitness blog: http://fitnessfig.blogspot.com
http://bestsmileys.com/exercising/7.gif
"If you want to give God a good laugh, tell Her your plans."[/font]
 
Lol! This is funny! I have a few for you guys.
My old boss used to say "squig" instead of "squid". Lol! We used to make fun of her all the time. And i have to admit, and don't laugh! I can't say the word "month". I say "monf" instead of "month" and "munts" instead of "months". LMAO!
And cuz i live in NY, i hear this alot: "Mahatten" instead of "Manhattan". but i think that may just be a NY thing. :7
 
>>OK, this is just a southern saying that bugs the crap out
>of
>>me, but I HATE it when people say, "I'm fixin to do this or
>>that." "FIXIN?" Hate it.
>
>Yep, I grew up with that one. Also "usedta could" as in "I
>usedta could ride my bike all day and not get tarred." I
>still use these phrases when I'm trying to be funny and talk
>with my old Texas twang. I also like to say "in yonder" or
>"over yonder" to amuse the hubby.

Call me crazy, but I like "fixin". It reminds me of my parents (dad is from Alabama and mom is from Texas). When we moved from Texas to Maryland we got teased into losing all traces of Texas speak, which is silly. I think our language would be so boring without regional differences and such. Sure, certain ones are annoying to me, for example, anything that obscures meaning rather than expressing it. I'm thinking of how many Southern Illinoisans use the word "whenever" incorrectly and actually had trouble in DH's logic class because they didn't know it's true meaning.

But plenty of non-standard or regional expressions actually express some things better than "standard" English. And I'd be so sad if suddenly my dad started speaking normal English. Our family depends on his creative and original way with words as a major source of humor!
;-)
 
I think the 'yous guys' is, unfortunately, universal :)

When I first met my husband there were a few things he would say that made me say HUH?? If someone treated him well, he would say 'he tret me well' and if he met someone who seemed nice he would say 'he sempt like a nice fellow'. I said, 'those aren't words'. Well the first time I met his parents I completely understood. They are both from Yorkshire England. My FIL makes english sound like it should come with subtitles:)

Take Care
Laurie:)
 
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