Malapropisms

People will say ......, --> when it's supposed to be (or at least, was originally)...

"BADMITTEN" --> BADMINTON

HE DREW A "BEAT" ON IT --> BEAD ON IT

BLIND MAN'S "BLUFF" --> BUFF

A REAL "BOOM" --> BOON (when used to describe a timely benefit or help)

"BUTT" NAKED --> BUCK

CALM AND "COLLECTIVE" --> CALM AND COLLECTED

CARD "SHARK" --> CARDSHARP (although it is not wrong to call a cut-throat, predatory card player a shark, cardsharp is the original term and is all one word)

"CHALKED" FULL --> CHAULK FULL

"CHOMPING" AT THE BIT --> CHAMPING AT THE BIT

"CHESTER" DRAWERS --> CHEST OF DRAWERS

PLAY "CHEST" --> CHESS

"CO"-COCKED --> COLD-COCKED

"COLD" SLAW --> COLE SLAW

FRUIT "COMPOST"--> COMPOTE

I "COULD" CARE LESS--> COULDN'T CARE LESS

CUT AND "DRY" --> CUT AND DRIED

PURE "DRIBBLE" --> DRIVEL

"DUCK" TAPE --> DUCT TAPE

YOU CAN'T "HAVE YOUR CAKE AND EAT IT TOO"--> EAT YOUR CAKE AND HAVE IT TOO

IT'S THE END OF THE "PHYSICAL" YEAR --> FISCAL

METAL "FLESHING" --> FLASHING

"FOO-FOO" DRINK --> FROU-FROU

"GAMEFULLY" EMPLOYED --> GAINFULLY

"GLEAM" INFORMATION --> GLEAN

HE TRIED TO "GOAT" HIM INTO IT --> GOAD

HE HURT HIS "GROWING" --> GROIN

"HALF-HAZARD --> HAPHAZARD

BACK IN THE "HIGHLIGHT" --> HIGH LIFE

"HOMED" IN ON THE TARGET --> HONED IN

"HYPOCRITIC" OATH --> HIPPOCRATIC OATH (a Freudian slip?)

"INTERTUBE" --> INNERTUBE

FOR ALL "INTENSIVE" PURPOSES --> INTENTS AND PURPOSES

SOMETHING DOESN'T "JIVE" --> JIBE

"JERRY"-RIGGED --> JURY-RIGGED

"LAND-LOVER" --> LANDLUBBER

"LEAVEWAY" --> LEEWAY

FAR FROM THE "MADDENING" CROWD --> MADDING CROWD

A HAPPY "MEDIUM" --> MEDIAN

HE TRIED TO "MELT" ATHLETICS WITH ACADEMICS --> MELD

HE COULDN'T PASS THE "MUSTARD" --> MUSTER

RICE "PATTIE" --> PADDY

"PATTY" WAGON --> PADDY WAGON

HE WAS A "PRAWN" IN HIS LITTLE GAME --> PAWN

DOWN THE "PIPE" --> PIKE

HIS "PROSTRATE" --> PROSTATE

PEOPLE WERE "RIPE" WITH FEAR --> RIFE

GUITAR" RIFT" --> RIFF

TOUGH "ROAD" TO HOE --> ROW TO HOE

SKY "CAB" --> SKY CAP (it's short for "captain")

FOLLOW A NEW "TACT"--> TACK

TELL-"TELL" or TAIL-"TAIL" --> TELLTALE

"TROUT" LINE --> TROTLINE

"ALTERIOR" MOTIVE --> ULTERIOR

THE RAMS "VAULTED" DEFENSE --> VAUNTED

THEY WERE "WEARY" OF WHAT WAS UP AHEAD --> WARY

FELL BY THE "WASTESIDE" --> WAYSIDE

"WHEELBARREL" --> WHEELBARROW

THINGS HAVE GONE FROM BAD TO "WORST" --> WORSE

IT'S A "MUTE" POINT --> MOOT

STARK, "RAVEN" MAD --> RAVING

Common Mispronunciations

February (FEB-roo-er-ee) not feb-yoo-er-ee

Flaccid (FLAK-sid) not flas-id, (think accept)

Gondola (GAHN-do-la) not gahn-DO-la

Juvenile (JOO-ve-nil) not -nile

Missouri (Mi-zoo-ruh or Mi-zoo-ee) yes, mi-zoo-ruh came first and is still in the dictionary.

Miami is correctly pronounced my-am-uh in some dialects.

Mischievous (MIS-chi-vus) not mis-CHEE-vee-us

Pierre, SD (PEER) nobody in Pierre says "pee-ehr"

Ophthalmologist (AHF-thal-MAHL-uh-jist) not op-, notice the ph as in phone

Vice-Versa (VY-suh VUR-suh or VY-see VUR-suh)

Zoology (zoh-AHL-uh-jee) not zoo-ology

Regional Mispronunciations

they walked "acrossed" the field --> across

"alls" they wanted --> all

"aminal" --> animal

"ecspecially" --> especially

"ovious" --> obvious

"samwich" --> sandwich

"supposebly" --> supposedly

"Valentimes" day --> Valentines day

they "varely" missed --> barely

"prolly" --> probably

And before you go bitchin' about how everyone should learn to "speak English"

Learn the difference between two, to, and too; and between there, their, and they're

Remember that you're advocating that everyone learn to speak the language, not of native Americans, but of a small island kingdom off the coast of Europe

Other Interesting Tidbits

Pom-pon is another word for pom-pom