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<title>Battling with English - part 5 (HPR Show 3608)</title>
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<h1 class="title">Battling with English - part 5 (HPR Show 3608)</h1>
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<h2 class="subtitle">Confused homophones; misunderstanding words from other countries; Eggcorns</h2>
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<h2 class="author">Dave Morriss</h2>
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<h1>Table of Contents</h1>
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<ul>
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<li><a href="#overview">Overview</a></li>
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<li><a href="#misunderstanding-homophones">Misunderstanding homophones</a>
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<ul>
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<li><a href="#reign-rein-and-rain">Reign, Rein and Rain</a></li>
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</ul></li>
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<li><a href="#words-from-other-languages">Words from other languages</a>
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<ul>
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<li><a href="#pundit">Pundit</a></li>
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</ul></li>
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<li><a href="#looking-at-eggcorns">Looking at <em>Eggcorns</em></a></li>
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<li><a href="#links">Links</a></li>
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<h2 id="overview">Overview</h2>
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<p>This time I have three main subjects to discuss, all of them dealing with misunderstandings of words:</p>
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<ul>
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<li>Mistakes made with <em>homophones</em>, one group of examples
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<ul>
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<li>The definition gets a little technical, see the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Homophone" title="Wikipedia: words that sound the same but have different meaning">Wikipedia</a> description.</li>
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</ul></li>
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<li>Misunderstandings of words from other languages
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<ul>
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<li><em>Pundit</em></li>
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</ul></li>
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<li>Looking at <em>Eggcorns</em> (a name chosen from a misspelling of <em>acorn</em>)
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<ul>
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<li>Wikipedia: <em>an alteration of a phrase through the mishearing or reinterpretation of one or more of its elements</em></li>
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</ul></li>
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</ul>
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<h2 id="misunderstanding-homophones">Misunderstanding homophones</h2>
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<p>As we have seen, homophones are usually words that have different spellings but sound the same. One of the most often quoted groups of such words are <em>reign</em>, <em>rein</em> and <em>rain</em>, but there are many others. We will also look at <em>passed</em> and <em>past</em> as well as <em>poring</em> and <em>pouring</em> in a later show.</p>
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<p>Here are some definitions (I have limited the meanings for the sake of brevity but the links here and below give access to more information if required):</p>
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<h3 id="reign-rein-and-rain">Reign, Rein and Rain</h3>
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<dl>
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<dt><a href="https://www.thefreedictionary.com/reign"><b><em>reign</em></b></a></dt>
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<dd><u>Noun</u>
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</dd>
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<dd><small><u>meaning 1:</u></small> <em>a period of time when a royal person rules a country</em>
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</dd>
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<dd><small><u>example:</u></small> “under the <u>reign</u> of the Stuart kings”
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</dd>
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<dd><br/>
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</dd>
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<dd><small><u>meaning 2:</u></small> <em>a period of time when a person, feeling or quality is important</em>
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</dd>
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<dd><small><u>example:</u></small> “his successful <u>reign</u> as manager of the team”
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</dd>
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<dd><br/>
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</dd>
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<dd><u>Verb</u>
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</dd>
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<dd><small><u>meaning 1:</u></small> <em>to rule a country, or to have power or control</em>
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</dd>
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<dd><small><u>example:</u></small> “in England the sovereign <u>reigns</u> but does not rule”
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</dd>
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<dd><br/>
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</dd>
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<dt><a href="https://www.thefreedictionary.com/rein"><b><em>rein</em></b></a></dt>
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<dd><u>Noun</u>
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</dd>
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<dd><small><u>meaning 1:</u></small> <em>a strap attached to the bridle of a horse or other animal to control their movement</em>
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</dd>
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<dd><small><u>meaning 2:</u></small> <em>a means of restraining or checking</em>
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</dd>
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<dd><u>Verb</u>
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</dd>
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<dd><small><u>meaning 1:</u></small> <em>to restrain or control</em>
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</dd>
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<dd><br/>
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</dd>
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<dt><a href="https://www.thefreedictionary.com/rain"><b><em>rain</em></b></a></dt>
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<dd><u>Noun</u>
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</dd>
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<dd><small><u>meaning 1:</u></small> <em>water falling to earth in drops</em>
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</dd>
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<dd><u>Verb</u>
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</dd>
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<dd><small><u>meaning 1:</u></small> <em>to fall in drops of water from the clouds</em>
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</dd>
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<dd><br/>
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</dd>
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</dl>
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<table id="t01" style="width:100%">
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<thead>
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<tr>
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<th style="width:20%">
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Correct usage
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</th>
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<th style="width:20%">
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Incorrect usage
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</th>
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<th>
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Comment
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</th>
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</thead>
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<tbody>
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<td>
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rein in
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</td>
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<td>
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<em>reign in</em>
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</td>
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<td>
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<small>To <em>rein in</em> is to slow something down or get it under control. It’s related to horse riding. So <em>reign in</em> 👎 is incorrect.</small>
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</td>
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</tr>
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<tr>
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<td>
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free rein
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</td>
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<td>
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<em>free reign</em>
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</td>
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<td>
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<small>The meaning of <em>free rein</em> to give complete freedom or to give full control. It’s again related to horse riding. So <em>free reign</em> 👎 is incorrect.</small>
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</td>
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</tr>
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<tr>
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<td>
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Anarchy reigns supreme
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</td>
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<td>
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<em>Anarchy reins supreme</em>
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</td>
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<td>
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<small>The meaning is that <em>anarchy controls everything; there is nothing but anarchy</em> but the incorrect version uses <em>reins</em> 👎.</small>
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</td>
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</tr>
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</tbody>
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</table>
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<h2 id="words-from-other-languages">Words from other languages</h2>
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<p>English, in common with many (or maybe all) languages, has absorbed words from other languages. We will look at one case in this episode, with some common errors probably caused by a misunderstanding of the word.</p>
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<h3 id="pundit">Pundit</h3>
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<p>See the definition according to <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pundit" title="Wikipedia: discussion of the word 'pundit'">Wikipedia</a>:</p>
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<blockquote>
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<p>A pundit is a person who offers to mass media opinion or commentary on a particular subject area (most typically politics, the social sciences, technology or sport).</p>
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</blockquote>
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<dl>
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<dt><a href="https://www.thefreedictionary.com/Pundit"><b><em>pundit</em></b></a></dt>
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<dd><u>Noun</u>
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</dd>
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<dd><small><u>meaning 1:</u></small> <em>a learned person; an expert or authority</em>
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</dd>
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<dd><small><u>meaning 2:</u></small> <em>a person who makes comments or judgments in an authoritative manner</em>
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</dd>
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<dd><br/>
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</dd>
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</dl>
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<p>This word originates from the Hindi term <em>pandit</em>, meaning a learned man. It was brought into English from India, maybe as long ago as the 1600s.</p>
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<p>In my younger days it was common to hear the then Prime Minister of the Republic of India, <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jawaharlal_Nehru" title="Wikipedia: Jawaharlal Nehru, Prime Minister of the Republic of India 1950-1964">Jawaharlal Nehru</a>, being referred to as <em>Pandit Nehru</em> on news programs and elsewhere.</p>
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<table id="t01" style="width:100%">
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<thead>
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<tr>
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<th style="width:20%">
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Original
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</th>
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<th style="width:20%">
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Incorrect
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</th>
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<th>
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Comment
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</th>
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</tr>
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</thead>
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<tbody>
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<tr>
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<td>
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pundit
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</td>
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<td>
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<em>pundant</em><br/><em>pundint</em>
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</td>
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<td>
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Both are wrong: <em>pundant</em> 👎, <em>pundint</em> 👎
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</td>
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</tr>
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</tbody>
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</table>
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<p>I was surprised to hear someone I follow on YouTube incorrectly saying ‘pundant’ within the past week. This error seems to be spreading for some reason.</p>
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<h2 id="looking-at-eggcorns">Looking at <em>Eggcorns</em></h2>
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<p>The name for this linguistic phenomenon was coined by <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Geoffrey_Pullum" title="Wikipedia: Geoffrey Pullum, linguistics professor">Professor Geoffrey Pullum</a> in 2003. It came from a discussion of a case where the phrase <em>egg corn</em> had been used instead of <em>acorn</em>.</p>
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<p>The term is used to describe cases where someone uses analogy and logic to make sense of an expression which uses a term which is not meaningful to them. Eggcorns are of interest to linguists since they show language evolving, and indicate possible reasons why a change has occurred.</p>
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<p>For example, the expression <em>in one fell swoop</em> might be replaced by <em>in one foul swoop</em> because <em>fell</em> is not much used in common parlance and <em>foul</em> appears to replace the meaning.</p>
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<p>Here are a few eggcorns taken from the Eggcorn Database mentioned below.</p>
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<table id="t01" style="width:100%">
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<thead>
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<tr>
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<th style="width:20%">
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Eggcorn
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</th>
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<th style="width:20%">
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Original
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</th>
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<th>
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Comment
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</th>
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</tr>
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</thead>
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<tbody>
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<tr>
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<td>
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<em>damp squid</em>
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</td>
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<td>
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damp squib
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</td>
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<td>
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<small>A firework (<em>squib</em>) which has become wet and fails to go off. Used to describe something that doesn’t work properly or fails to meet expectations.</small>
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</td>
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</tr>
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<tr>
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<td>
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<em>for all intensive purposes</em>
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</td>
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<td>
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(for|to) all intents and purposes
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</td>
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<td>
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<small>For every functional purpose; in every practical sense; in every important respect. The original expression comes from English law in the 1500’s.</small>
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</td>
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</tr>
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<tr>
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<td>
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<em>old timer’s disease</em>
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</td>
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<td>
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Alzheimer’s disease
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</td>
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<td>
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<small>A neurodegenerative disease that is commonest in people over 65 years of age. The <em>eggcorn</em> is wrong, but almost makes sense.</small>
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</td>
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</tr>
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<tr>
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<td>
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<em>with baited breath</em>
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</td>
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<td>
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with bated breath
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</td>
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<td>
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<small>Usually means to wait with anticipation or excitement. <em>Bated</em> means <em>restrained</em> and is related to <em>abated</em>. The image is of one holding one’s breath in excitement.</small>
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</td>
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</tr>
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</tbody>
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</table>
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<p>If this subject interests you, have a look at the Eggcorn Database and Eggcorn Forum in the <a href="#Links">Links</a> section below.</p>
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<h2 id="links">Links</h2>
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<ul>
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<li>Misunderstanding homophones:
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<ul>
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<li><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Homophone">Wikipedia article on <em>homophones</em></a></li>
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<li><a href="https://www.dictionary.com/e/reign-vs-rein/">Confusing <em>reign</em> and <em>rein</em></a></li>
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<li>Definitions of <em>reign</em>:
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<ul>
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<li><a href="https://www.thefreedictionary.com/reign">Free Dictionary: <em>reign</em></a></li>
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<li><a href="https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/reign">Merriam-Webster: <em>reign</em></a></li>
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</ul></li>
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<li>Definitions of <em>rein</em>:
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<ul>
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<li><a href="https://www.thefreedictionary.com/rein">Free Dictionary: <em>rein</em></a></li>
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<li><a href="https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/rein">Merriam-Webster: <em>rein</em></a></li>
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</ul></li>
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</ul></li>
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</ul>
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<ul>
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<li>Misunderstanding imported words:
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<ul>
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<li><a href="https://www.beedictionary.com/common-errors/pundint_vs_pundit">Bee Dictionary: <em>pundint or pundit</em></a></li>
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<li>Definitions of <em>pundit</em>:
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<ul>
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<li><a href="https://www.thefreedictionary.com/Pundit">Free Dictionary: <em>pundit</em></a></li>
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<li><a href="https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/pundit">Merriam-Webster: <em>pundit</em></a></li>
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</ul></li>
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<li><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jawaharlal_Nehru">Wikipedia article: Jawaharlal Nehru, aka <em>Pandit Nehru</em></a></li>
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</ul></li>
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</ul>
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<ul>
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<li><em>Eggcorns</em>:
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<ul>
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<li><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eggcorn">Wikipedia article on <em>Eggcorns</em></a></li>
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<li><a href="https://eggcorns.lascribe.net/">The Eggcorn Database</a></li>
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<li><a href="http://eggcorns.lascribe.net/forum/">The Eggcorn Forum</a></li>
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<li><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alzheimer%27s_disease">Wikipedia article on Alzheimer’s disease</a></li>
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<li><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/quotes/8690878-cruel-clever-cat-sally-having-swallowed-cheese-directs-down-holes"><em>Cruel, Clever Cat</em>, by Geoffrey Taylor</a> a joke on the Eggcorn <em>baited breath</em></li>
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</ul></li>
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</ul>
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<ul>
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<li>Previous episodes in this series:
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<ul>
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<li><a href="http://hackerpublicradio.org/eps/hpr2558">Battling with English - part 1</a></li>
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<li><a href="http://hackerpublicradio.org/eps/hpr2596">Battling with English - part 2</a></li>
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<li><a href="http://hackerpublicradio.org/eps/hpr2751">Battling with English - part 3</a></li>
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<li><a href="http://hackerpublicradio.org/eps/hpr3525">Battling with English - part 4</a></li>
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</ul></li>
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</ul>
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