Well this is kind of a dumb thread, and it will probably vanish without a trace, but it's quiet on the boards tonight. A malapropism is when you use a word the wrong way. Examples would be:

"Quiet, I'm consecrating." (instead of concentrating)
"The feeling is paramutual, I'm insured." (instead of "The feeling is mutual, I'm sure."

The above were from "The East Side Kids" movies.

There was a famous British university professor at Oxford named Spooner, who was famous for doing something similar to this. Just after the First World War, he told someone, "When the boys come back from France, we'll have the hags flung out" (flags hung out). And he once referred to Queen Victoria as "the queer old dean" (dear old queen). This kind of mistake is called a "spoonerism." That's a slightly different way of using words incorrectly than a malapropism, which is using the wrong word for soomething.

Has anybody heard anything like this, or can you think one up?

Archie Bunker was the king of malaproprisms. He said them constantly.
The company I once worked for received a business letter, and it read, something along the lines of, "There's been a lot of pubic interest in...." lol. Naturally, spellcheck wouldn't pick up on this typo.
Thanks for teaching me a new word Brandon. :)

Originally posted by Janice
Thanks for teaching me a new word Brandon. :)
It comes from some character in a long ago play, named Mrs. Malaprop, who did this, but I don't know what play or when.

Originally posted by BrandonS
It comes from some character in a long ago play, named Mrs. Malaprop, who did this, but I don't know what play or when.
Right again.

From www.webster.com
One entry found for malapropism.
Main Entry: mal·a·prop·ism
Pronunciation: 'ma-l&-"prä-"pi-z&m
Function: noun
Etymology: Mrs. Malaprop, character noted for her misuse of words in R. B. Sheridan's comedy The Rivals (1775)
Date: 1849
1 : 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
2 : MALAPROP
- mal·a·prop·ist /-"prä-pist/ noun

Originally posted by BrandonS
It comes from some character in a long ago play, named Mrs. Malaprop, who did this, but I don't know what play or when.

Mrs. Malaprop is from the play The Rivals, eighteenth century i think. Great play if you ever get the chance to see it, one of my friends played her niece in it a few years back.

I know theres gotta be a few from Laverne & Shirley, but I cant think of any at the moment.

The funniest line ever mumbled by Lenny on Laverne & Shirley...

"Well, Laverne. This is the night we finally get to constipate our marriage."

All ya gotta do is turn to Lenny and Squiggy for malapropisms. :D

There's lots of them on here.

http://www.sitcomsonline.com/boards/showthread.php?s=&threadid=54662&perpage=15&pagenumber=1

Originally posted by Rockapella722
The funniest line ever mumbled by Lenny on Laverne & Shirley...

"Well, Laverne. This is the night we finally get to constipate our marriage."

All ya gotta do is turn to Lenny and Squiggy for malapropisms. :D

:lol: :lol: :rotflmao: :rotflmao:

The only one that I can think of is from Back to the Future part one when George McFly walks into the malt shop, walks up to Lorraine and says "You are my density" when he's supposed to say destiny! :lol:

Balki on Perfect Strangers used words incorrectly all the time. One of my favorite lines of his is "Don't have a nervous breakdance!" :lol:

Originally posted by GrapeJelly
Balki on Perfect Strangers used words incorrectly all the time. One of my favorite lines of his is "Don't have a nervous breakdance!" :lol:
That made me laugh out loud!

Originally posted by GrapeJelly
Balki on Perfect Strangers used words incorrectly all the time. One of my favorite lines of his is "Don't have a nervous breakdance!" :lol:

:lol: Or "You're up the river without a poodle." (the only one I can remember at the moment)

Okay, dunno if this counts, but once I asked my grandma if she was going to get a "Rapunzie Barbel" for my cousin. It was funny. My sister still teases me. ;)