At 5:09 PM +0100 11/1/06, dc wrote:
Does this qualify as an eggcorn? I ask because my last contributions
to Andrew's collection were rejected by the jury.
We have a current (and totally ridiculous) trade mark fight under weigh here.
Dennis
Nope. That's actually the correct term. It's nautical, and refers
to a ship starting out, but has been generalized to any sort of
ongoing event or movement. But most people have never seen it used
in print except as "under way." (I did it to see whether anyone was
paying attention!)
Actually, now that I look "weigh" up, the Random House Dictionary of
the English Language, 2nd ed., unabridged, mixes up the two uses:
"12. (of a ship) to raise the anchor and get under way: The ship
weighed early and escaped in the fog. 13. Weigh anchor, Naut. to
heave up a ship's anchor in preparation for getting under way."!
In the lengthy entry under the spelling "way," the use doesn't show
up until: "20. a. Naut. Ways, two or more ground ways down which
a hull slides in being launched. b. movement or passage through the
water."
In English, one must weigh one's word choices carefully.
John
--
John & Susie Howell
Virginia Tech Department of Music
Blacksburg, Virginia, U.S.A 24061-0240
Vox (540) 231-8411 Fax (540) 231-5034
(mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED])
http://www.music.vt.edu/faculty/howell/howell.html
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