Saturday 5 January 2013

'Your room looks like a bombsy tit' and other eggcorns

I'm as as sick as a dog today because of an infection which is reeking havoc with my intestines, so I thought I'd take my mind off my woes by creating a piece based on eggcorns, a couple of which I came across on The Guardian today. What are eggcorns? In lame man's terms they are terms and expressions which the person who uses them knows by sound but not how to write them. Thus, in the headline above, 'your room looks like a a bombsy tit' should read 'your room looks like a bomb's hit it.'

The use of eggshells is spreading like wildflowers apparently, although no-one knows why. My personal take is that they bare witness to a general decline in writing standards because many people seem to have developed a deep seeded aversion to reading. Or maybe they are simply enacting revenge on the poor education systems in place today in western countries. Whatever, they're only terms of speech so I'm not going to get my nipples in a twist over them.

Blurk, back to my tummy bug I feel awful today and would gladly ring the neck of whoever I caught it off. I'm very tired because of the antibiotics I'm taking and I feel weak and limp, as if I was beginning to relax and get better after post-dramatic stress disorder. Writing this is helping my moral though, and so is the radio. It's playing one of those songs I love to hate right now, which is 'Love Sex in Jelly Tents' by The Shamen. Hoo, that takes me back.

I'm sure you're all on tenderhooks waiting for the latest on the Bardot story I brought to your attention yesterday, but there's no new news of note today, sorry. Still, when Bardot speaks to the press because she's angry about something (again) she's like a bowl in a china shop so I'm sure there will be further developments soon.

Right, I'm tired now so I'll stop. As to my bug, I guess I'll just have to grim and bear it because there's nothing we can do about the invincible hand of illness.

I'll leave you with a simple question. How many eggcorns are there in this piece, excluding 'a bombsy tit' and 'pre-madonna'? The first one to post the right answer gets my stomach infec 10/10 and a gold star.

Toodle pip!




6 comments:

  1. So sorry that you are suffering Frip and may it pass quickly!
    Does not stop you being on form though-i enjoyed the Bardot article yesterday,she seems to have gone off over time.
    And to answer your question i reckon 16 is a possible figure-loved the wildflowers and tenderhooks...ahh so sweet,not to mention post dramatic-sort of works though!
    Have been battling with sex crazed dogs recently-driving me balmy haha.
    Get well soon monsieur,Ruth.

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    1. Hi Ruth, and I'm a little better than the other day thanks. Still, I hate taking medicine. Well, yeah, it's a sure sign that I'm ill. :)

      So you've been battling with sex-crazed dogs? Ah, so your dog's in heat then poor thing. I couldn't do it in a city but if I had a dog in heat and lived in the countryside (say, the house I'm working on) I'd get the gun and shoot 'em. Either that or let mine out but with a chastity belt on.

      Bardot incidentally has now asked Putin for a meeting. That said there was a fairly large demo here in Lyon where the elephants are kept and I get the feeling that the authorities may be forced to relent and do more tests.

      Now then. You get 16? Excellent! A couple of them were a bit difficult.

      Oh and VERY important, I forgot to redo your homepage texts to reduce them and create a more airy feel but I PROMISE you'll have them tomorrow evening at the latest.

      Hope all's well,
      Frip

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  2. I am pleased I found your blog. Here (near Atlanta, Georgia) I never hear any news from France. I did see a blurb about Depardieu on Yahoo- he thinks a lot of himself. I enjoyed reading about BB. I used to like her when I was a teenager in Paris, wanted to imitate her clothes - but she sure changed for the worst – un vrai chameau! I did not know she was also homophobic. It’s not because she was a star that she is bright…sounds pretty “ordinaire” really. Meilleure santé!

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    1. Hi Vagabonde (nice name that!) Ah 'sacré GéGé' as they say here. Love him or loath him he has never left anyone indifferent, be it with respect to his films, his alcohol-fueled punch-ups and motor scooter accidents or his shady business dealings. Thst said, his staff at his Parisian restaurants think he's a great boss who always helps out when they have problems, even outside of work. A complex man indeed...

      As for BB, well, she's now a lost cause in many people's minds, including my own. NOT a nice person to know.

      Bonne Année !

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  3. UGH! Good riddance to Bardot and Depardieu, they're irritating me now!
    Hope your tummy bug gets better soon :)

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    1. Hey thanks Sara! I'm getting better although I still don't have much appetite and have lost a little weight. Trouble is I'm very slim and can't afford to lose much. Ah, no big deal. As for those two nitwits, the good news is that they have slipped off the front pages. Let's hope things stay that way... :)

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