Das Wort

What’s your favorite word?

I don’t think I can choose one single word from all the languages of the world as a favorite. (Yes, I know, I don’t know every word of every language, but of the words I do know, I can’t choose one.) So, as usual, when the prompt doesn’t quite work, I pivot and talk about something related.

I had a friend years ago who often tried to sound academic and smarter than he was. He would wend his way through a compound complex sentence to an unknown destination; he would then pause and say, “How do I say…?” Then the slot machine in his mind would whirr, three lemons (not cherries!) would line up, and out would come a good word, a big word, but not the right word.

This is known as a malapropism, named after Mrs. Malaprop in Richard Brinsley Sheridan’s play The Rivals (1775). Others, such as comedians Norm Crosby, have also used this for humorous effect.

I like to collect examples of malapropisms, and I would do a whole piece on them in my Intro to Theatre class on Restoration Drama. You can hear all about this is in my Audio Chimera podcast Episode #53, “Malapropisms.” I highly recommend it for its humor value.

And they are a gift that just keeps on giving. Recently my fiancée was talking to someone on the phone and the person wanted to convey that certain actions can exacerbate a situation. But he didn’t say exacerbate; he said “exasperate.” Which almost works, in the context, but really doesn’t—but does serve as a perfect example of a malapropism.