Lost In Translation

The hilarious world of malapropisms

Fresh vaggies or veggies?!

Oops I did it again…

I jumbled up my words to make a new word.

Which does make me laugh, as usually everything I say totally makes sense to me, but for the other person I’m in conversation with, they look back at me either confused or giggling at the funny phrases I blurt out.

It usually boils down to the fact that I’m excited to hold conversation, words coming out of my mouth before my brain has had time to get in gear.

Does this ever happen to you?

The humorous and often unintentional substitution of one word for another, reveal themselves as a unique and charming quirk in my communication. Since I was a child, I have mixed up my words. This could be an ADHD trait of mine (undiagnosed, but that’s another story for another day), I guess I’ll never know, but having this quirk does intrigue me. When I was a young girl, I always felt rather embarrassed about my inability to select the correct words, especially as my mum was an English teacher at my high school. I struggled at most theoretical subjects, it took me 4 times to pass my GCSE maths, starting with an F grade to eventually, with lots of private tuition, be awarded a C grade. It was exhausting!

I just wasn’t a gifted academic student. However my creative flair shone on and to this day I’m grateful for the weird and wonderful ways my mind works.

The fact that I’ve always had this penchant for ‘wordplay’ and that I’ve decided to lean into it more now that I’m in my late forties, tells me that my confidence and self-awareness is evolving - about bloody time! I do believe this strange talent of having malapropisms is indeed a gift to be proud of.

Do you suffer with malapropisms?

The term ‘malapropism’ is derived from the character Mrs Malaprop , a fictional figure in Richard Brinsley Sheridan's 1775 comedy play ‘The Rivals’. Mrs Malaprop was known for her humorous mispronunciation of words. Her dialogue was filled with comical errors, where she substituted one word for a similar sounding word, but had a completely different meaning. I can so relate to her!

For example Mrs malaprop would say “ He is the very pineapple of politeness” instead of “He is the very pinnacle of politeness” These linguistic blunders are what is now called ‘malapropisms’.

So if like me you tend to blurt out a malapropism now and again in conversation, I salute you! The ability to laugh at your own malapropisms, and create new and comical words, highlights you are creative and adaptable. Also, the fact you’re unafraid of making mistakes or embracing the unconventional, can be a powerful trait in navigating life’s challenges.

In my humble opinion, I do believe malapropisms, are in a way, a form of creative expression. They showcase our unique perspective on language and the world. It is a delightful talent that sets us apart from the norm. I just wish I had the courage to embrace my malapropisms when I was 9 years old, growing up would have been far less stressful and embarrassing. Better late than never, it’s time I started to celebrate my linguistic twists as it’s an integral part of who I am. Do let me know if you are part of the ‘Malapropism Fan Club’, I’d love for us to share some of our weird and wonderful word creations.

Until the next time

Take care & stay safe xxx