play mrs malaprop
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mrs malaprop
Words at Play

What is a malaprop?

Editor Peter Sokolowski will tell you all the perpendiculars

A malapropism, or malaprop, is 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 context—like polo bears instead of polar bears.

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play mrs malaprop
What is a malaprop?

 

We'll tell you all the perpendiculars

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How to remember which is which

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And how did it get that name?

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A definitive answer.

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Is it all the same anyway?

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Video: Why is there a 'c' in 'indict'?

 

And who put it there, anyway?

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