Page 13 - Indies Roundtable 2nd Anniversary Edition
P. 13
Mrs. Malaprop
An Article
By Sanford Wood
In 1775 Richard Sheridan wrote a play entitled The Rivals which
contained a character by the name of Mrs. Malaprop. In the play,
Mrs. Malaprop did strange things with words, often to humorous
effect. As a result, the word “ malapropism” was created to
designate a word or phrase that sounds like another word or
phrase that has a very different meaning. For example, the words
prostate and prostrate sound very much alike, but their meanings
are far apart. A malapropism occurs when the wrong one is used,
as in the following examples:
● He lay prostate upon the floor.
● Poor Joe has been diagnosed with prostrate cancer.
An Article
By Sanford Wood
In 1775 Richard Sheridan wrote a play entitled The Rivals which
contained a character by the name of Mrs. Malaprop. In the play,
Mrs. Malaprop did strange things with words, often to humorous
effect. As a result, the word “ malapropism” was created to
designate a word or phrase that sounds like another word or
phrase that has a very different meaning. For example, the words
prostate and prostrate sound very much alike, but their meanings
are far apart. A malapropism occurs when the wrong one is used,
as in the following examples:
● He lay prostate upon the floor.
● Poor Joe has been diagnosed with prostrate cancer.
