Page 15 - Indies Roundtable 2nd Anniversary Edition
P. 15
inquired, she found out that the name
of the hymn was Gladly the Cross I
Bear, but the little girl had
understood it as Gladys the Cross-
Eyed Bear.
Here’s another example based
upon a child’s misunderstanding of
something heard in church. The
minister’s five-year-old son and his
playmates had found a dead robin.
Feeling that proper burial should be
performed, they had secured a small
box and cotton batting, then dug a
hole and made ready for the disposal
of the deceased. The minister's son
was chosen to say the appropriate
prayers and with sonorous dignity
intoned his version of what he
thought his father always said.
"Glory be unto the Faaaather...and
unto the Sonnnn...and into the hole
you goooo." Of course, what his
father had said was “unto the Holy
Ghost”
Sometimes humorists will
deliberately create examples of
malapropisms based on the hearing
difficulties associated with old age. I
recall seeing a cartoon showing three
old men sitting on a park bench. The
first one said, “It sure is windy today.”
The second one replied, “No, it’s not
Wednesday; it’s Thursday,” to which
the last one responded, “I’m thirsty,
too. Let’s grab a beer.”
Long after Sheridan has been
forgotten by all but literary
historians, his most famous character
is still with us. Long live Mrs.
Malaprop!
of the hymn was Gladly the Cross I
Bear, but the little girl had
understood it as Gladys the Cross-
Eyed Bear.
Here’s another example based
upon a child’s misunderstanding of
something heard in church. The
minister’s five-year-old son and his
playmates had found a dead robin.
Feeling that proper burial should be
performed, they had secured a small
box and cotton batting, then dug a
hole and made ready for the disposal
of the deceased. The minister's son
was chosen to say the appropriate
prayers and with sonorous dignity
intoned his version of what he
thought his father always said.
"Glory be unto the Faaaather...and
unto the Sonnnn...and into the hole
you goooo." Of course, what his
father had said was “unto the Holy
Ghost”
Sometimes humorists will
deliberately create examples of
malapropisms based on the hearing
difficulties associated with old age. I
recall seeing a cartoon showing three
old men sitting on a park bench. The
first one said, “It sure is windy today.”
The second one replied, “No, it’s not
Wednesday; it’s Thursday,” to which
the last one responded, “I’m thirsty,
too. Let’s grab a beer.”
Long after Sheridan has been
forgotten by all but literary
historians, his most famous character
is still with us. Long live Mrs.
Malaprop!
