Unfortunate typo of the day

[rivkat]

No, applicant, you probably don't have a flare for dramatic storytelling.  Or if you do I'm a bit concerned for the safety of our students and suggest you apply to Xavier's School for Gifted Youngsters instead.

Isn't there some word for homophones like this that sort of sound like they might be right, but aren't?  (See also take the reigns.)

Comments

[rivkat]

Thanks, correction taken--but I really want a name for the homophone that sounds plausible, the way "take the rains" isn't.

[veejane]

I know eggcorn is often used for a mis-heard or ignorantly reinterpreted word, but this is kind of like... "take the reigns" isn't THAT plausible! And yet people say it, without questioning how or why it makes any sense.

("Tow the line" is a good eggcorn, though.)

[brownbetty]

I had to be convinced it wasn't “have another thing coming” which somehow seemed a lot more logical to me than “another think.” (Or maybe just a lot more grammatical.) Like, your mistaken idea will lead you astray, something will happen to you! rather than you will rethink this! which of course, most people don't, until something thing happens.