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    Similar Words That Can Cause Problems

    Just now I mistyped prostate cancer as prostrate cancer.

    I imagine "she prostated herself" being a common gaffe.
    Last edited by Satchmo Distel; 06-12-2017, 11:48.

    #2
    At work we deliver a lot of funeral flowers. We regularly have to change "diseased" to "deceased" to save embarrassment and insult.

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      #3
      Ex-Fräulein treibeis used to confuse "awful" and "awesome". This was particularly entertaining (for me) when we once got cornered in a pub in Bristol by an old lady, who went on at great length about her illnesses.

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        #4
        When I first came to Germany, I once used the word "Fotze" (cunt) when I meant "Pfütze" (puddle). It was a deep puddle I was on about as well.

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          #5
          People who use averse and adverse interchangeably. They ain't.

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            #6
            Schaf (sheep) and Schal (scarf) I used to mix up all the time.

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              #7
              Also Schwul (gay) and Schwül (humid).

              To be honest, I avoid Schwül altogether.

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                #8
                Aaaaaaaaah. Just got this in an email a moment ago: "so it’s a mute point".

                No. No no no no no!

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                  #9
                  Originally posted by Stumpy Pepys View Post
                  Schaf (sheep) and Schal (scarf) I used to mix up all the time.
                  A Welsh mate of mine here, when not-beating-but joining people making sheep-shagger jokes about his fellow countrymen, more often than not gets the plural of "sheep" wrong and goes on about fucking "shepherds". Usually shuts people up, though.
                  Last edited by treibeis; 06-12-2017, 14:05.

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                    #10
                    Aaaaaaaaah. Just got this in an email a moment ago: "so it’s a mute point".
                    Likewise "chomping at the bit."

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                      #11
                      They're known as eggcorns.

                      Like pigs and troughs.

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                        #12
                        Or mooed point.

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                          #13
                          This morning I also read "they give us feedback piece mail".

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                            #14
                            From twitter 5 minutes ago :

                            Heard a guy talking about Belgian whistles.

                            "A basic website costs 10k, or 25k upwards if you want all the Belgian whistles," he said.

                            Belgian whistles.

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                              #15
                              Originally posted by ad hoc View Post
                              From twitter 5 minutes ago :

                              Heard a guy talking about Belgian whistles.

                              "A basic website costs 10k, or 25k upwards if you want all the Belgian whistles," he said.

                              Belgian whistles.
                              I had to read that out loud, twice, before I realised what it was supposed to mean.

                              The company I used to work for charged similar rates. A "basic" website costs 15 euros a month, though. I know this because I've got one.

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                                #16
                                Twice I've heard or read someone referring to something as being "a real world win" [whirlwind]. 'Wheel barrel' is another old favourite. I mean, I guess a wheelbarrow looks like something that might be a wheel barrel. And acorns could look like egg corns.

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                                  #17
                                  Reign and rein. Rein it in, chaos reigns etc.

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                                    #18
                                    I used to confuse rigour and vigour, but no longer. <haunted look>

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                                      #19
                                      Damp squids.

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                                        #20
                                        Football commentators constantly say ironic when they actually mean coincidental

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                                          #21
                                          Indeed. See also 'reluctant / hesitant'.

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                                            #22
                                            I remember a woman in a previous job, working on the website, talking about clearing the caché.

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                                              #23
                                              Bated breath....

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                                                #24
                                                Originally posted by jdsx View Post
                                                Bated breath....
                                                ?

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                                                  #25
                                                  And, although it's slightly off topic, "If you think I'm going to contribute to this thread, you've got another ***** coming."

                                                  This is the phrase which causes more argument than anything (of a similar nature) I have ever come across; virtually everyone is absolutely convinced that their version of the word/phrase is correct, and that the 'alternative' is not only incorrect, but it is simply incredible that anyone could even conceive of saying it!

                                                  The missing word is clearly 'thing', by the way.....anyone who thinks it is 'think' is utterly wrong....

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