Got this as one of my subscription services and just had to share it!
dysphemism (DIS-fuh-miz-em) noun
The substitution of a harsher, deprecating or offensive term in place
of a relatively neutral term.
[From Greek dys- (bad) + -phemism (as in euphemism).]
"There are lots of epithets for people like this - Grammar Nazis, Usage
Nerds, Syntax Snobs, the Language Police. The term I was raised with is
SNOOT. The word might be slightly self-mocking, but those other terms
are outright dysphemisms. A SNOOT can be defined as somebody who knows
what dysphemism means and doesn't mind letting you know it."
David Foster Wallace, Tense Present: Democracy, English, And the Wars
Over Usage, Harper's Magazine (New York), Apr 2001.
This belongs in the BORING INFORMATION column.
21…that sounds rather 'snooty'..
Ahh i dont get it! some on break it down for me!
It a discription of Dr or Pooga. Lol
The infamous spelling cop strikes again……
Keep at Pooga you can teach em! But you can't learn em!!!!!
Oh, that wasn't an error, just the accent I type with.
I suppose instead of being dysphemistic one could be euphemistic and see the spelling errors as being a language in evolution…
Speaking of which (I love this subscription!):
hypercorrection (hi-puhr-kuhr-REK-shun) noun
A grammatical, usage or pronuciation mistake made by `correcting' something that's right to begin with. For example, use of the word whom in "Whom shall I say is calling?"
[From Greek hyper- (over) + correction.]
"One explanation is that some people may have been corrected for saying bad' in another construction such as I need money bad' and so in hypercorrection use badly' in all constructions. Other use it trying to be elegant, thinking feeling bad' is somehow less educated." Roz Young, The Good Word is Don't Feel Bad About 'Feeling Badly', The Dayton Daily News, Sep 4, 1993.
"The truth is that hypercorrection isn't grammar's coup de grace. We all do it occasionally; here's how: Fear of the objective case. This comes as a shock to we (should be us') people who care about grammar, but between you and I (should be me'), hypercorrection is quite common." Rob Kyff, The Error of Fixing What Ain't Broke, The Hartford Courant, Apr 20, 1994.
wordsmith.org
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