Malapropism
Definition:
Malapropism in literature refers to the practice of misusing words by substituting words with similar sounding words that have different, often unconnected meanings, and thus creating a situation of confusion, misunderstanding and amusement.
Malapropism is used to convey that the speaker/character is flustered, bothered, unaware or confused and as a result cannot employ proper diction. A trick to using malapropism is to ensure that the two words (the original and the substitute) sound similar enough for the reader to catch onto the intended switch and find humor in the result.
Example:
In the play Much Ado About Nothing, noted playwright William Shakespeare’s character Dogberry says, "Our watch, sir, have indeed comprehended two auspicious persons." Instead, what the character means to say is “"Our watch, sir, have indeed apprehended two suspicious persons."
Comments
3 comments postedSo i need help... would this work?- (in a math class the teacher calls a student up to the board and asks her to explain her answer) she say- "well its an addiction problem so..."
...so the whole semester I was taking Chemistry and couldn't help but say "magnesium" when I really meant "magazine" is actually a literary device...
its like asking if you can see the "manganese" someone is reading.
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