Definition and Examples of Mondegreens

A mondegreen is a word or phrase that results from mishearing or misinterpreting a statement or song lyric.  Also known as an  oronym. The term mondegreen was coined in 1954 by American writer Sylvia Wright and popularized by San Francisco Chronicle columnist Jon Carroll. The term was inspired by Lady Mondegreen, a misinterpretation of the line hae laid him on the green from the Scottish ballad The Bonny Earl o Moray. According to  J. A. Wines, mondegreens often occur because the English language is rich in homophones--words which may not be the same in origin, spelling or meaning, but which sound the same (Mondegreens: A Book of Mishearings, 2007). Examples and Observations The point about what I shall hereafter call mondegreens, since no one else has thought up a word for them, is that they are better than the original.(Sylvia Wright, The Death of Lady Mondegreen. Harpers, November 1954)Every time you go away/you take a piece of meat with you (for . . . take a piece of me with you, from the Paul Young song Every Time You Go Away)I led the pigeons to the flag (for I pledge allegiance to the flag)Theres a bathroom on the right (for Theres a bad moon on the rise in Bad Moon Rising by Creedence Clearwater Revival)Excuse me while I kiss this guy (for the Jimi Hendrix lyric Excuse me while I kiss the sky)The ants are my friends (for The answer, my friend in Blowing in the Wind by Bob Dylan)I’ll never leave your pizza burning (for I’ll never be your beast of burden by the Rolling Stones)The girl with colitis goes by (for the girl with kaleidoscope eyes in Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds by the Beatles)Dr. Laura, you pickled man-thief (for the Tom Waits lyric doctor, lawyer, beggar-man, thief)Take your pants down, and make it happen (for Take your passion and make it happen in Irene Caras Flashdance)the bright blessed day and the dog said goodnight (for the bright blessed day, the dark sacred night in What a Wonderful World by Louis Armstrong)The girl from Emphysema goes walking (for The girl from Ipanema goes walking in The Girl from Ipanema, as performed by Astrud Gilberto)bow and arrow transplant for bone marrow transplantIm blotto and bravado/Im a scarecrow and a Beatle (for A mulatto, an albino/A mosquito, my libido from Nirvanas Smells Like Teen Spirit)Lucky Jesus (a childs mondegreen for the chain restaurant Chuck E. Cheese)America! America! God is Chef Boyardee (for God shed His grace on thee in America, the Beautiful)You’re the cheese to my pizza mine (for â€Å"You’re the key to my peace of mind from Carol Kings Natural Woman)In love, as in life, one misheard word can be tremendously important. If yo u tell someone you love them, for instance, you must be absolutely certain that they have replied I love you back and not I love your back before you continue the conversation.(Lemony Snicket, Horseradish: Bitter Truths You Cant Avoid. HarperCollins, 2007) Historical Mondegreens Examine the following mondegreens and give a historical explanation of what changes have occurred. See if you can find other historical mondegreens that have become standard or widespread in English. Earlier/Later1. an ewt (salamander) / a newt2. an ekename (additional name) / a nickname3. for then anes (for the once) / for the nonce4. an otch / a notch5. a naranj / an orange6. another meal / a whole nother meal7. a nouche (brooch) / an ouche8. a napron / an apron9. a naddre (type of snake) / an adder10. would have done / would of done11. spit and image / spitting image12. sam-blind (half-blind) / sand blind13. a let ball (in tennis) / a net ball14. Welsh rabbit / Welsh rarebit (W. Cowan and J. Rakusan, Source Book for Linguistics. John Benjamins, 1998) Misconceptions (1899) A little girl with whom I am acquainted recently asked her mother what a consecrated cross-eye bear was; the explanation of her query being that she had been learning (orally) a hymn commencing: A consecrated cross I bear.(Ward Muir, Misconceptions. The Academy, Sep. 30, 1899)No language, how simple soever, I think, can escape a childs perversion. One said for years, in repeating the Hail, Mary! Blessed art thou, a monk swimming. Another, supposing that life was labour, I presume, ended his prayers with forever endeavour, Amen.(John B. Tabb, Misconceptions. The Academy, Oct. 28, 1899) Pronunciation: MON-de-green

Death - 2383 Words

Running Head: DEATH 1 Death Described In Many Ways Ericka Silva ENG 125 Oct. 8, 2012 Running Head: DEATH 2 Death Described In Many Ways When we think of death, we think and describe it in many different ways. It is perceived in many different ways when we read about it as well. Everyone who has experienced it though can say that it is not a delightful thing to experience. Whether it is a family member, a friend, a co-worker or even a pet, there is something to be said about how death can be described. I have chosen to talk about two very special literary works. The first one is A Dog’s Death by John Updike and the other being I Used To Live Here Once by Jean Rhys. Both of these literary works describe†¦show more content†¦You can imagine how well the dog is loved by the family, just by how the author talks about the dog. In both of these literary works the authors did a good job of showing the characterization. We know how the characters are by how the author described them. The point of characterization is to make us familiar with the characters in the stories. When the author tells us things about them it helps us to familiarize with the characters. â€Å"A distinct representation of something that can be experienced and understood through the senses (sight, hearing, touch, smell and taste), or the representation of an idea is what is called image (Clugston, 2010 sec. 2.5). When we read literature we usually imagine the scenery or the characters in it. The author usually describes things in such detail that that you can make an image in your mind of it. This makes literature more interesting to us as readers. The line â€Å"as we teased her with play, blood was filling her skin† is a description that lets you see the picture of the dog playing with the family and then the image of the dog’s body being filled with blood. Another line states â€Å"I stroked her warm fur and my wife called out in a voice overcome Running Head: DEATH 5 with tears.† With this line you can see the dog lying in the man’s lap, while hearing the woman cry in the background with her voice saddened by the passing of her beloved pet. Another image that you can picture is when the author states â€Å"MondayShow MoreRelatedDeath : Death And Death844 Words   |  4 PagesIn the United States over two million people die a year (Death). With death comes the questions countless people wonder about. What is Death? Why did they die? Why couldn’t it have been someone else? When a loved one is lost, these questions could be circling through their heads. Death is when someone’s time on Earth has come to a close, there are numerous causes of death and people often wonder why it has to happen. Death is a part of life that everybody has to deal with. There is no way aroundRead MoreThe Death Of Death And Death1300 Words   |  6 PagesOn the topic of death, a question had been made on whether i mmortality is preferable to dying. In Plato’s Phaedo, Socrates’ death scene, Socrates has one last philosophical conversation with his friends about what happens to the soul when it leaves the body after death. Socrates believes that the soul is immortal, meaning that it will live on even when the body does not. The themes in Phaedo are similar to those in Leo Tolstoy’s â€Å"The Death of Ivan Ilych,† which tells the story of a man named IvanRead MoreDeath Of Death And Death1270 Words   |  6 Pagesthought to the subject of death. To be more accurate: throughout my entire life I have never allowed myself to give much thought to the subject of death. Both of my parents are very easy going, optimistic individuals so death was not a subject that was ever really touched on. The only times that I really remember discussing it was in church (and I rarely ever paid attention to this). Despite this lack of contemplation, I have always known that I am very anxio us about death, so when I filled out theRead MoreThe Death Of Death And Death1515 Words   |  7 Pages Everyone is familiar with the theme of death. â€Å"According to experience, death is the stopping of a behavior, the stopping of expressive movements and of physiological movements and processes†¦It is a departure, a decease, a negativity to the unknown†¦a departure without a return†(Levinas). Regardless of belief, death is the one equalizer common to man. There are countless stories attempting to illustrate or explain both the feeling and the nature of death given many various outcomes, fortunate orRead MoreThe Death Of Death1218 Words   |  5 Pagesor in other words, 55.3 million people die per year. Death is never a comfortable conversation to have with others but death is common especially among the elderly population. Atul Gawande in Being Mortal talks about how death takes many people by surprise and the descriptions of aging and dying. All the while l iving better through the understanding of death. The author is trying to express that even those in the medical field struggle with death and not ensuring the well-being of the patients thatRead MoreThe Death Of Death And Death2332 Words   |  10 PagesDeath affects people in a variety of ways, often differing throughout cohorts and cultures. Death does not affect everyone in the same way, and often life experiences have a key role in shaping how we view death. Most of these interviewees were from rural Iowa, and could show a contrast from the single interviewee from Tennessee. For this paper, I intend to showcase how several individuals can view death in a variety of ways, and how they can each face their own unique set of problems and resourcesRead MoreDeath Is Not Death?2195 Words   |  9 Pagesyet inevitable fate of all mankind; death. We spend our entire lives fearing death as well as theorizing and developing ways to live longer and put off our own eventual demise. Death i s universally feared, even from a young age we are aware of the fact that death is the ultimately the worst thing that could possibly happen to any mortal being. Death is defined as the â€Å"permanent ending of vital processes in a cell or tissue†. When thought of in these terms death does not seem like anything to be soRead MoreThe Death Of Death System898 Words   |  4 Pages The death system according to Kastenbaum (2012) is â€Å"the interpersonal and symbolic network, through which an individual’s relationship to mortality is mediated by his or her society† (p.102). This means that we face death as individuals and face it as a society and culture. The death system teaches members of a group concerning death, using mental, emotional and behavioral components and functions. There are five component: People, Places, Times, Objects and Symbols and seven function: warningRead MoreDeath Is The End Of Death1688 Words   |  7 PagesThere Is Nothing To Fear In Death. Everybody will die at some point. I know death is coming and there is nothing to fear about it because I believe that there is nothing about it on the other side to be afraid of. I was content, perfectly, to be precise before I was born and I believe it will be the same state even with death. In this essay, I will talk try to talk about why there is nothing to be afraid of in death. It is evident that death cannot be experienced, in the physical form. This is becauseRead MoreDeath By The Broom Of Death872 Words   |  4 Pagesâ€Å"But death also goes through the world dressed as a broom, lapping the floor, looking for dead bodies, death is inside the broom, the broom is the tongue of death looking for corpses, it is the needle of death looking for thread.† Birth marks the beginning of life and is often celebrated while death gets such a bad reputation because of it signifies the end of life as an inevitable fate to humans. We tiptoe around death with hopes that it goes away and watch as it snuffs out life from those we once

History of the Internet free essay sample

Answer each question below. Answers should be approximately 100 words per question. 1. What are the different forms of social media that exist today? Provide examples of different social media and their primary purposes. There are quite a few social media that exists today. There are social networks that form communities and share personal information, pictures, videos, and instant messages, such as MySpace and Facebook. There are blogs where anybody can communicate their thoughts and feelings about any subject. Internet news, like MSNBC is now more popular than TV news because we no longer have to wait until 9:00 or 10:00 o’clock at night to see what’s happening in the news 24 hours a day. YouTube is a great way of sharing informational, entertaining, and even movie trailer videos to a wide audience. The now popular teenage singer, Justin Bieber, was discovered on YouTube by Usher’s manager, when Justin began posting his homemade videos on YouTube. We will write a custom essay sample on History of the Internet or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page There are also on-line garage sales, like Craigslist, or job hunting sites, such as Monster. com, Careerbuilder. com and Jobs.. What are the greatest benefits of social media for individuals and society? Just like Justin Bieber, the possibility of opportunities is now more available than before. Social media does not require you to even be far from home to reach a large audience. Marketing products, communicating and sharing information, keeping in touch, and buying merchandise can be easily done in the comfort of your home and has instant results. 3. What are the greatest problems of social media for individuals and society? I believe the greatest problem with social media for both individuals and society is the lack of restrictions and censorship. We tend to forget that what we see and hear is not necessarily the truth, and can disparage someone’s reputation, credibility, or judgment from an instant video footage upload from a misunderstood moment or scene. There are also no restrictions on who can participate in posting inappropriate information. 4. How have modern social media sites affected commerce? Include positive and negative examples in your answer. Social media has positively affected commerce by an almost effortless and less expensive marketing tool. Buying, selling, and exchanging products has become simple and is able to reach many more people than traditional marketing. The negative aspect is that with the simple, economical, easy to use marketing tool, there are also a lot more competition and scams. Products may seem inexpensive, but the products may not be of quality. Unknown businesses promoting their product or services may not be of quality or be trustworthy. 5. How has the Internet changed the way many Americans consume information? Explain the importance and value of the availability of information on the Internet. Many Americans are now expecting instant results. We no longer have to wait for information. It can be easily viewed on a cell phone or on the computer. The importance and value of the availability of information on the Internet is that it saves time and is seemingly effortless. There are a number of different sites to receive information on the same subject and thus, multiple feedbacks, comments, or opinions can allow you to make informed decisions or judgements. 6. How might you determine if information found online is trustworthy? Describe credibility issues with information found on the Internet. Online information may be biased and gear towards a certain preference, impress upon personal opinion, or sources lack facts. Information online is only trustworthy and credible based on where the source of the information stems from, how much digging was done to seek truth and facts, and who is conveying the information. 7. In what ways have politicians used the Internet in campaigning and in staying in touch with constituents? What is the overall effect of the Internet on politics? Internet is allowing politicians to reach their constituents quickly and easily. They are able to use the internet to promote themselves and to receive feedback from more voters to find out what the American people want. Overall, the Internet has had an effect on politics both negatively and positively. On the plus side, politicians have an easy avenue to stroll to find out what the people are looking for and be able to communicate and respond promptly. On the negative end, politicians need to be even more careful of all their public and sometimes private appearances as one misunderstood event, may be posted on YouTube within minutes. 8. Newspapers, once available only in print, have evolved into 24-hour multimedia operations. In addition to newspapers, briefly describe the evolution of movies, television, Internet, books and magazines, and media companies throughout the last century. All types of media have evolved to 24-hour availability and progress in functions. Movies and television was once limited to black and white and can only be seen certain times of the day. Now, all shows are in color and can be watched from home, in theaters or anywhere with an internet connection. Books and magazines are virtually paperless. It can be purchased online to download immediately for instant reading, whereas a century ago, books and magazines would take months to be printed. The internet has changed from dial-up to WiFi. It use to take minutes to download items and now it will be a matter of seconds. What is media convergence? Provide an example of media convergence and explain the media elements that are being combined. Explain how the combination of media elements in your example may be useful and to whom. Media convergence is new and old coming together. Radio and Internet is an example of media convergence. Before, radio stations have only been broadcasted through AM or FM channels. Now, may radio stations have their own websites and can be connected to the radio through the internet. This combination is helpful to everybody because communication is still available to a large audience of listeners on regular AM/FM radio and is usually still in working order after a natural disaster cuts off electricity. It can be accessed the old-fashion way through radio broadcasts even when the internet is down. 10. How has media convergence changed American culture? Media convergence has changed American culture by allowing for more choices in how we receive and communicate information. A vast majority of Americans participate in some sort of media and its convergence has provided numerous selections of options. Explain how music and culture influence one another. Provide an example of a song or album that affected culture. Provide examples of songs with cultural references. Music has been around before written communication. Music and culture has influenced each other by conveying messages about politics, love, hate, friendship, etc. An example of a song that has affected culture is the â€Å"Star Spangled Banner†, which is America’s national anthem and is sung before the start of a baseball game, America’s cultural past time. A big part of how pop music affects culture involves how it is distributed. Briefly describe how pop music and music distribution has changed over the last century. A hundred years ago, pop music would be restricted with some sort of censorship of what can and can not be said and can only be heard on the radio with discretion. Now, there are few restrictions and use of vulgar and profanity emerged and can be distributed to anyone who has access to the internet.

is Lady Macbeth a modern female role model Essay Example

is Lady Macbeth a modern female role model? Paper Lady Macbeth may be considered to be a modern female role model as her character conforms to the abnormal attitudes of a typical Elizabethan woman. Nevertheless she also presents attitudes of typical behaviour accepted of woman during the period. Firstly, discussing how Lady Macbeth is not a modern female role model. It can be acknowledged that Lady Macbeth never really possesses legitimate power of her own. Though it is evident that she does make some decisions on her own and also produces some individual ideas; these are influenced by other characters, for xample, the idea of Macbeth becoming King, elevates her to persuade him of killing Duncan. What cannot you and I perform upon thunguarded Duncan? Somewhat persuades Macbeth to carry out the plan through Lady Macbeths use of manipulation, in addition she also includes herself in the plan, therefore she does not make Macbeth feel isolated in the plan. As a result, Lady Macbeth does not make any complete decisions solely, besides her own suicide; which could be argued was the influence of Macbeth. This is because Lady Macbeth seems to lose control of her dominant persona from the aftermath of Banquds death, which eventually causes er to end her own life through her insane state. Therefore it illustrates Lady Macbeths ability to lose control, which would not be a positive characteristic of a modern female. We will write a custom essay sample on is Lady Macbeth a modern female role model? specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on is Lady Macbeth a modern female role model? specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on is Lady Macbeth a modern female role model? specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer Another aspect of Lady Macbeths personality which may be deemed as being inappropriate for a modern role model is how she makes decisions behind Macbeths back and without asking for Macbeths accurate and thought out decision in the murder of Duncan. Unsex me here and fill me from the crown to the toe topfull Not only does this quote connote Lady Macbeths craving desire for monarchy, nd puts forth her ambition for power. Fill me from the crown may convey her ability to make decisions without Macbeths consent and discussion. This more ill-behaved and selfish side of Lady Macbeth puts light onto how she has no feelings for others, as killing Duncan will lead her husband to becoming queen; which will essentially make her Queen. Conversely, Lady Macbeths yearning for authority shows her eliminating anything which comes in-between her and control. Have plucked my nipple from his boneless gums and dashed the brains out indicates that she would ill her own child in order for Macbeth to become King. As a result, through some thought it may be considered that if Macbeth were to have died during his reign, Lady Macbeth would become the female monarch due to having no heir. Contextually this links to Queen Elizabeth, or the virgin queen as her chastity is what made her be considered as Gloriana, therefore Lady Macbeth may want to aspire to be monarch, similar to Elizabeth as she only became Queen as her sister, Mary did not have an heir to the throne. is Lady Macbeth a modern female role model? By remturd