Are Malaprops Heriditary?

Webster's defines a malaprop as "the usually unintentionally humorous misuse or distortion of a word or phrase; especially : the use of a word sounding somewhat like the one intended but ludicrously wrong in the context."

My wife Betsy is a veritable fount of malaprops, her most famous one being when we had just had an argument and she wished to make peace. She meant to say that she was offering me an olive branch, but instead offered me a fig leaf. My response was to look down to see why I might be in need of one (Was something showing that shouldn't be?) and that particular malaprop was sealed in our memories forever.

Today, Sammy and I were having some father-son time which included lunch out. Sammy was asking about dessert and when I told him that maybe we would get some ice cream on our way home, he wanted to ask if we could stop at Cold Stone Creamery. What came out of his mouth, however, was "Dad, can we please stop at Stone Cold Bakery?"

Is that where they sell day-old bread? Or are they perpetually out of hot cross buns?

I guess it runs in the family.

Recent Bushism Calendar Entries

Some recent tasty morsels from my George W. Bushisms Calendar:

"I think if you know what you believe, it makes it a lot easier to answer questions. I can't answer your question."

-- In response to a question about whether

he wished he could take back any of his

answers in the first debate; Reynoldsburg,

Ohio; October 4, 2000

"The point now is how do we work together to achieve important goals. And one such goal is a democracy in Germany."

-- Washington, D.C.; May 5, 2006

"The important question is, How many hands have I shaked?"

-- Answering a question about why he hasn't

spent more time in New Hampshire;

The New York Times; October 23, 1999

Only 264 days left!!!