Did you ever get confused with words and felt like you never stood there?

OMG what did i do..? - I was too embarrassed to face it.
@mimpi1911 (25464)
India
August 18, 2008 6:05am CST
When hypochondriac became nymphomaniac, I got totally embarrassed in an gathering of white collars! Do not know why, may be due to destiny's humorous call that day, I after fumbling for the right word, uttered something very weird and embarrassing and hoped that I shouldn't have been there at all! I was embarrassed, mortified and uncomfortable. I know people who are into big time malapropism. But never did I thought that I would mess it up with such unimaginably, distantly related rather not related at all, words! So, do you guys ever messed up with words miserably? Pls share your experiences. Malapropism is an act or habit of misusing words ridiculously, esp. by the confusion of words that are similar in sound.
9 people like this
14 responses
@alokn99 (5717)
• India
18 Aug 08
Ooooops. That must have got you all red faced. That too in a gathering of white collars. You should have added some wit to it. Easier said than done I suppose. I'm sure I've messed up with words before Mimpi. Either people were not listening to what I was saying attentively or I did not realise it myself immediately.Maybe the the words were such that people would tend to ignore. So, I'm lucky I guess. I can only imagine myself going through a situation like this. I would have been profusely apologising and would have been banging my head against a wall.
1 person likes this
@mimpi1911 (25464)
• India
19 Aug 08
Oh yes, I did. But had to laugh it out. What else could I have done except for laughing at myself! *laughs*
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@alokn99 (5717)
• India
19 Aug 08
Laughing it out would be the best way of handling it. Even then, i'd probably get very concious for some time about using words that i'm even slightly unfamiliar with or think twice before opening my mouth in a gathering of people. Friends/colleagues won't let us forget about it either.
@mimpi1911 (25464)
• India
19 Aug 08
Oh yes, I would think twice, thrice.....as many times it takes to be okay with it. Once bitten twice shy! lol...
1 person likes this
@faith210 (11224)
• Philippines
18 Aug 08
Hi mimpi1911! That would be really embarrassing if that ever happened to me. I would wish then that the earth will swallow me!haha..But then, sometimes it happens to the best of us maybe because of nervousness also specially when speaking infront of a big crowd. It never happened to me though and I hope it won't ever. Yikes! Take care always..God Bless!
1 person likes this
@mimpi1911 (25464)
• India
19 Aug 08
Hi faith Yes it felt like that only! Only good thing, however, is that I would be more careful and think twice or even more before throwing my comments. Huggles.
2 people like this
@faith210 (11224)
• Philippines
19 Aug 08
Hi dear friend! That is very true..think first before you speak. Maybe, we could all have less mistakes. haha.. lovelots..faith210
@mimpi1911 (25464)
• India
19 Aug 08
Yes i will dear. Lovelots mimpi
1 person likes this
@balasri (26537)
• India
6 Sep 08
I wish I could misuse words with so much imagination and taste.
@balasri (26537)
• India
10 Sep 08
Hope you are not confused with the words this time.
@mimpi1911 (25464)
• India
11 Sep 08
no way...
1 person likes this
@mimpi1911 (25464)
• India
10 Sep 08
bala you never cease to amuse me even with a few words. You are genius!
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@James72 (26790)
• Australia
19 Aug 08
Thankfully no! Words are one thing that I DO consider myself to be relatively proficent with! I may occasionally use some new words I have learned in the wrong context from time to time but that's about it. I have messed up with foreign languages more times than I care to remember though! lol. I remember reading an article about a court case where the teenager in the dock was chewing gum; when the Judge requested that he stop "masticating" in her courtroom; he removed his hands from his pockets very, very quickly! lol.
@mimpi1911 (25464)
• India
19 Aug 08
That's a killer mess! lol... I get that you are a cool kinda person who thinks before delivering and also you have a good command over language. I must admit, I am very lousy with words, be it native or otherwise. I am always better off writing than speaking. Thanks.
2 people like this
@James72 (26790)
• Australia
19 Aug 08
Your wordings seem fine to me? And thanks for the compliment. At least with writing we get to review things first before we share them! With speaking we can get ahead of ourselves very quickly and easily say the wrong thing before we know it! lol.
@mimpi1911 (25464)
• India
23 Aug 08
james soon that day would come when we can pre program our thoughts (and dreams) and things would be much easier then...
2 people like this
@drannhh (15219)
• United States
18 Aug 08
Ah, yes, Mrs. Malaprop, and old character from a slower time long past, when people had time to think and usually took it before speaking. I have seen quite a few malapropisms here on myLot and always silently thanked the lovely lady who taught me that word. She is still alive, although ailing now and in a care facility after having made it into advanced years living quite independently. I hope it was someone else instead of yourself that you were trying to call a hypochondriac! You must have turned beet red! People must have laughed. Ah, but there is life after such mistakes. Each day the sun comes out again in its radiant splendor, or if it doesn't that day, then the next, or soon, anyway. Chin up my friend, and carry on!
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@mimpi1911 (25464)
• India
19 Aug 08
Mrs Malaprop was one of my favorite characters from 'The Rivals' which we read as a part of English major. I know many people who often come up with malaprops, even in our native language. Sometimes its fun, sometimes its annoying. Janet, I think, after that day I am much smarter and wiser. I had to laugh it out with beet red face. What else could I have done!
2 people like this
@ellie333 (21016)
18 Aug 08
Hi Mimipi, I suppose a hypochondriac could be the same as a nymphomaniac as these people just can't help themselves it is a sort of ilness I suppose. How embarrassing for you. I can imagine you wanted the ground to swallow you up at that moment in time. I am sure I have done it in the past but really can't think of an incident right now. Thanks for sharing. Sorry I know you found it embarrassing but I do find it funny too as I am sure others did also. Huggles. Ellie :D
1 person likes this
@mimpi1911 (25464)
• India
19 Aug 08
LOL @ hypochondriac could be the same as a nymphomaniac. Well said!! It's indeed funny and even I can't stop laughing on remembering it! Huggles.
1 person likes this
@tarachand (3895)
• India
24 Aug 08
I did in Hindi just a few days ago. Someone brought in news which delighted me during lunch time in an office gathering in another city- I wanted to say "Tere monhu mein ghee shakkar," in Hindi (sugar and ghee in your mouth), that person was chewing something as was I. I ended up saying 'tere monhu mein ghoo shakkar" (poop and sugar in your mouth) much to the embarrassment of all present. No offense intended. (Fortunately, I am senior enough and well admired by most of my colleagues and we meet maybe once in a month or more, so we all had a hearty laugh at my mistake, so that ended not as badly as I thought it would).
@tarachand (3895)
• India
24 Aug 08
Lets see if I can write it in hindi on my lot: I wanted to say "???? ???? ?? ?? ?????" I ended up saying "???? ???? ?? ?? ?????" I hope you can read the Devnagiri script and understand Hindi. No offense intended.
@tarachand (3895)
• India
24 Aug 08
sorry, but I did type it in Hindi, it worked until the preview response bit, but, I guess Devnagiri script is yet compatible on mylot.
@mimpi1911 (25464)
• India
25 Aug 08
tarachand i got it totally. thanks for the elaboration though. That must have felt embarrassing if it wasn't with friends!
@SViswan (12051)
• India
22 Aug 08
lol..that's funny! I seem to be doing the same thing quite a lot lately that I can't even think of one off hand. But now I've learnt a trick....I stop myself before the word drops out of my mouth. I fumble, yes...and seem lost for a little while but atleast I do not say a word that isn't even close to what I intended to say. I remember at a point I always kept using the word 'vessels' for 'vegetables'...and kept saying 'chopping the vessels' and didn't even realize it till my friend pointed it out to me. I kept thinking that the sentence didn't sound right but couldn't figure out what was wrong till it was pointed out!
@mimpi1911 (25464)
• India
25 Aug 08
That's funny! But it happens when we are too much into something! You take car, hon.
@subha12 (18441)
• India
19 Aug 08
first of all i do not state so much tough words. i am not so knowledegable. but still i fumble sometimes at very easy words. it make me embarassed. what can I do? its not my mther tonmgue after all.
@mimpi1911 (25464)
• India
19 Aug 08
Subha That's very sweet of you! Who said that we have good command over the language. It was just out of context that I had to come out of the terms. Trust me I am as good as you! Have a great day.
1 person likes this
@I_LUV_U (2519)
• India
26 Aug 08
Yes, but very rarely, and even more while using those big words such as you mentioned. I'm a very self-conscious writer and speaker, so I make sure to refer to a dictionary (when writing) whenever I must insert a new addition to my vocabulary - and while speaking, I normally keep it simple, using only those seasoned terminologies which my mind has a fine command over.
@mimpi1911 (25464)
• India
27 Aug 08
Hi there! I know you are a calculative, cautious kinda person who would dare not do anything stupid like that! Its not that I am careles though but working in an environment where 'hypochondriac' is a much used term it's not unlikely that I would not use it. That day however, I was betrayed by a 'nymphomaniac". lol..
@cupid74 (11388)
• Pakistan
19 Aug 08
Well, if i dont open the dictionary now then i must admit that lot of words will fly over my head ( i meant i wont comprehend them) i wonder what make u write such sweet and fairy language????? well i do mix up, thats why i never claim i am bi lingual So just relax Take care
@mimpi1911 (25464)
• India
19 Aug 08
you know what Zass, your response just made me laugh first time ever in the whole day! Thanks. *laughs*
1 person likes this
@mimpi1911 (25464)
• India
21 Aug 08
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@cupid74 (11388)
• Pakistan
19 Aug 08
Well, Its Ok iof u feel to give me BR i wont stop u after all making u happy is Great deal and i like that
@valeria1 (2721)
• United States
19 Aug 08
Oh this is a great one, you made my day! I am a foreigner and when I arrived in USA I did not know any english was very hard so I go to this restaurant and I did not have a napking so I called the waitress and said could you please give me a kidnapping? hahahaha! I also confuserd coach for couch and many other ones.
@mimpi1911 (25464)
• India
19 Aug 08
This is a good one! Kidnap for napkin - couldn't be better! Well done valeria. lol..
1 person likes this
@Munchkin547 (2778)
5 Sep 08
I've done this a few times but the most embarrassing instance i can remember is when i was asked by a particularly dishy dentist i was working with why i had been in hospital. I had had a severe infection in the bone behind my ear known as mastoiditis, but i responded telling him i had mastitis. I wondered why he looked down at my chest! It wasn't until later when i thought about it that i realised what i had said!! I was soo embarrassed and greatly relieved when i didn't have to go to that practice again!! hehe i have learnt to think before i speak now!! xxx
6 Sep 08
Haha yeah that's always a good one, and so easily done too!! hehe xxx
@SaintAnne (5453)
• United States
26 Aug 08
"Let's not be hash." More than ten years ago, there was once this guy who was interested in me but I only liked him as a friend. So I wrote him a letter (again, it was ten years ago) about how I do not want to destroy our friendship and blah-blah-blah. I didn't think much of it until I never saw that guy ever again. And then it came to me, I don't even know how, but I definitely knew I wrote HASH instead of RASH in that letter. I thought of Hasty and Rash and I guess I combined them. So he probably back then thought that there was no point in going after a woman who has "hash" English. His having evidence of my stupidity in writing still mortifies me.
@mimpi1911 (25464)
• India
26 Aug 08
Hi Anne! You go girl... That's quite a malapropism! Luckily you want to sever the relationship. Or else it could go against you! lol...