Avoiding spelling mistakes – more eggcorns

Sometimes when we write Thai English in academic research papers and theses, if we understand why we make certain errors, we can avoid making the same mistakes in future.

Thammasat University students of linguistics may have heard of the term eggcorn. This was named by a linguist after the incorrect spelling of the common English word acorn, the single seed, inside a tough shell, of the oak tree or other trees. If we do not read a word frequently and do not have a good memory of how it looks when it is printed, then we must rely on how it sounds. Writers of Thai English often do this when they use technical vocabulary in academic writing that they may have heard an ajarn say in a seminar. So we try to guess the spelling of a word based on how we think it may be pronounced. Naturally, there are many problems with this approach, and it often goes wrong, since the pronunciation of the word may not have been in standard English or American speech. Even if it was in standard English or American speech, spelling of words often cannot be guessed by the way they are pronounced.

However, students and other writers of Thai English for academic purposes should not worry too much, because linguists enjoy eggcorns. They consider them lively and original examples of the way our brains try to make sense of the problem of language. If we have no idea of how the word acorn looks and we hear it pronounced, we may try to include a familiar word that we are sure exists, egg, even though that turns out to be incorrect. In an English class, that spelling would be marked as wrong, but in a linguistics class, an ajarn might appreciate it.

Also, eggcorns are written by native English speakers as well, not just by writers of Thai English. Anyone trying to write a word who is not sure about the spelling can write an eggcorn. Since it happens often, we may avoid feeling embarrassed or ashamed if we make this type of error, and look on it as part of a game of language.

By looking at other examples of eggcorns, we can see how our minds or the minds of other writers work when we spell words. Also we may keep in mind that the best way to be sure about how words are spelled is to read a lot in English, and also to use spell check programs and Google words whenever we are not certain, to get quick answers.

One example of an eggcorn is to write mistakenly swirlpool when what we mean to write is whirlpool.

As all TU students know, the noun whirlpool refers to a swirling body of water. It may be a vortex produced by ocean tides, or a place where water drains, as in a bathtub. In a symbolic way, the noun whirlpool may also mean turmoil, or agitation.

The word derives from two old English terms meaning whirl and pool.

To whirl means to spin around, and a pool is a small body of water. So we can easily see how to describe water spinning around in a place, the word whirlpool was invented.

Writers of Thai English who write swirlpool by error have confused the words whirl and swirl.

This is an understandable mistake, since the words whirl and swirl look and sound similar when we pronounce them. Still swirl has a different meaning. In its verb form, it means to move in a twisting or spiraling pattern.

To add further complication, in English the verb twirl means to spin quickly and lightly around, especially repeatedly.

Here are some usage examples for the words whirl, swirl, and twirl to help us remember how these words should appear in our writing:

• My head is starting to whirl.
• It’s easy to let the first few weeks of life with your baby pass in a whirl of feedings, changings, and visits from family.
• There are several gameplay modes available: Classic, Cube, Ricochet, Whirl, Bungee, Tilt-O-Vision, Motion Blur, Breathing, Warped, Distortion, Starfield, Hyperspace, V-Hold, Multi-Screen, Disco and Cloud Cover.
• During this time, rides and attractions such as a giant Ferris wheel, The Whip, a penny arcade and Tilt A Whirl were constructed.
• The lemur community is a fascinating social whirl.
• Lutheranism began to run so strongly in Denmark as to threaten to whirl away every opposing obstacle.
• Whirl all ingredients together in a blender and pour into a rocks or stemmed glass.
• Flies and butterflies are forms which the souls are believed by some races to take, and the Esthonians of the island of Oesel think that the gusts of wind which whirl tornado-like through the roads are the souls of old women seeking what they can find.
• The clouds far above were starting to swirl with hypnotic slowness, the rain beginning to fall again, and the sea beneath their feet rippling and shifting beneath the rubbery surface.
• The swirl of gowns of dancing couples drew her attention to the ballroom with the orchestra.
• The door to Ashley’s hospital room disappeared in a kaleidoscopic swirl of colors that made her dizzy.
• From ocean-inspired round swirl earrings to colorful open drop earrings, there are a variety of Avon fun swirl earrings vintage jeweler lovers can choose from.
• Cinnamon Swirl cheesecake An indulgent creamy cheesecake with swirls of sweet cinnamon & sticky caramel sauce.
• The blended red wine is rustic and earthy but inserts opulence and elegance in the same swirl of the glass.
• Spring 2006 introduced the Chanel swirl pattern bag, a tiny shell-like box which hung sweetly from a chain.
• The Hoki Swirl Sandal is a slip-on that comes in turquoise, yellow, purple, and metallic blue.
• Features a decorative swirl patch at the center and comes in dark brown or cream.
• There’s a swirl of controversy surrounding diet soft drinks and artificial sweeteners.
• Cupcakes from this bakery are all topped with a frosting swirl that is considered the signature of Georgetown Cupcakes.
• Clouds swirl and raindrops dance and the sun bursts through – it ‘s a positive ballet of weather information.
• The satellite picture shows the swirl of cloud around the low with frontal cloud just reaching North Wales.
• The additions of pecan flavored liqueur and a swirl of caramel sauce transform a regular chocolate martini into a decadent treat.
• Once you have your ballroom dress and shoes, you’ll need to learn the ballroom dance steps that make the skirt twirl in that lovely way that only waltz dresses can.
• Riders face one another and the individual cars spin and twirl along the curving track, letting guests experience the thrill of the famous skateboarding tricks of the ride’s namesake.
• The majorettes were in front of the band and eventually began to twirl batons as the band played.
• Hula hoop: this famous plaything – a hoop you can twirl around the waist – goes back to ancient Egypt.

How can we remember to write the correct word whirlpool and not the mistaken eggcorns swirlpool or even twirlpool?

TU students of history, comparative religion, sociology, or Islamic studies will know that Sufi whirling is a form of physically active meditation originating among certain Sufi groups, and which is still practiced by some orders. If we keep in mind the image of the whirling dervishes and associate it with the image of a whirlpool, then we are likelier to spell both terms correctly.

Otherwise we might try to recall that the noun swirl is often used to describe a spiral of chocolate on an ice cream dessert. If we think of that swirl in the form of a sweet treat, we may avoid confusing it with the correct term whirl.

Since the verb twirl means to spin around as in twirling a baton, this also has a specific image that does not match a whirlpool.

We may also approach the challenge in terms of probabilities, which is often a good way of increasing the chances of preventing errors in English. The word whirl is rarely used in English except in the term whirlpool or the idiomatic expression to try something, or give it a whirl.

So chances are if we see the word whirl at all in English, it will likely be in these contexts.

(All images courtesy of Wikimedia Commons)