dogberryism Definition
- 1the misuse or misapplication of language; a humorous misuse of language
- 2a statement that is unintentionally humorous because it is nonsensical or ill-formed
Using dogberryism: Examples
Take a moment to familiarize yourself with how "dogberryism" can be used in various situations through the following examples!
Example
Her frequent dogberryisms made her the laughingstock of the office.
Example
The politician's speech was full of dogberryisms that made him appear foolish.
Example
He attempted to use big words to sound intelligent, but only ended up making dogberryisms.
Example
The comedian's routine was filled with clever dogberryisms that had the audience in stitches.
dogberryism Synonyms and Antonyms
Synonyms for dogberryism
Phrases with dogberryism
to make a humorous mistake or misuse of language
Example
I committed a dogberryism when I said 'I'm not very good at speaking English' instead of 'I'm not very fluent in English.'
a daily feature on social media or elsewhere that highlights humorous or ridiculous misuses of language
Example
The Twitter account 'Dogberryism of the Day' posts funny examples of language misuse from around the world.
a competition in which participants submit their own humorous misuses of language for a chance to win a prize
Example
The annual Dogberryism Contest at the local comedy club always draws a big crowd.
Origins of dogberryism
named after the character Dogberry in Shakespeare's play 'Much Ado About Nothing', who frequently uses malapropisms and other errors in his speech
Summary: dogberryism in Brief
'Dogberryism' [dawg-ber-ee-iz-uhm] refers to the humorous misuse or misapplication of language, often resulting in nonsensical or ill-formed statements. It is named after the character Dogberry in Shakespeare's 'Much Ado About Nothing,' who frequently uses malapropisms and other errors in his speech. Examples include 'Her frequent dogberryisms made her the laughingstock of the office' and 'The comedian's routine was filled with clever dogberryisms that had the audience in stitches.'
