What is a mondegreen?

The definition of mondegreen

Mondegreen (pronounced maan-duh-green) is when someone misunderstands or misinterprets the lyrics of a song or a phrase. The term “mondegreen” was created by the writer Sylvia Wright in 1954. In an essay, she shared how she misheard the Scottish ballad “The Bonnie Earl O’ Moray.” Wright always thought the ballad said, “They have slain the Earl of Murray/and Lady Mondegreen.” The correct lyrics are, “They have slain the Earl of Murray/and laid him on the green.”

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What causes mondegreen?

There are a few reasons why mondegreen can occur. One of the reasons why mondegreen may occur is due to cultural and linguistic aspects. For example, accents or unfamiliar vocabulary can cause someone to mishear a word or phrase. Another reason why mondegreens can happen is if the speaker or singer is speaking rapidly. This can make it difficult to understand the words. Unclear pronunciation can also cause mondegreens. Phonological ambiguities (words or phrases that are phonetically similar) and homophones can also cause mondegreens. If words are difficult to decipher, the listener may try to substitute the word or phrase with ones that are more familiar.

Examples of mondegreen

There are hundreds of mondegreens out there. Here are some famous examples of mondegreens:

• In the song “Purple Haze” by Jimi Hendrix, he sings, “Excuse me while I kiss the sky.” Many people mishear these lyrics as, “Excuse me while I kiss this guy.”
• In the song “Blank Space” by Taylor Swift, she sings, “Got a long list of ex-lovers / They’ll tell you I’m insane.” A lot of people think she is singing, “All the lonely Starbucks lovers / They’ll tell you I’m insane.”
• In the song “Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds” by The Beatles, they sing, “The girl with kaleidoscope eyes.” Many people hear the mondegreen, “The girl with colitis goes by.”
• In the song “Beast of Burden” by The Rolling Stones, they sing, “I’ll never be your beast of burden.” Many people instead hear, “I’ll never leave your pizza burning.”
• Queen’s song “We Will Rock You” says, “Kicking your can all over the place.” Lots of people hear the mondegreen, “Kicking your cat all over the place.”
• In” I Can See Clearly Now” by Johnny Nash, he sings, “I can see clearly now / The rain is gone.” Many people instead hear, “I can see clearly now / Lorraine is gone.”

Mondegreen vs. eggcorns

Both mondegreens and eggcorns are similar. They occur when someone mishears a word or phrase, however, these terms can’t be used interchangeably. Eggcorn occurs when someone mishears a word or phrase and creates a new word or phrase that still has a similar meaning. For example, saying “deep seeded” instead of “deep-seated” (the correct term) is an example of an eggcorn—these words are used to convey the same meaning but are two different words. However, mondegreens occur when someone mishears a phrase and gives it a completely new meaning.

Mondegreen vs. malapropisms

Sometimes, people confuse mondegreens with malapropisms. Malaprops occur when the speaker says the wrong word or phrase. For example, if someone says “old-timers” instead of “Alzheimer’s,” that’s an example of malapropism. However, mondegreens are the result of a listener hearing the wrong word or phrase. In other words, malaprops are a mistake from a speaker while mondegreens are a mistake from the listener.

Mondegreen vs. spoonerisms

Spoonerisms are another type of language error, but they can’t be used interchangeably with mondegreens. Spoonerisms occur when sounds or letters are mixed up between two or more words. If you were to accidentally say “nat cap” instead of “cat nap,” that’s a spoonerism. A spoonerism is a mistake on behalf of the speaker mixing up words, while a mondegreen is a mistake when someone mishears something.

Avoiding mondegreen

If you fall victim to mondegreen, you’re not alone. The best way to avoid mondegreen is to do a quick internet search of the lyrics or phrase in question. You may want to consult a few different sources since lyric websites aren’t always accurate, especially when it comes to new songs or obscure bands. If you use a music streaming service, most streaming services now have song lyrics in their apps. Additionally, active listening and considering context clues can help you understand song lyrics or phrases better when you hear them.

Learn more common grammatical errors and how you can avoid them whether you’re listening to a new song or writing one.