Letting common language errors slip into your writing can make a big difference to the overall impression you make. Your writing style is an important factor in whether readers trust you and decide to read on, so it's a good idea to learn how to avoid mistakes.

The fact that a lot of activities demand the use of the English language, makes a lot of people more to mistakes. we are all aware of some of the most common mistakes which are usually grammatical ones, however below are you have a list of mistakes that only true professionals can spot.

Spoonerism

A spoonerism is a transposition of the initial sounds or letters of two or more words. For example, in the sentence "You have hissed all my mystery lectures" the speaker unintentionally swapped the initial sounds of mystery and lectures. Spoonerisms are common errors because our brains are extremely efficient at recognizing patterns and constructing sentences from those patterns. The brain often automatically applies these patterns without first checking to make sure that they make sense.

This happens in music as well when we play familiar pieces: we don't even think about it; we just play using muscle memory. Our fingers have performed this piece many times so they know what to do, but sometimes they get ahead of themselves and we play a part incorrectly because our fingers were thinking about something else.

Although spoonerisms are often humorous, they can also be embarrassing. We may not notice that we've made an error until someone else points it out to us, or we may not notice it even then!

Eggcorn

You've probably heard of an eggcorn—a kind of malapropism that results in a new word or phrase. The term comes from a 2003 discussion on the Language Log blog when someone wrote that they thought the word "acorn" had evolved into "eggcorn" due to the similar shape between the letters and the fruit. (The entry has since been removed, but this thread also discusses it.)

Since then, linguists have agreed that "eggcorn" is indeed a word, and its definition is:

--> An eggcorn is an idiosyncratic substitution of a word or phrase for a word or words that sound similar or identical in the speaker's dialect (sometimes called oronyms). The new phrase introduces a meaning that is different from the original but plausible in the same context, such as "old-timers disease" for Alzheimer's disease.

Mondegreens

Mondegreens are misheard lyrics, usually resulting from a combination of accents and poor sound quality. The term was coined by writer Sylvia Wright in 1954, when she misheard the words of an old Scottish ballad as "And laid him on the green."

The term is often used to describe errors in hearing lyrics sung in a song or played on a record player.

A mondegreen may be humorous, confusing or otherwise entertaining, but it can also lead to misunderstandings and miscommunication if not corrected.

For example:

"I'll see you on the dark side of the moon" (Pink Floyd) becomes "I'll see you on the dark side of the room."

"They say I'm crazy but I'm just looking for my mind" (Jimi Hendrix) becomes "They say I'm lazy but I'm just looking for my mind."

"It's not easy having fun all by yourself" (Alice Cooper) becomes "It's not easy having fun when you're alone."

Freudian Slips

The Freudian slip is an error in a speech that reveals the true thoughts or feelings of the speaker. It is a saying or an act that was not intended by its speaker, but which nevertheless reveals their unconscious mind.

The term "Freudian slip" was coined by Sigmund Freud, who believed that such errors were caused by repressed desires and ideas in the unconscious mind. He used them as evidence to support his theories of psychotherapy and psychoanalysis: whenever someone made a Freudian slip, it was because they had become aware of an unconscious desire or thought. For example, if someone said "What are you doing here?" instead of "What are you doing?", they might be trying to hide the fact that they were angry at someone else but did not want to say so directly.

Freud claimed that we all make these slips when we speak aloud - his patients simply happened to be more honest about them than most people are!

Clichés

Clichés are overused expressions that have lost their original meaning. Clichés are usually used unconsciously and can be difficult to spot in your writing. Use the following list to help you identify clichéd phrases in your writing:

"The sky is the limit" - A cliché can make your writing sound like a fortune cookie or greeting card. If you're describing the future, use "limitless" instead.

"New kid on the block" - This expression implies that someone is new to his or her job or situation, but it's a cliché and sounds like something from an old sitcom. Say "new employee" instead.

"It's all Greek to me" - This phrase suggests that something is incomprehensible due to its foreignness or complexity. In today's world full of immigrants, this phrase no longer makes sense because many people speak different languages fluently and understand them just fine! The same goes for other languages: It's not all French to me! Use "it's beyond my comprehension."

"As easy as pie" - Pie-making isn't really easy; it takes time and effort! So don't say it takes no effort at all (or is super simple). Instead say "easy as 1-2-3

Jargon

One of the most common language errors is the use of jargon. Jargon is a specialized vocabulary used by specific groups, often to make themselves sound more intelligent or professional. It can be difficult to understand if you aren't familiar with it and can make others feel excluded.

The best way to avoid jargon is to ask yourself if the word you're using has been defined in a clear way that anyone could understand. If it hasn't, then it's probably jargon and should be avoided as much as possible.

Conclusion

These are all mistakes that can be made easily by even professional writers and editors. Here, we have highlighted only a few common errors that regular internet users commit on a daily basis.

There are a number of resources available online where you can find not only the correct usage of the English language but most of the times, the correct usage of grammar as well. Hence, if you ever feel that you have committed any of these errors when writing anything in English, then always refer this comprehensive list provided here so that you won't commit these mistakes ever again.

Dealing with this kind of errors is especially important in the translation process.

Not only do you have to spot and correct these mistakes in the original language but to correctly express the meaning behind the words,so the reader receives the intended message. This is a big responsibility, and that's why here at Polilingua, we work with native translators, to assure high-quality translations at an affordable rate.