Sensational spelling: Difference between revisions
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During the 1960s, bands often included in their names misspelled words and/or [[homophones]] that played on double meanings of the names as spoken. Examples include the [[Beatles]], an intentional misspelling of "Beetles,"<ref>{{cite book |first=Bill |last=Harry |authorlink=Bill Harry |title=The Beatles Encyclopedia: Revised and Updated|pages=103–104 |year=2000 |publisher=Virgin Publishing |location=London |isbn=978-0-7535-0481-9}}</ref> and [[Led Zeppelin]], in which "led" may be read as either a misspelling of "[the metallic element] [[Lead (metal)|lead]]"<ref name="Led Zeppelin A Story of a Band and their Music 1968-1980">{{cite book| title=Led Zeppelin The Story of a Band and their Music 1968-1980| year=2005| author=Keith Shadwick| pages= 36|isbn=0-87930-871-0}}</ref> or a description of the aircraft as being guided in a specific direction (''cf.'' "[[dirigible#Terminology|dirigible]]"). |
During the 1960s, bands often included in their names misspelled words and/or [[homophones]] that played on double meanings of the names as spoken. Examples include the [[Beatles]], an intentional misspelling of "Beetles,"<ref>{{cite book |first=Bill |last=Harry |authorlink=Bill Harry |title=The Beatles Encyclopedia: Revised and Updated|pages=103–104 |year=2000 |publisher=Virgin Publishing |location=London |isbn=978-0-7535-0481-9}}</ref> and [[Led Zeppelin]], in which "led" may be read as either a misspelling of "[the metallic element] [[Lead (metal)|lead]]"<ref name="Led Zeppelin A Story of a Band and their Music 1968-1980">{{cite book| title=Led Zeppelin The Story of a Band and their Music 1968-1980| year=2005| author=Keith Shadwick| pages= 36|isbn=0-87930-871-0}}</ref> or a description of the aircraft as being guided in a specific direction (''cf.'' "[[dirigible#Terminology|dirigible]]"). |
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The deliberate misspelling of words in album or song titles has its origins in early 1970s rock, such as [[Sly & The Family Stone]]'s "[[Thank You (Falettinme Be Mice Elf Agin)]] (1970)", [[Genesis (band)|Genesis]]'s "[[Wind & Wuthering|Wot Gorilla?]]" and "[[Deep in the Motherlode]]", and especially that of the band [[Slade]] (e.g. "[[Coz I Luv You]]" [1971], "[[Mama Weer All Crazee Now]]" [1972]). However, in the 1980s it became common with [[funk music|funk]] artists such as [[Prince (musician)|Prince]] (e.g. "[[U Got The Look]]", "[[I Would Die 4 U]]"), and eventually came to be epitomized in the [[rap music|rap]] and [[hip-hop music|hip-hop]] genres, with both song titles (e.g. [[Kiss Me Thru the Phone]]) and artists' names (e.g. [[Ludacris]], [[Phanatik]], [[Timbaland]], [[Xzibit]], [[Gorillaz]]) using the form. Sensational spelling was common amongst [[nu metal]] bands of the late 1990s and early 2000s (e.g. [[Korn]], [[Linkin Park]] and [[Limp Bizkit]]). |
The deliberate misspelling of words in album or song titles has its origins in early 1970s rock, such as [[Sly & The Family Stone]]'s "[[Thank You (Falettinme Be Mice Elf Agin)]] (1970)", [[Genesis (band)|Genesis]]'s "[[Wind & Wuthering|Wot Gorilla?]]" and "[[Deep in the Motherlode]]", and especially that of the band [[Slade]] (e.g. "[[Coz I Luv You]]" [1971], "[[Mama Weer All Crazee Now]]" [1972]).[[citation needed]] However, in the 1980s it became common with [[funk music|funk]] artists such as [[Prince (musician)|Prince]] (e.g. "[[U Got The Look]]", "[[I Would Die 4 U]]"), and eventually came to be epitomized in the [[rap music|rap]] and [[hip-hop music|hip-hop]] genres, with both song titles (e.g. [[Kiss Me Thru the Phone]]) and artists' names (e.g. [[Ludacris]], [[Phanatik]], [[Timbaland]], [[Xzibit]], [[Gorillaz]]) using the form. Sensational spelling was common amongst [[nu metal]] bands of the late 1990s and early 2000s (e.g. [[Korn]], [[Linkin Park]] and [[Limp Bizkit]]). |
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An influential hard-rock magazine of the 1970s-80s was ''[[Creem]]''. |
An influential hard-rock magazine of the 1970s-80s was ''[[Creem]]''. |
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Revision as of 18:27, 8 May 2012
Sensational spelling is the deliberate spelling of a word in an incorrect or non-standard way for special effect.[1]
Branding
Sensational spellings are common in advertising[1] and product placement. In particular, brand names[1] such as Cadbury's "Creme Egg" (standard English spelling: cream), Weet Bix, Blu-ray (blue) or Kellogg's "Froot Loops" (fruit) may use unexpected spellings to draw attention to or trademark an otherwise common word.[2] It has also occasionally been used to dodge regulations which dictate how much of an ingredient a product must contain in order to be featured on the label. In video games, an best-known example of sensational spelling is Mortal Kombat, in which the word "combat" is deliberately misspelled by replacing the hard C sound with the letter K.
Popular culture
Sensational spelling may take on a cult value in popular culture. An example of this is the heavy metal umlaut.
Music
During the 1960s, bands often included in their names misspelled words and/or homophones that played on double meanings of the names as spoken. Examples include the Beatles, an intentional misspelling of "Beetles,"[3] and Led Zeppelin, in which "led" may be read as either a misspelling of "[the metallic element] lead"[4] or a description of the aircraft as being guided in a specific direction (cf. "dirigible").
The deliberate misspelling of words in album or song titles has its origins in early 1970s rock, such as Sly & The Family Stone's "Thank You (Falettinme Be Mice Elf Agin) (1970)", Genesis's "Wot Gorilla?" and "Deep in the Motherlode", and especially that of the band Slade (e.g. "Coz I Luv You" [1971], "Mama Weer All Crazee Now" [1972]).citation needed However, in the 1980s it became common with funk artists such as Prince (e.g. "U Got The Look", "I Would Die 4 U"), and eventually came to be epitomized in the rap and hip-hop genres, with both song titles (e.g. Kiss Me Thru the Phone) and artists' names (e.g. Ludacris, Phanatik, Timbaland, Xzibit, Gorillaz) using the form. Sensational spelling was common amongst nu metal bands of the late 1990s and early 2000s (e.g. Korn, Linkin Park and Limp Bizkit).
An influential hard-rock magazine of the 1970s-80s was Creem.
Other
In esoteric circles, magic is often spelled "magick" to differentiate it from stage magic.
See also
References
- ^ a b c Rozakis, Laurie E. (2008). I Before "E" Except After "C": Spelling for the Alphabetically Challenged. Citadel Press. p. 24. ISBN 0-8065-2884-2.
- ^ Ross, Nigel (2006). "Writing in the Information Age". English Today. 22. Cambridge University Press: 40. doi:10.1017/S0266078406003063.
- ^ Harry, Bill (2000). The Beatles Encyclopedia: Revised and Updated. London: Virgin Publishing. pp. 103–104. ISBN 978-0-7535-0481-9.
- ^ Keith Shadwick (2005). Led Zeppelin The Story of a Band and their Music 1968-1980. p. 36. ISBN 0-87930-871-0.
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