Launching the Misheard Manifesto, ‘Specsavers vows to make 2024 the year misheard sayings come to an end. Together with Gyles Brandreth, they’re calling on the nation to finally banish ‘wriggle room’, ‘escape goat’, ‘damp squid’, ‘nip in the butt’, and other incorrect phrases.
Misheard sayings (officially known as ‘eggcorns’) are rife, with 45% of those in the London region admitting to using at least one incorrectly, whilst 20% admit to having been mishearing them for years, with another 8% saying for their entire lives. When other people use misheard sayings, a third (33%) of those polled, find them irritating or annoying.
A long-time resident of Barnes in South-West London, Gyles has revealed he has hearing loss and has been missing clarity and high frequency notes. Commenting he said: ‘These misheard sayings have plagued our nation’s conversations for too many years. Clear hearing is the cornerstone of clear conversations.
‘So, if you’ve ever heard these treasured sayings as ‘escape goat’ when it’s ‘scapegoat’, or dare I say it ‘nip it in the butt’ when it’s ‘nip it in the bud’, consider getting a hearing check. I recently had one at Specsavers after noticing I had been asking people to repeat themselves more frequently and found out I have some hearing loss. I’ve now got hearing aids and I’m amazed to discover how clear things sound again.’
Part of the problem is a culture of silence around hearing difficulties and the misused words and phrases with almost half (48%) saying they wouldn’t want to risk embarrassing or offending someone by pointing out when they’ve got it wrong, whilst another 38% are too polite to correct them. When mis-hearers are corrected almost a third (32%) are surprised and 18% are shocked, whilst 30% are embarrassed
Of those surveyed over half (65%) put their misuse of common words and sayings down to hearing difficulties, yet only 37% had gone for a hearing check in the past five years.
Research suggests that more than five million people in the UK are actively ignoring a hearing issue[1], just struggling through with unclear or reduced hearing. People often wait 10 years before addressing changes in their hearing[2], despite the help readily available on high streets across the country. This can result in a reduced quality of life, difficulty communicating and feelings of isolation.
Specsavers audiologist Martina McNulty added: ‘18 million adults in the UK have hearing loss[3] and many more don’t realise that they are not hearing things as clearly as they used to. The earlier we recognise this and the sooner we act, the more we can minimise any long-term damage. If there is any hearing loss, we can help you find the hearing technology that suits your needs and lifestyle.’
Commenting on the findings, TV’s Dr Zoe Williams said, ‘Everyone’s hearing changes over time but you shouldn’t have to settle for ‘OK’ hearing. If you’re mishearing things or ‘just getting the gist’ during conversation, there’s no need to feel embarrassed or ashamed. Get a free hearing check on the high street to find out what support can put you on track to hearing clearly again.’
