Quoted
11.9.2010 The Good Doctor, after a long, long day at work:
"It's crazy how so many people call it an epidermal."
Me: "What?" (Because I was sleepy and just barely listening to the other stories about his work day)
TGD: (continuing his thought) "I mean, I'd say at least 25% of patients think it's called an epidermal. 'Well, doc, let's talk about this epidermal.' 'I have a few questions about the epidermal.' 'I had a friend who got real sick after his epidermal.'"
Me: (Cackling from atop my high grammar horse) "Seriously? People call them epidermals?! What do you tell them? Do you correct them?"
TGD: "Hell no! I don't say anything. It's not my place to tell them how to say it."
Me: "So do you call it an epidermal too then?"
TGD: "Don't be ridiculous. I am a professional. I call it an epidural."
Me: "Do they start calling it that too after they hear you say it?"
TGD: "Never. It's ingrained in their minds. Like when people say pitcher, instead of picture, or liberry instead of library. I think it's because people learn the word epidermis and they think it has to do with that."
Me: "I think I'm not gonna have an epidermal for my next baby."
TGD: "Let me know how that works out."
Bloggity, Quoted, The Good Doctor
Reader Comments (7)
Do the 'epidermal' people think the procedure will lessen the intensity of their 'contraptions'?
Ahhhhaaaaaaa!! I will ask, but I suspect you are spot on, Kristin. You must meet a lot of the same people as my husband.
The word and what they think ...
Artery = the study of painting
Barium = what doctors do when patients die
Caesarean section = a neighborhood in Rome
Cauterize = made eye contact with her
D & C = where Washington is
Dilate = to live long
Genital = not a Jew
Labor pain = getting hurt at work
Morbid = a higher offer
Terminal illness = getting sick at the airport
Vein = conceited
engrained?
Ouch, you're right. It's ingrained. There goes my grammar high horse.
I have family members (not in my immediate family, mind you, and for whom English is their first language) who eat "shushi" for dinner, take "zips" of water, recover from "ammonia" and discuss the dreaded "Alltimers" disease.
Oh yes, the horrors of OldTimer's disease. And Asian Grandma knows Emmy loves her fretzels. I'll never call them pretzels again. Fretzels is so much more fun to say.