George Bush: Misunderestimated Word
on Sunday, December 18, 2016
George Bush saying Misunderestimated – what became known as a “Bushism” due to the frequency of his malapropisms and mis-speaking.
Money Word
“Misunderestimated” — George Bush
Money Words – Finance Neologisms
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The money word “misunderestimated” is a famous malapropism used by former U.S. President George W. Bush. A malapropism involves the mistaken substitution of a similar-sounding word, resulting in a nonsensical or humorous phrase. Specifically:
- Bush intended to say he was “misunderstood” or that someone had been “underestimated”, but combined the words into the non-word “misunderestimated”.
- It suggests making an incorrect judgment or assessment about someone or something due to failing to understand them properly.
- The unintentionally coined word became widely mocked and humorously referenced in political commentary and popular culture.
- However, it also served to make Bush seem more folksy and down-to-earth by showing he wasn’t overly careful about his word choices.
So in summary, “misunderestimated” entered the lexicon as an amusing Bush-era malapropism highlighting the potential risks and rewards of unscripted public speaking.