Avoid Mixing Homonyms in Expressions, and All About "Eggcorns"

Mixing homonyms is similar to the effect of "misheard lyrics" 

(also called Mondegreens) 

Eggcorns is a newer term 

described in this article  

meaning misheard words that still retain their original meaning  

(the word eggcorn is still recognizable as acorn, as long as it has a context)

Like:

 it's a doggy-dog world (instead of dog-eat-dog world)

I like "all-timers" instead of Alzheimers  

"Southern Peru gives us one of their best cymbals"
image from your mum, eating out in Peru.  

The translator has switched cymbals for symbols.
I might excuse the error since translating menus is no easy task, and this was overseas,
but I see examples like these
constantly
out there in the internet wilderness:

"the utensil serves a duel purpose"
(it should be dual, meaning 2 purposes)

 I need to tell you the backs story
(should be back story, as in background)

Our industries pray on
(prey on, as in bird of prey)

police found cashes of stolen items
(cache/caches meaning hidden in a secret place, from the French)

don't waist your time
should be: don't waste your time)
(This expression has 2.4 MILLION hits on Google.
See what I mean by internet wilderness?  really?  2.4 million?
Google is pretty smart and asks if I mean don't waste your time.

for all intensive purposes
(all intents and purposes) (that's an eggcorn)

these cookies are home maid
(home made)
Unless, of course, your employee prepared these cookies.

I saw this in an otherwise well-edited enjoyable book :
along with his cadre of confidents
(should be cadre of confidantes--people in whom he confides or trusts) from the French.

There is no excuse for this now that we have devices in our hands with processors more powerful than the ones that put man on the moon.

you need to click over to this article "Word Up" from the Washington Post at least to see the clever cartoon.