Parapraxis
[par-ə-PRAK-sis]
Part of speech: noun
Origin: English, early 20th century
A minor error in speech or action, (supposedly) representing the fulfilment of an unconscious wish; a Freudian slip.
Examples of parapraxis in a sentence
"In one of TV’s most famous bits of parapraxis, Ross called Emily by his ex’s name ‘Rachel’ during a ‘Friends’ wedding episode."
"In a moment of parapraxis, I told my co-worker 'I love you' instead of 'See you tomorrow.'"
About Parapraxis
James Strachey coined the term “parapraxis” in the 1910s as he translated the work of Sigmund Freud into English. He joined the ancient Greek prefix “para-,” meaning “by the side of,” with the suffix “-praxis,” which is the Greek word for “doing.”
Did you Know?
The notion of a “Freudian slip” — the common expression for “parapraxis” — is based on the idea that the unconscious mind wishes to make its true feelings known in the form of unintentional acts and statements. Parapraxis can be a slip of the tongue in speaking, but it can also occur in action. For example, forgetting to bring a Christmas gift for a quarrelsome sibling may be a form of parapraxis in which the unconscious wish to poke at one’s rival sibling is carried out in a physical act of forgetting.
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