Mishears

To incorrectly perceive or understand something that is spoken; to hear something differently from what was actually said. This typically involves auditory misinterpretation, where the listener's brain processes the sound waves in a way that results in a different word, phrase, or meaning than the speaker intended. The error can be due to a variety of factors, including background noise, the speaker's accent or unclear articulation, the listener's hearing impairment or cognitive biases, or simply a lapse in attention. Mishearing differs from misunderstanding, which can occur even if the words are heard correctly, based on incorrect interpretation of their meaning.

Mishears meaning with examples

• During the loud concert, Sarah often mishears the lyrics, leading her to sing along with entirely the wrong words. This is made worse by the poor quality of the speaker and Sarah singing over the top.
• John, who is hard of hearing, frequently mishears phone conversations, which causes many comical misunderstandings. He sometimes finds himself agreeing to things that were never suggested to him in the first place.
• When travelling abroad, mishears can be common due to unfamiliar accents and dialects. The phrase 'get the train' often becomes 'jet the rain' leading to confusion about transport options.
• Children, particularly those learning to speak, may mishear words and incorporate them into their own vocabulary, often with entertaining results. A child might say 'spaghetti waffles' after mishearing their mum.
• In a crowded restaurant, the waiter might mishears a customer's order, resulting in the wrong meal being delivered, creating an inconvenience for both the customer and the service staff. This could lead to further issues.