English 
español 
française 
italiano 
deutsche 
日本語 
polski 
česky 
svenska 
Türkçe 
Nederlands 
What leads to the belief that back peddle is correct?
Lloyd Cooper 28/09/2024, 18:39
What kind of error is it?
Back peddle is a phonetic error and a malapropism. It occurs when a word or phrase is mistakenly used in place of one that sounds similar.
Why do people make this mistake?
People make this error because "pedal" and "peddle" are homophones—they sound alike but have different meanings and spellings. "Pedal" relates to pushing with the foot (such as on a bicycle), while "peddle" means selling goods.
What is correct?
The correct term is "backpedal", which implies moving backward or retreating from an earlier position or opinion.
Examples of correct usage
- The politician began to backpedal on his earlier statements.
- After reviewing the data, the scientist decided to backpedal on her initial conclusion.
- The company had to backpedal on its policy after public outcry.
Recommended posts in 
Grammar
The sneaky misstep: why "had mislead" leads us astray
People might make this error because "lead" and "read" in ... Learn more →
A singular blunder: why "a criteria" doesn't make the cut (hint: it's 'criterion')
People often make this error because "criteria" is commonly misperceived ... Learn more →
When grammar trips: the misstep of "had went"
People often make this error due to confusion between different ... Learn more →
The singular misstep: why "a women" is not correct
People may mistakenly use "a women" because they confuse the ... Learn more →