Probably the most common example of a "ghostword" is a "borrowed word" which is banalized, through incorrect pronunciation, upon entry into common usage in the english language. Eventually, the word will be recognized, in its banalized form, in an english dictionary.

Anu often uses the term "borrowed word"* to describe words which are "borrowed" [or 'imported'] from other countries or languages, often with an incomplete understanding of the actual meaning of the word in the country or language of origin.

I note that the word "banalize" is not defined, in the sense in which I use it here, in any of the dictionaries I've consulted online including OneLook.com.

I am using the word "banalize" not in the ordinary dictionary sense of "commonplace", but in the sense in which it is used in the vocabulary of psychologists and memory researchers; namely, to mean "oversimplification", or to describe the degradation of memory through association with something more familiar.

When an 'alien' word enters our language, it is entirely understandable that we would 'banalize' its pronunciation, that is, modify, or oversimply, its pronunciation to accord with our own habits and conventions of pronunciation.

* AWADmail Issue 124 - June 6, 2004
A Weekly Compendium of Feedback on the Words in A.Word.A.Day ...

From: Catharine Nevin Chu (chuATdreamscape.com)
Subject: French in English

I'm pleased to hear you're doing French borrowings this week. Isn't it funny how words can change their meaning in the process of being borrowed?

There are several examples of this in French, such as footing meaning jogging.

Another amusing phenomenon: In English we sometimes use the expression "to take French leave." In French this meaning is conveyed by "filer a l'anglaise" -- literally, to leave in English style.