speaking of legitimized errors, I know of a couple of "false singulars"; i.e., baize (orig. bay(s) - from the color) and chintz (orig. chint(s) - a calico print).
Pease was originally an uncountable term, like spaghetti, but was later falsely analysed into a singular pea, and a plural peas.
Bingley
In reply to:
baize (orig. bay(s) - from the color)
Surely baize is green?
Bingley
>surely baize is green?
as most pool table owners can tell you, baize is dyed in many different colors (and is erroneously called 'felt' by the uninitiated). evidently it was originally bay-colored (which is to say brownish).
>Surely baize is green?
Depends on the casino, I suspect.