Term for the blatant use of the wrong word?
In my line of work I am confronted with people who blatantly or ignorantly misspeak.
Ex: Customer - "Hi. Can I get a bagel" Me - "I'm sorry, we only sell pretzels here sir." Customer - "Yeah, that's what I meant."
It happens so frequently there has to be a term for this. It's not parapraxis (Freudian slip), catachresis (no mixed metaphor), malapropism (no humorous intent), or mondegreen (person is articulate and literate).
Solution 1:
Probably a “slip of the tongue”:
something that you say by accident when you intended to say something else:
"I called her new boyfriend by her previous boyfriend's name - it was just a slip of the tongue."
Solution 2:
Also misnomer:
- a wrong or inaccurate name or designation.
Synonyms: inaccurate name/label/designation, wrong name/label/designation, inappropriate name/label/designation
- a wrong or inaccurate use of a name or term.
The verb misnomering is the present participle of misnomer.
Solution 3:
It could be a mild form of DYSPHASIA. Though commonly used in medical context where brain injury is involved (see this article: http://www.patient.co.uk/doctor/dysarthria-and-dysphasia ), I think it could apply to the condition you describe. The person may "know" the right word, but be unable to come up with it at the opportune moment. If this is the case, it might, like stuttering, be triggered or exacerbated by fear or shyness in social situations.
Callng this behavior "blatant" or "ignorant" may be unkind to someone with a genuine disability, even if it is intermittent. And if it is chronic, then it is probably not intentional. Try not to be so "judge-mental".
Edit: another possibility is ANOMIC APHASIA