He’s a chip off the old tree

Malaphor Hunter Gary Kelly overheard this one at the grocery store as two old men were discussing a grandson.  Given the context, it’s a congruent conflation of “a chip off the old block” and “the apple does not fall far from the tree”, both meaning someone’s behavior or traits resembling a relative, especially parents.  The confusion stems from the similar definitions, but also this mental sequence: chip > wood > tree.  Kudos to my old high school buddy and fellow musician Gary Kelly for sending this one in.

Hey, if you enjoyed this one check out a whole collection of malaphors in my book “He Smokes Like a Fish and other Malaphors”, available on Amazon at http://www.amazon.com/dp/0692652205.  It’s the top of the notch!