Our wishes have been answered
Posted: March 30, 2026 Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: blended idioms, expressions, humor, Josh Getzoff, language, malaphors, Pittsburgh Penguins, words 1 CommentDuring a Pittsburgh Penguins pre-game show, Josh Getzoff uttered this nice congruent conflation of “our prayers have been answered” and “our wishes have been granted”, both phrases confirming that a request has been fulfilled. Props to Steve Kovacs for hearing this subtle malaphor and sending it in!
We built too big of a hole
Posted: March 27, 2026 Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: Darian Devries, expressions, humor, IU basketball, language, malaphors, mixed idioms, words Leave a commentThis is an incongruent conflation (mix of two idioms with opposite meanings) of “built too big of a lead” and “dug too big of a hole”. You don’t build a hole. A big thanks to Bruce Ryan for spotting this one.
It’s no walk in the roses
Posted: March 23, 2026 Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: expressions, words, malaphors, mixed idioms, language, humor, People's Pharmacy 1 CommentThis one was heard on “The People’s Pharmacy” podcast, show 1461. Occurs around the 12:40 mark. Here is the excerpt:
This is a congruent conflation of “no bed of roses” and “no walk in the park”, both referring to something that is not easy to accomplish. I suppose that is true unless you have been honored to walk in the Rose Parade, right? Kudos to Yvonne Stam for hearing this one and sending it in.
I tried to put my shoes in his head
Posted: March 4, 2026 Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: expressions, George W. Bush, humor, language, malaphors, mixed idioms, words 1 CommentThis odd statement is a congruent conflation of “get in his head” and “walk a mile in his shoes”, both phrases meaning to try to understand the way another person is thinking. This one reminds me of the George W. Bush shoe throwing incident. On December 14, 2008, Iraqi journalist Muntadhar al-Zaidi removed his shoes and threw them at then United States president George W. Bush during a joint press conference with Iraqi prime minister Nouri al-Maliki in Baghdad, Iraq. Bush quickly ducked, avoiding being hit by either shoe. Props to Frozen Cusser for hearing this one and sending it in!
He tore the house upside down
Posted: March 2, 2026 Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: expressions, humor, language, Lords of Death, malaphors, mixed idioms, words 1 CommentThis subtle malaphor was uttered on the podcast, Lords of Death. It is a mashup of “tear it apart” (violently rip something into pieces) and “turn the house upside down” (searching a place so thoroughly it becomes extremely messy). A big thank you to Anthony Kovacs for hearing this one and sending it in.
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