They were raking him over the ropes
Posted: September 4, 2012 Filed under: ACTION, THINGS | Tags: blended idioms, expressions, malaphors, mixed idioms, raking over the coals, ropes, words Leave a commentThis is a mash up of “raking over the coals” (reprimand severely) and “on the ropes” (about to or likely to fail). While both phrases have different meanings, they both describe a bad situation for someone. Also coals and ropes are four letter words and both have the same vowel sounds (assonance) which could have led to the confusion.
She’s flying against the current
Posted: September 3, 2012 Filed under: ACTION | Tags: blended idioms, current, expressions, fly, malaphors, mixed idioms, swim, words Leave a commentI heard this one at a meeting. My guess is that the speaker was thinking of the phrases “swimming against the current” (go against prevailing thought or opinion) and “off to a flying start” (good beginning), both indicating movement. He may also have been thinking of the difficulty flying through wind currents. Then again, as in many blended idiom mix-ups, the speaker probably forgot or did not know the accepted idiom.
I let it roll over my head
Posted: September 1, 2012 Filed under: ACTION, BODY PARTS | Tags: blended idioms, expressions, head, malaphors, mixed idioms, roll over, words Leave a commentThis seems to be a blend of “let it roll off my back” (not to worry about something done or said) and “roll over” (acquiesce to), both indicating passivity. The speaker may have confused the anatomy (back and head) which seems to be common in malaphors. Also the two confused words are four letter words. The phrase “roll with the punches” (go along with the program) also could have been in the subconscious as it is another phrase involving passivity or acquiescence.
Don’t get your nose in an uproar
Posted: August 31, 2012 Filed under: ACTION, BODY PARTS | Tags: blended idioms, bowels in an uproar, expressions, malaphors, mixed idioms, nose, words Leave a commentThis is a mash up of “nose out of joint” (hurt feelings or plans upset) and “don’t get your bowels in an uproar” (overly anxious or excited), with the speaker replacing “bowels” with “nose”. Both idioms indicate extreme emotion and facial expression which may have added to the confusion. Oh, and the confused words, “bowels” and “nose”, both smell.
He who laughs first, laughs last
Posted: August 30, 2012 Filed under: ACTION, TIME | Tags: blended idioms, expressions, laughs, malaphors, mixed idioms, revenge, words 2 CommentsReally? But yes, it is true as I heard this gem from “the master’s” lips many years ago. I think it is a mix up of “gets the last laugh” and “he who laughs first, laughs longest”, both meaning to exact revenge on someone. In context revenge was what “the master” was talking about, but perhaps in a subtle way he was waxing philosophically regarding the meaning of life. Enjoy it thoroughly all the time?
You hit it right on the nail
Posted: August 29, 2012 Filed under: ACTION, BODY PARTS, THINGS | Tags: blended idioms, expressions, malaphors, mixed idioms, nail, words 1 CommentI heard this one at a meeting last night. The speaker, a flashy guy in his early 30s or late 20s, was probably mixing “you hit the nail on the head”(got something exactly right) with “you got that right”. It is also possible that he was thinking “right on” when he was speaking but that expression is more familiar to my generation. Malaphors are instantly recognizable but quickly forgotten, so a big “thank you” to my friend Mike (who was sitting next to me) for writing this one down at that moment.
Let’s draw hats
Posted: August 28, 2012 Filed under: ACTION, CLOTHING, THINGS | Tags: blended idioms, draw straws, expressions, hats, malaphors, mixed idioms, words Leave a commentMy workplace held an annual golf tournament. One year we had some late entries creating some uneven teams. It was uncertain how we would create the late foursomes. “The Master” immediately blurted out, “let’s draw hats!” Most of the folks in the room did not blink an eye and immediately understood what he suggested, but I quickly jotted down the malaphor masterpiece. This mash-up involves the phrases “draw straws” and “pick names out of a hat” (both methods to pick teams).
Drawing Straws (Photo credit: lucianvenutian)
Sitting on their hands and needles
Posted: August 27, 2012 Filed under: ACTION, BODY PARTS, THINGS | Tags: blended idioms, expressions, malaphors, mixed idioms, pins and needles, portmanteau, words Leave a commentOne of my all time favorites, this little ditty was spoken by “the master” in response to a group of employees’ anxiety awaiting the announcement of several promotions. Why is this a thing of beauty? He mixes “sitting on their hands” (procrastinating or delaying) with “on pins and needles” (anxiously awaiting an outcome), which simultaneously describes the employees’ jobs (sedentary as they were paralegals) with their emotional state. This compression of two phrases into a better phrase reminds my “ol pal” of Lewis Carroll’s use of “Portmanteau words” where two words are mashed together to form a new & better word like “chortle” (chuckle & snort) or “frumuous” (fuming & furious).
He’s going to bite the farm
Posted: August 26, 2012 Filed under: ACTION, PLACES | Tags: bite, blended idioms, death, dust, expressions, farm, malaphors, mixed idioms, words Leave a commentA mix-up of two idioms meaning “to die” – “bite the dust” and “buy the farm”. Perhaps the speaker was thinking of the drought that has caused farmland to turn to dust. Or maybe sometimes those farm animals will bite you in the butt….
You can’t pull one over on my eyes
Posted: August 25, 2012 Filed under: ACTION, BODY PARTS, CLOTHING | Tags: blended idioms, expressions, eyes, malaphors, mixed idioms, pull, tricked, words 1 CommentThis malaphor seems very straightforward – a blend of “put one over on me” and “pull the wool over my eyes”. Both idioms mean “to be fooled” and both contain the word “over”, hence the confusion. The word “pullover” also might have been jumbled in the subconscious as in a “pullover sweater” which of course goes over the eyes. In blending both idioms, the speaker was undoubtedly trying to be particularly emphatic about not being tricked!
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