It’s as easy as falling off a piece of cake
Posted: January 1, 2013 Filed under: ACTION, cake, fall, FOOD, pie | Tags: blended idioms, conflations, easy as falling off a log, easy as pie, expressions, malaphors, mixed idioms, piece of cake, words 2 Comments
English: Wedding cake (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
This is a mash up of “it’s as easy as falling off a log”, “easy as pie”, and “it’s a piece of cake”, all meaning something very easy. This is a great example of a congruent malaphor, when two or more root expressions have the same or similar meaning. These kinds of malaphors are almost always understood by the listener because the idioms express the same thought.
That’s the way the cookie bounces
Posted: December 30, 2012 Filed under: ball, bounce, cookie, FOOD, THINGS | Tags: ball bounces, blended idioms, Cookie, cookie crumbles, expressions, malaphors, mixed idioms, words 4 Comments
English: A Pepperidge Farm “Nantucket” cookie. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
This is a straightforward malaphor, mixing “that’s the way the cookie crumbles” and “that’s the way the ball bounces”, both meaning you can’t control everything that happens to you. It also could describe the rejects from cookie exchanges this time of year.
Another bite at the cherry
Posted: December 12, 2012 Filed under: ACTION, apple, bite, cherry, FOOD | Tags: apple, basketball, blended idioms, cherry, cherry picking, expressions, malaphors, mixed idioms, washington wizards, words Leave a commentThis malaphor was heard last night by Mike Browning while listening to a Washington Wizards basketball game. The play by play announcer, Dave Johnson, said this: “… Crawford grabs the rebound, and the Wizards get another bite at the cherry.” Given the context, this is a mash up of “another bite at the apple” and “cherry-picking”, the latter a term used in basketball. “A bite of the cherry” is apparently an Australian and British expression meaning “being a part of something good”, but I don’t think Dave Johnson is Australian or British.
He’s out to butter his own nest
Posted: November 27, 2012 Filed under: ANIMALS, bread, butter, FOOD, nest, PLACES, THINGS | Tags: blended idioms, bread and butter, expressioins, feather, feather your own next, know which side your bread is buttered on, malaphors, mixed idioms, words 3 Comments
English: A pat of butter, served on a leaf, with a butter knife and bread (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
This slippery malaphor is a mash up of “feather your own nest” (use power and prestige to one’s advantage selfishly) and perhaps “know which side your bread is buttered on” (to be loyal to the person who will benefit you the most). “Bread and butter” (someone’s livelihood or source of income) could also be a player here. There is also an Hungarian expression -több mindent jelenthet – roughly translated “butter one’s bread on both sides” and meaning leaving nothing for others to argue or complain. My ol’ pal indicates “buttering your own bread” (using power to gain income selfishly) may also be part of this mix up.
If you can’t cut the cheese, get out of the kitchen
Posted: November 19, 2012 Filed under: cheese, FOOD, kitchen, mustard | Tags: blended idioms, can't cut the mustard, cut the cheese, expressions, malaphors, mixed idioms, words Leave a comment
cheeses (Photo credit: uberculture)
This malaphor combines several thoughts, resulting in a humorous saying. Certainly “can’t cut the mustard” (one who cannot meet the required standard) and ” if you can’t stand the heat, get out of the kitchen” (don’t persist in a task if it is too much for you) are involved, but what about “if you can’t beat ’em, join ’em”? Also let’s not forget “who cut the cheese”? (who farted?) Given these idioms and sayings, I think it is more appropriate to say, “if you cut the cheese, get out of the kitchen”.
It’s not his cup of wax
Posted: November 16, 2012 Filed under: FOOD, tea, wax | Tags: ball of wax, blended idioms, cup of tea, expressions, malaphors, mixed idioms, words Leave a commentThis malaphor was heard on the T-ball field from a parent whose son kept an eye on outfield ants and flowers rather than the ball. It is an amusing blend of “not my cup of tea” (do not like it very much) and “the whole ball of wax” (the entire thing or affair). A big thanks to Cam O. who heard this one and sent it to me.
Another shot at the apple
Posted: November 10, 2012 Filed under: FOOD | Tags: another shot, apple, blended idioms, expressions, malaphors, mixed idioms, second bite at the apple, William Tell, words Leave a commentI heard this one from a good friend while he was teaching. He told the student, after answering the question incorrectly, “I’ll give you another shot at the apple.” This is a mash up of “another shot” and “a second bite at the apple”, both meaning a second try or chance. My guess is that the speaker, at the moment he said the malaphor, also had a mental picture of William Tell. Who knows what lurks in the subconscious?
Our son was just an apple in our eye
Posted: November 6, 2012 Filed under: BODY PARTS, FOOD | Tags: apple of his eye, blended idioms, expressions, malaphors, mixed idioms, twinkle in his father's eye, words 1 CommentUttered by a high school English teacher. “That was back when our son was just an apple in our eye.” This is a mash up of “twinkle in his father’s eye” (before conception) and “apple of his/her eye” ((someone that is cherished above others). Thanks to Ann H. for hearing and forwarding this one.
Cream of the cake
Posted: August 24, 2012 Filed under: FOOD | Tags: blended idioms, cake, cream, expressions, icing, malaphors, mixed idioms, words Leave a commentThis mash-up involves the phrase “icing on the cake” (something extra on a successful endeavor) and “cream of the crop” (finest or best). The speaker not only thought his object was great but somehow a cut above the best? Since that describes this website, I have included it in the tagline. 🙂
They’re just a bunch of bean pushers
Posted: August 14, 2012 Filed under: FOOD, THINGS | Tags: bean counters, blended idioms, expressions, malaphors, mixed idioms, pencil pushers, words Leave a commentI heard this one on an Allstate tv commercial about 20 years ago. A customer was referring to the insurance adjuster, saying, “They really are kind and considerate. They’re not just a bunch of bean pushers.” This is a blend of “bean counters” (persons just interested in the numbers of an issue) and “pencil pushers” ( persons just doing menial tasks).
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