He really rubs him up the wrong tree – Part 2
Posted: September 29, 2013 Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: expressions, humor, idiom origins, language, malaphors, words 3 Comments“My ol’ Pal” notes that there is a distinction between the American and the British idiom for annoying someone. As usual, she is right. The British say “he really rubs me up the wrong way”, while we in the States say “he really rubs me the wrong way”. The speaker who uttered the subject malaphor might have been British as the mix-up makes even more sense, if a mix-up can make sense. Incidentally, the origin of both phrases refers to the stroking of an animal’s fur in the wrong direction (from tail to head), causing the animal to become annoyed. My cats certainly get very irritated with me when I do that. Speaking of the Brits, they also use the phrase”rub up” to describe trying to recall something.
Hey, nobody’s human
Posted: September 25, 2013 Filed under: human | Tags: blended idioms, expressions, humor, language, malaphors, mixed idioms, nobody's perfect, only human, words, zombies 3 CommentsThis is a congruent conflation of “nobody’s perfect” and “only human”. Could be the slogan for “The Walking Dead”?
We may turn a blind cheek to that.
Posted: September 21, 2013 Filed under: cheek, turn | Tags: blended idioms, expressions, humor, language, malaphors, mixed idioms, turn a blind eye, turn the other cheek, words Leave a commentOkay, this one conjures up different images…. This is a mash up of two phrases that describe ignoring something or someone – “turn a blind eye” (to ignore something and pretend you did not see it) and “turn the other cheek” (to ignore abuse or an insult). Or maybe the speaker just wanted to ignore someone who was acting like a butt – who knows? Thanks to Yvonne Stam, a keen malaphor listener, for sending this one in.
In the essence of time
Posted: September 17, 2013 Filed under: TIME | Tags: blended idioms, expressions, humor, in the interest of time, language, malaphors, mixed idioms, time is of the essence, words 5 CommentsThis subtle malaphor is a mix of “in the interest of saving time” (in order to save time) and “time is of the essence” (meeting the deadlines is essential). Could have been spoken by a dyslexic lawyer. Thanks to Lin Sewell for sending this one in.
Put on another cup of coffee
Posted: September 15, 2013 Filed under: coffee | Tags: blended idioms, Coffee, cup of coffee, expressions, humor, language, malaphors, mixed idioms, pot of coffee, words Leave a commentThis is a mash up of “put on a pot of coffee” and “get another cup of coffee”. I just heard this one on the CW UPMC nightly sports call with Bob Pompeani, and yes Bob uttered this one as he was telling listeners to kick back and watch the show. This is a Pittsburgh call in sports show that is very entertaining.
You sowed your own poison, man!
Posted: September 12, 2013 Filed under: poison, sow | Tags: as you sow so shall you reap, blended idioms, expressions, humor, James Franco, language, made you rown bed, malaphors, mixed idioms, pick your poison, Pineapple Express, Seth Rogen, words 2 Comments
Cover via Amazon
This mix up comes from the movie Pineapple Express, spoken by James Franco’s character, Saul. It is a mash up of several idioms, I think, including “you made your bed, now lie in it” (bad outcome is based on your actions), “pick your poison” (must choose between equally bad things), and “as you sow, so shall you reap” (outcomes are based on how you behave). A shout out to Basil D’Costa for sending this beauty in!
He’s the head kahuna
Posted: September 11, 2013 Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: Beach Blanket Bingo, big kahuna, BigKahuna, blended idioms, Cliff Robertson, expressions, head honcho, humor, language, malaphors, Martin Milner, mixed idioms, words 2 Comments
Sandra Dee as Gidget in the 1959 film, (VHS cover) (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
Elaine Hatfield said this to me in the car the other day. She immediately wrote it down so that we would remember it (sign of a good malaphor). This is a mash up of “big kahuna” and “head honcho”, both meaning the person in charge. The use of the term “big kahuna” in reference to surfing can be traced back to the 1959 film Gidget, in which “The Big Kahuna“, played by Cliff Robertson, (Martin Milner in the TV episode), was the leader of a group of surfers. The term then became commonplace in Beach Party films of the 1960s such as Beach Blanket Bingo, where the “Big Kahuna” was the best surfer on the beach
We’ll drop a line in the water and see what sticks
Posted: September 9, 2013 Filed under: ACTION, drop, FOOD, water | Tags: blended idioms, dip a toe in the water, expressions, humor, language, make it stick, malaphors, Mike Tomlin, mixed idioms, Pittsburgh Steelers, Running back, words Leave a comment
Pittsburgh Steelers coach Mike Tomlin – September 16, 2007 (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
This jumble was apparently uttered by Pittsburgh Steelers coach Mike Tomlin a few weeks ago in response to the running backs situation. It is a mash up of “dip a toe in the water” (to test or try out something) and “make (something) stick” (to cause to be accepted). “Throw dirt enough and some will stick” might also be in the equation. Given the Steelers first performance, apparently the line was made of teflon. Thanks to Dan Geier for overhearing this one on the radio.
She stopped them cold in their tracks
Posted: September 7, 2013 Filed under: stop | Tags: blended idioms, expressions, humor, language, malaphors, mixed idioms, stopped dead in his tracks, stopped him cold, words Leave a commentThis subtle congruent conflation is a mix of “stopped them dead in their tracks” and “stopped (someone) cold”, both meaning to stop someone or something immediately. Thanks to Jane Eyre (the real one, not the fictional one) for uttering this unintentional malaphor.
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