Don’t let the bean out of the bag
Posted: March 12, 2013 Filed under: ANIMALS, bean, cat, FOOD | Tags: beans, blended idioms, cat, cat out of the bag, expressions, humor, language, malaphors, mixed idioms, spill the beans, words Leave a commentThis strange expression is a mash up of “cat out of the bag” and “spill the beans”, both meaning to give away a secret or surprise. The speaker may also have been thinking of bean bags. Who didn’t have a bean bag chair adorning their living room in the 70s and 80s? Mine was a beautiful pukish brown with a corduroy cover – stylish. Thanks to Cathy Miller for this one!
Bean Bag Chair (Photo credit: Clover_1)
It will probably go belly under
Posted: March 9, 2013 Filed under: belly, BODY PARTS | Tags: belly up, blended idioms, congruent conflation, expressions, go under, humor, language, malaphors, mixed idioms, words 2 CommentsThe context of this malaphor was in reference to a newly opened restaurant that probably will not survive. This is a congruent conflation of “going belly up” and “going under”, both meaning business failure. Again, direction seems to be the hang up in this one (and many other previously posted ones), and of course that both phrases have the same meaning. A big thank you to Jody Compton for serving this one up!
She always wants to be in the know-it-all
Posted: March 8, 2013 Filed under: know-it-all | Tags: blended idioms, conflations, expressions, humor, know-it-all, language, malaphors, mixed idioms, words Leave a commentThis is a conflation of “in the know” and “know-it-all”. Apparently being in the know is not enough for this person. A big shout out to Mitch Hoyson for spotting this gem!
That’s water under the dam
Posted: March 6, 2013 Filed under: bridge, dam, THINGS, water | Tags: blended idioms, expressions, humor, language, malaphors, mixed idioms, water over the dam, water under the bridge, words Leave a commentThis is a commonly used malaphor, blending two idioms – “water under the bridge” and “water over the dam” – that contain the same word (water) and have the same meaning (past and unchangeable events). Add two words that both describe direction (over and under), and two structures that are in or over water (dams and bridges) and you get a subtle mix-up. I have posted a few similar malaphors – see “that’s water over the bridge” (8/4/12) and “that’s just blood under the bridge” (11/9/12). Many thanks to John Costello for this one.
It’s time to take the bull by the tail
Posted: March 5, 2013 Filed under: bull, horns, tail | Tags: blended idioms, bull by the horns, expressions, humor, language, malaphors, mixed idioms, tiger by the tail, words 3 CommentsThis visual mash-up mixes “take the bull by the horns” (confront an issue openly) with probably “has the world by the tail” or “has a tiger by the tail”. Heads and tails are part of the confusion, and I don’t think either end is preferable. Thanks to Joseph Newcomer for sending this one to me!
Give the dog his due
Posted: March 3, 2013 Filed under: ANIMALS, dog | Tags: blended idioms, dog, every dog has its day, expressions, give credit where credit is due, humor, language, malaphors, mixed idioms, words Leave a commentThis delightful saying is a mash up of “give credit where credit is due”, “give the devil his due”, and “every dog has its day”. Perhaps there is a homonym mix up here as well, as in “dog doo”? Who knows what lurks in the subconscious mind? A shout out to Bill B. who heard this one from Dr. Marty Kraus.
Jedi mind-meld
Posted: March 2, 2013 Filed under: Jedi, mind-meld | Tags: blended idioms, expressions, humor, Jedi, language, malaphors, mind-meld, mixed idioms, words 4 CommentsFor this one, I will leave the ‘splaining to Al Kamen of the Washington Post:
President Obama might be urging cooperation between Democrats and Republicans on the sequester.
But the only things that seems to be mixing at the moment are metaphors.
During his news conference Friday, Obama said some people unfairly expected him to be able to force Republicans to accept his terms. “Even though most people agree… I’m presenting a fair deal, the fact that they don’t take it means that I should somehow do a Jedi mind-meld with these folks and convince them to do what’s right,” he said.
That phrase “Jedi mind meld,”which he uttered during extemporaneous (read: no prompter or script) remarks during the question-and-answer portion of the newser, appears to combine elements from two distinct sci-fi worlds.
A “Jedi mind trick” is a power exercised by Jedi Knights in “Star Wars,” usually accomplished by verbal manipulation (Famous example: “These aren’t the droids you’re looking for.”)
But “mind meld” is a phenomenon from “Star Trek.” It’s a method of communication used among Vulcans, like Spock.
Obama’s mash-up of the two is certain to provoke outcry among the fervent fans of each franchise. And no matter what happens in Washington, the president might find that bringing together Trekkies and Star Wars aficionados might be tougher than brokering a bipartisan compromise.
Vulcan (Star Trek) (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
She went off into tangents
Posted: March 1, 2013 Filed under: tangents | Tags: blended idioms, expressions, humor, language, malaphors, mixed idioms, off in space, off target, tangents, words Leave a commentThis one was uttered by a daughter describing her teacher to her mother. It is a mash up of “off on a tangent” and ” off into space”. As “my ol’ pal” notes, being “off target” might also play in the mix here. Thanks to Frances for this one!
English: law of tangents – sketch. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
That’s no skin off my teeth
Posted: February 28, 2013 Filed under: BODY PARTS, nose, tooth | Tags: blended idioms, humor, language, malaphors, mixed idioms, skin, skin of our teeth, skin off my nose, teeth, words Leave a commentHeard this beauty last night during a dinner conversation. This is a mash up of “no skin off my nose” and “by the skin of our teeth”.
That’s the cat calling the kettle black
Posted: February 24, 2013 Filed under: black, cat, kettle | Tags: black cat, blended idioms, cat calls, expressions, humor, language, malaphors, mixed idioms, pot calling the kettle black, words Leave a commentThis is a mash up of “the pot calling the kettle black” and “cat calls”. Let’s also throw in black cats for good measure, and maybe “cattle calls”? Pot and cat are three letter words ending in t, another possible cause for confusion. Thanks to Kimberly for providing this gem.
Black Cat Portrait (Photo credit: Georgo10)
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