Portmanteaus and single word malaphors
Posted: February 2, 2013 Filed under: discussions | Tags: blended idioms, expressions, humor, language, Lewis Carroll, linguistics, malaphors, mixed idioms, portmanteau, words 1 Comment
English: Illustration to the poem Jabberwocky. A work by English illustrator Sir John Tenniel (1820-1914). First published in Carroll, Lewis. 1871. Through the Looking-Glass, and What Alice Found There. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
As you can see from the subject line, I am not delivering a malaphor of the day. I thought I would sprinkle a few hopefully interesting discussions about malaphors and other wordplay issues on my blog.
Someone asked me if my word blend malaphors are actually portmanteaus. I don’t think so. The main difference is that a portmanteau is an intentional word blend while a malaphor is unintentional. There are other differences:
A portmanteau is a combination of two (or more) words or morphemes, and their definitions, into one new word. A portmanteau word generally combines both sounds and meanings, as in smog, coined by blending smoke and fog. More generally, it may refer to any term or phrase that combines two or more meanings, for instance, the term “wurly” when describing hair that is both wavy and curly.
The word “portmanteau” was first used in this context by Lewis Carroll in the book Through the Looking-Glass (1871), in which Humpty Dumpty explains to Alice the coinage of the unusual words in Jabberwocky, where “slithy” means “lithe and slimy” and “mimsy” is “flimsy and miserable”. Humpty Dumpty explains the practice of combining words in various ways by telling Alice,
‘You see it’s like a portmanteau—there are two meanings packed up into one word.’
My single word blend malaphors are unconscious blends of words to make an unintentional new word. The word sounds or looks correct at first blush, but then on closer examination is incorrect. Examples so far on my website are “Buckminster Palace” (Buckingham and Westminster, and/or possibly Buckminster Fuller) and “split-minute decision” (split second and last minute).
It caught my mind
Posted: February 1, 2013 Filed under: BODY PARTS, mind | Tags: blended idioms, caught my eye, expressions, eye, humor, language, malaphors, mind, mixed idioms, wordplay, words Leave a commentI heard this one from Senator Jon Tester of Montana on the Bill Maher show this week. It is a mash up of “caught my eye” and I think “bring to mind”, both meaning to cause one to think of someone or something. The words mind and eye sound similar and are both located in the head, perhaps adding to the conflation. I like this one as it is subtle and still descriptive of the thought.
He is going squirrel crazy
Posted: January 31, 2013 Filed under: ANIMALS, squirrel | Tags: blended idioms, expressions, humor, malaphors, mixed idioms, squirrelly, squirrels, stir-crazy, wordplay, words Leave a commentI said this one today, referring to a friend who is in the hospital. It is a conflation of “stir-crazy” and “squirrelly”, both meaning being restless. I actually think this congruent malaphor describes a restless person better than the two phrases. After all, what can be more agitated than a crazy squirrel?
The time is ticking
Posted: January 27, 2013 Filed under: TIME | Tags: blended idioms, clock, clock is ticking, confirmation hearings, expressions, humor, John Kerry, malaphors, mixed idioms, TIME, time is coming, wordplay, words Leave a commentIn the recent confirmation hearings, Senator John Kerry noted that “the time is ticking” for Syrian President Bashar Assad:
“History caught up to us. That never happened. And it’s now moot, because he (Assad) has made a set of judgments that are inexcusable, that are reprehensible, and I think is not long for remaining as the head of state in Syria,” the senator said. “I think the time is ticking.”
http://news.yahoo.com/kerry-field-questions-panel-chairs-080523261.html
This is a mash up of “the clock is ticking” and “the time is coming” with maybe the clock on 60 minutes thrown in for good measure. Thanks to Yvonne for catching this one and passing it on!
Let’s take each one by ear
Posted: January 26, 2013 Filed under: BODY PARTS, ear | Tags: blended idioms, ear, expressions, humor, language, malaphors, mixed idioms, play it by ear, wordplay, words Leave a commentAlison (check her blog at www.absolutely-write.co.uk ), a follower of this website, was drinking coffee in a neighborhood cafe, trying not to listen to the eager young man in a suit sitting behind her, who was talking loudly into his phone. As he was finishing up his conversation, he said “Yeah, well, let’s take each one by ear”. She correctly noted that the speaker was probably muddling up “let’s take each one as it comes” and “let’s play it by ear”. Thank you Alison for submitting this malaphor!
He was telling my ears off
Posted: January 25, 2013 Filed under: ACTION, BODY PARTS, ear | Tags: blended idioms, conflations, ears, expressions, humor, language, malaphors, mixed idioms, talking my ear off, telling him off, words 1 CommentI heard this one at lunch yesterday from a former colleague, Cindy. We looked at each other and said, “malaphor”! It is a mash up of “talking my ears off” (excessive talking) and “telling me off” (scold someone). Telling also sounds like yelling, which I think also was going on.
Party for two?
Posted: January 22, 2013 Filed under: party, PLACES, THINGS | Tags: blended idioms, dinner for two, expressions, humor, language, lingusitics, malaphors, mixed idioms, party of two, Shania Twain, words Leave a commentA friend heard this subtle malaphor from a seating host at a restaurant. This is a mash up of “party of two” and “table for two”, both expressions used at restaurants. This is in contrast to a true party for two, noted by Shania Twain in her hit, “Party for Two”:
BRIDGE:
It doesn’t matter what you wear
‘Cause it’s only gonna be
you and me there (Whoa!)
CHORUS:
I’m having a party
A party for two
Invitin’ nobody
Nobody but you
We’ve got our hands cut out for us
Posted: January 21, 2013 Filed under: ACTION, BODY PARTS, cut, hand | Tags: blended idioms, expressions, hands, hands full, humor, malaphors, mixed idioms, words, work, work cut out for us Leave a commentThis is a mixture of “our work cut out for us” and “we’ve got our hands full”, both meaning a lot of work is ahead. There are other phrases involving the word “hands” that might be in play – “many hands make light work”, all hands”, “helping hands”. Perhaps the severed hand below will help…
And then everyone wonders why Europeans turn down their noses at Americans
Posted: January 18, 2013 Filed under: BODY PARTS, nose | Tags: blended idioms, expressions, humor, Jersey Shore, language, look down their nose at, malaphors, mixed idioms, nose, turn up their noses, wordplay, words Leave a comment“Turn down their noses” is a wonderful mash up of “turn up their noses” (sneer at someone) and “look down their noses at” (to see someone who is inferior or has no value). The confusion lies in “up” and “down” and “look” and “turn”. Maybe the nose has “turn down” service? Who knows? But it seems to be an incredibly popular malaphor given the thousands of google hits. The subject line above refers to the Jersey Shore phenomenon:
“The Jersey Shore kids are gross. Not Gross Baboons necessarily, just gross. They are so wrong in so many ways. Have you been to Florence? It is by far one of the most beautiful cities in the world. They needed to have a pack of steroid-ed gumbas trouncing around the Ponte Vecchio like I am going to the moon. Reports from Italy have the locals cringing from horror that this somehow represents Italians in the United States. And then everyone wonders why Europeans turn down their noses at Americans. The worst part is now that the Jersey Snore kids have terrorized Florence, Italians will equate ding-dong Guidos and Guidettes with the state of New Jersey.”
http://imeanwhat.com/tag/dj-pauly-d/
Here’s another good one:
Falvo’s Meats – Don’t get me wrong, I know there are a number of quality butcher shops in the area, but this place with its friendly service, fair prices and excellent products keeps me coming back time after time. I rely upon their advertisement in the Sunday TU for inspiration when planning the week’s meals and my boys turn down their noses at bacon that does not come from the Slingerland’s institution.
http://blog.timesunion.com/vinoteca/11-things-i-love-about-the-capital-district-part-1/5085/
We’ll burn that bridge when we come to it
Posted: January 17, 2013 Filed under: ACTION, bridge, burn, THINGS | Tags: blended idioms, bridgei, burn, burn your bridges, cross that bridge when we come to it, expressions, humor, Jimmy Buffett, language, malaphors, mixed idioms, words 3 CommentsThis malaphor, popularized by Jimmy Buffett, is a mash up of “we’ll cross that bridge when we come to it” (don’t worry about something that has not happened) and “burn your bridges” (permanently end relationships).
“Burn That Bridge”
But your love is something new
When I hold you we’re swaying in the wind
Of all the bridges I’ve ever crossed
High and lonesome and wild and lost
I feel this time I’ll take it to the end
We don’t care what the people may say
If there’s a price it’s the price we’ll pay
[Chorus:]
And we’ll burn that bridge when we come to it
Burn that bridge when we come to it
Burn that bridge when we come to it
Burn it down
Burn it down
We’ve both done our share of runnin’ around
Now we know enough to know the kind of love
we’ve found
It’s the real thing and we’ve got to see it through
I’m a singer and a sailor on a midnight sea
Oh captain come and take me on your fantasy
If we’re crazy that ain’t nothin’ new
‘Cause we don’t care what the people may say
If there’s a price it’s the price we’ll pay and
[Chorus]
Who knows how it started
Who knows it’s ends
The point of no return is waiting
just around the bend
[Chorus]
Malaphors 
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