It’s like shooting ducks in a barrel
Posted: January 16, 2013 Filed under: ACTION, ANIMALS, barrel, duck, shoot, THINGS | Tags: blended idioms, ducks, ducks all in a row, expressions, fish, malaphors, mixed idioms, shooting fish in a barrel, wordplay, words 2 CommentsThis is a mash up of “shooting fish in a barrel” (easy action with guaranteed success) and “all your ducks in a row” (getting everything in order), submitted by a loyal follower, the TruroTattler. Given the enormous amount of google hits, this is a common malaphor, as ducks appear to be as easy a target as fish. Also shooting mechanical ducks in a penny arcade shooting gallery is certainly playing on the mind in this one.
It takes a lot to take the air out of my sails
Posted: January 13, 2013 Filed under: sails, THINGS | Tags: air out of my tires, blended idioms, expressions, language, linguistics, malaphors, mixed idioms, sailst, tires, wind, wind out of my sails, wordplay, words Leave a commentThis was uttered by a guy who was frustrated by a spin class:
Maybe I Signed Up for Karaoke Instead of Spin by Accident?
It takes a lot to take the air out of my sails, but an unimpressive spin class will do that to me right quick. I actually felt bad that I’d made a friend come with me to this class because it was a pretty uninspiring way to spend 45 minutes. I have a limited amount of time to dedicate to my fitness regime: I don’t have time to ef around like this…
This is a mash up of “take the wind out of my sails” (feel less confident) and “let the air out of my tires” (make someone depressed). I think he meant the latter. See also a previous malaphor – “he took the thunder out of my sails”.
He doesn’t want to appear to be pushing on anyone’s toes
Posted: January 12, 2013 Filed under: ACTION, BODY PARTS, push, toes | Tags: blended idioms, expressions, language, linguistics, malaphors, mixed idioms, pushover, stepping on toes, toes, wordplay, words Leave a commentI can’t remember the context of this odd malaphor but it could be a mash up of “stepping on someone’s toes” (offend someone) and possibly “push the envelope” (to go further beyond the accepted limits). However, I think “pushover” (a person easily taken advantage of) or “pushy” (overly forward) is probably what the speaker was thinking of as he might be describing himself as both not offending his audience and taking advantage of them.
Don’t rock the apple cart
Posted: January 10, 2013 Filed under: apple, boat, cart, FOOD, THINGS | Tags: apple, blended idioms, boat, expressions, language, linguistics, malaphors, mixed idioms, rock, rock the boat, upset the apple cart, wordplay, words 1 CommentThis congruent malaphor mixes the similar meaning phrases “upset the apple cart” and “rock the boat”. A good example of the use of this malaphor is in a description of an Upper West Side apartment for rent:
“Minimum Age Limit For Renters : If you are coming to NYC for a big party weekend, this is probably not your place. I have fabulous neighbors and there is a great, great staff and take great care to not rock the apple cart.”
If the tables were reversed…
Posted: January 9, 2013 Filed under: ACTION, table, THINGS | Tags: blended idioms, expressions, malaphors, mixed idioms, roles reversed, turn the tables, words Leave a commentI heard this one on the radio last week. In context, the speaker was clearly wanting to say “if the roles were reversed”, but instead mixed in “tables were turned” (to cause a reversal in one’s plans). The confusion lies in the similar words reverse and turn. Also the idioms have similar meanings, but as “my ol’ pal” points out, “tables were turned” means getting even with someone while roles were reversed has a broader connotation.
They really kicked themselves in the foot
Posted: January 4, 2013 Filed under: ACTION, BODY PARTS, foot, kick | Tags: blended idioms, expressions, foot, kicked myself, malaphors, mixed idioms, Oklahoma football team, shot myself in the foot, words Leave a commentThis is a mash up of “shot myself in the foot” (said or did something stupid that causes problems for the person) and “kicked myself” (feel angry with yourself because you have done something stupid). This was heard by Deb Rose on a local sports show in Oklahoma. After the University of Oklahoma suffered a painful loss, making mistake after mistake and giving away the win, a local sportscaster said, “Boy, they really kicked themselves in the foot!”
Stop yanking my leg
Posted: January 3, 2013 Filed under: ACTION, BODY PARTS, leg, yank | Tags: blended idioms, expressions, malaphors, mixed idioms, pulling my leg, words, yanking my chain Leave a commentThis wonderful congruent malaphor is a mash up of “pulling my leg” (tricking or fooling someone) and “yanking my chain” (bothering someone). Or then again, it could be a physical therapy patient protesting…. Thanks to Anna Washabaugh for contributing this one!
Let dead dogs sleep
Posted: January 2, 2013 Filed under: ACTION, ANIMALS, dog, sleep | Tags: blended idioms, dogs, don't beat a dead horse, English Language, expressions, horses, let sleeping dogs lie, malaphors, mixed idioms, Richard Lederer, words 3 Comments
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This is a conflation of “let sleeping dogs lie” (leave something alone that might cause trouble) and I think “don’t beat a dead horse” (don’t waste time doing something that has already been attempted). When you mix dogs with horses, and sleeping with lying and dying, you get this malaphor. This one comes from Richard Lederer‘s Anguished English: An Anthology of Accidental Assaults Upon the English Language, rev. ed. Wyrick, 2006.
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