You’re going to separate the cream from the crop
Posted: November 30, 2017 Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: conflation, cream of the crop, expressions, humor, idiom, malaphor, malaphors, separate the men from the boys, separate the wheat from the chaff, words Leave a commentSports commentators say the darndest things, and this marvelous mashup was said on an NFL pregame show. It is a conflation of “the cream of the crop” (the best of a particular group) and “separate the wheat from the chaff” (to separate the good from the inferior). Because the subject was football, the commentator might also have been thinking of the phrase “separate the men from the boys” (to distinguish the experienced participants from the inexperienced). Kudos to Jim Kozlowski for hearing this one and sending it in!
I had a sneaking hunch
Posted: August 9, 2013 Filed under: hunch | Tags: blended idioms, Chordettes, conflation, congruent conflation, Dick Clark, have a hunch, have a sneaking suspicion, humor, language, malaphors, mixed idioms, television, words 2 Comments
Publicity photo of American Bandstand host Dick Clark. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
This congruent conflation mixes “I had a sneaking suspicion” and “I had a hunch”, both meaning to have a feeling or premonition. This beauty was found by Laszlo Veres on a You Tube video of an old Dick Clark Bandstand show. Dick was interviewing the Chordettes (Lollipop) and you can hear the malaphor at 3:21 of the video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fty3Nzc-oiY
Things roll off my shoulders
Posted: July 28, 2013 Filed under: back, roll, shoulders | Tags: blended idioms, broad shoulders, conflation, expressions, humor, language, malaphors, mixed idioms, roll off my back, words Leave a commentI think this is a mash up of “letting things roll off ones back” and “having broad shoulders”, both meaning to accept criticism and not worry. Shoulder rolls (or shrugs) also may come into play. A tip of the toque to Sam Edelmann for hearing and sharing this one.
That’s on the top of my mind
Posted: December 14, 2012 Filed under: BODY PARTS | Tags: blended idioms, conflation, expressions, malaphors, mixed idioms, on my mind, top of my head, words 1 CommentThis is a mash up of “off the top of my head” (saying something without putting much thought in it) and “on my mind” (currently being thought of). Thanks to Katie Hatfield for sending me this one!
the last straw in the coffin
Posted: November 22, 2012 Filed under: coffin, nail, PLACES, straw, THINGS | Tags: blended idioms, conflation, expressions, last straw, malaphors, mixed idioms, nail in the coffin, words 3 CommentsThis is a mash up of “the last straw” and “another nail in the coffin” (both meaning the final problem that will lead to a collapse or end). I saw this one on yardflex.com, which is a website about Jamaican issues:
“All respect to Trinidad, but they own more of the country’s assets than we do, selling them Air Jamaica will now be the last straw in the coffin.”
http://www.yardflex.com/archives/005475.html
I AM the malaphor king, mon.
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