They are not putting all their marbles in one basket
Posted: July 3, 2018 Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: espn, expressions, for all the marbles, humor, language, malaphors, Michael Wilbon, PTI, put all your eggs in one basket, words 3 CommentsThis one is from the ESPN show “Pardon the Interruption” (PTI). There was a discussion about the Lakers and LeBron James’ free agency. Michael Wilbon reported that Magic Johnson [the Lakers’ director of basketball operations] stated that they are not putting all their marbles in one basket. Even Tony Kornheiser then pointed out to Michael that it should have been eggs, not marbles. This is a nice conflation of “for all the marbles” (all the winnings, spoils, or rewards) and “put all your eggs in one basket” (to invest all of one’s energy in a single venture). Marbles resemble eggs and vice versa so this is probably the reason for the mix up. A big thanks to Gerry Abbott for hearing this one and sending it in.
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He was drunk out of his ass
Posted: June 28, 2018 Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: drunk off his ass, expressions, humor, language, malaphor, malaphors, out of his mind, words Leave a commentI love this one. This was overheard outside a bar. It is a mashup of “drunk off his ass” (very intoxicated) and “out of his mind” (crazy). Crazy drunk? Upside down? A big thanks to Anthony Kovacs for hearing this one and sending it in!
I need to catch my bearings
Posted: June 25, 2018 Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: catch my breath, expressions, get my bearings, humor, malaphor, malaphors, words Leave a commentA person was getting overwhelmed trying to do too many things at once. He then blurted out that “I need to stop and catch my bearings.” This is a mashup of “get my bearings” (figure out one’s position relative to one’s surroundings) and “catch my breath” (relax, take a break). “Bearings” and “breath” start with a “b”, causing the malaphor. Also, both phrases indicate someone pausing before proceeding. A big thanks to John Kooser for hearing this one and passing it on.
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Will it pay fruit?
Posted: June 23, 2018 Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: bear fruit, Chris Matthews, expressions, humor, malaphor, malaphors, pay dividends, pay off, Trump, words Leave a comment“The Master of Malaphors” Chris Matthews said this beauty on his show on June 13, talking about Cohen possibly flipping on Trump. It is a congruent conflation of “pay off”, “pay dividends”, and “bear fruit”, all meaning to yield positive benefits or results. Let the flipping begin, and see the many bananas and apples appear.
By the way, loyal followers might cry foul on this one as I posted this malaphor last November. https://malaphors.com/2017/11/22/our-hard-work-is-finally-starting-to-pay-fruit/ True, but when “The Master” speaks, I must post. A big thanks to “Hawkear” Frank King for hearing this one.
Shudder in its tracks
Posted: June 20, 2018 Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: Ars Technica, expressions, freeze in its tracks, humor, malaphor, malaphors, shudder to think, stop dead in its tracks, words Leave a commentThis was found in the Ars Technica website, a site covering news and opinions in technology, science, and politics. Here is the full quote:
“That ruthlessly efficient system helped bubonic plague kill nearly 25 million people and made the ancient world shudder in its tracks during the Justinian plague of 541–542.” https://arstechnica.com/science/2018/06/4000-year-old-genomes-point-to-origins-of-bubonic-plague/
It is a conflation of “shudder to think” (afraid to think about something as it may be unpleasant) and “stop/freeze/halt (someone or something)(dead) in its tracks” (suddenly stop because something has frightened or surprised you). Considering the context, the author might have been thinking about death and the word “dead” may have been floating around in the head, spewing out “in its tracks”. A big thanks to Barry Eigen for spotting this one. Barry said the malaphor also reminded him of the expression “shaking (shivering) in their boots”. Me too!
I hope my omelet is not bone cold
Posted: June 18, 2018 Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: chilled to the bone, dry as a bone, expressions, humor, malaphor, stone cold, words Leave a commentNot sure if the speaker thought his omelet would be dry or cold or both, but this is a nice mashup of “stone cold” (unfeeling) and “dry as a bone” (completely dry). I think “chill(ed) to the bone” (very cold) is also in the mix, as bones often get cold, particularly when scared. A big thanks to John Ries for unintentionally saying this one and Kevin Hatfield for spotting the malaphor.
Trying to lighten the elephant in the room
Posted: June 16, 2018 Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: elephant in the room, expressions, humor, lightening the mood, malaphor, words 2 CommentsThis is a great image and a terrific malaphor. It was uttered unintentionally by someone describing an awkward date. She tried to engage in small talk, and related the following to a friend:
“I said, ‘I love the mountains so much, especially at night,’ trying to lighten the elephant in the room.”
This is a mashup of “the elephant in the room” (obvious problem no one wants to discuss) and “lighten the mood” (trying to cheer everyone up). “The elephant in the room” seems to be a common expression mix-up. For example, I have posted:
“It’s the 800 pound elephant in the room” https://malaphors.com/2015/03/30/its-the-800-pound-elephant-in-the-room/
“I think that’s the pink elephant in the room” https://malaphors.com/2013/08/07/i-think-thats-the-pink-elephant-in-the-room/
“The white elephant in the room” https://malaphors.com/2012/09/06/the-white-elephant-in-the-room/
In fact, I have a separate section devoted to the “elephant malaphor” in my book, “He Smokes Like a Fish and other Malaphors”, available on Amazon. https://www.amazon.com/dp/0692652205
A tip of the hat to Sydney Bergeson for hearing this one and sending it in!
Transparency is a two way sword
Posted: June 13, 2018 Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: cnn, David Axelrod, double edged sword, expressions, humor, James Clapper, malaphor, The Axe Files, Trump, two way street, words Leave a commentThis gem was uttered by James Clapper, the former Director of National Intelligence, on CNN’s The Axe Files with David Axelrod. It is a mashup of “double-edged sword” (something that can be both beneficial and problematic) and “two-way street” (a situation where both sides must put forth an equal amount of effort to get a desired result). The reason for the mixup is obvious: “double” means “two”. Also, the two expressions are close in meaning. A big thanks to James Kozlowski for hearing this one and sending it in.
Did you like this mental hiccup? Check out my book on Malaphors on Amazon. It’s called “He Smokes Like a Fish and other Malaphors” and is only $6.99! That’s five cents a malaphor. Cheap laughs, right?
Lay down the gauntlet
Posted: June 11, 2018 Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: cnn, expressions, humor, language, lay down the law, Maggie Haberman, malaphor, throw down the gauntlet, words Leave a commentThis was spoken on June 6 by New York Times’ reporter Maggie Haberman, appearing on CNN’s Inside Politics. It is a subtle mashup of “throw down the gauntlet” (to issue a challenge) and “lay down the law” (to give a directive or order sternly). I suppose one could lay down the gauntlet but throwing it seems much more appropriate. This expression alludes to the medieval practice of a knight throwing down his gauntlet, or metal glove, as a challenge to combat. Its figurative use dates from the second half of the 1700s. A big thanks once again to Frank King for hearing this one and throwing it my way. @MaggieNYT
She bought the Kool Aid
Posted: June 10, 2018 Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: buy into it, drink the Kool Aid, expressions, humor, Jim Jones, Jonestown, malaphor, malaphors, words 3 CommentsA friend and his wife were watching t.v. The wife uttered this, discussing someone who believed what they heard. It is a congruent conflation of “drinking the Kool Aid” and “buy into it”, both meaning to go along or believe in an idea because of peer pressure. The former expression derives from the November 1978 Jonestown deaths, in which over 900 members of the Peoples Temple, who were followers of Jim Jones, died, many of whom committed suicide by drinking a mixture of a powdered soft-drink flavoring agent laced with cyanide and prescription drugs Valium, Phenergan, and chloral hydrate, while the rest of the members, including 89 infants and elderly, were killed by forced ingestion of the poison. A big thanks to Martin Pietrucha for hearing this one and passing it on!
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