You were out like a log
Posted: February 24, 2020 Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: expressions, humor, malaphor, malaphors, out like a light, slept like a log, words Leave a commentWhile I posted this one way back in 2012, it bears repeating as I think it is one of the purest congruent conflations out there, and a common one as well. The speaker was talking about her lack of sleep the previous night but that her husband slept soundly, describing him as being out like a log. This is a congruent conflation of “slept like a log” and “out like a light”, both referring to sound sleep. There are a lot of the letter L in both expressions, contributing to the mix up. A big thanks to Donna Calvert for sending this one in. Glad to hear Bill is sleeping well in retirement.
He has his hands in a lot of pies
Posted: February 22, 2020 Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: a finger in every pie, expressions, hand in something, humor, language, malaphor, words Leave a commentThe contributor of this malaphor was also the speaker, and blurted out this beauty by accident. It is almost a congruent conflation, as both “a hand in something” and “a finger in every pie” mean to have an interest in or involvement in a matter, but in the case of finger in every pie, it is involvment in everything. “Fingers” and “hands” seem to be the culprit here, and I suspect, knowing the speaker, that his mind might have been on some pie-fighting scenes in a few 3 Stooges shorts. A shout out to Martin Pietrucha for sending this one in!
All of the enchiladas were placed on the table
Posted: February 10, 2020 Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: expressions, humor, malaphor, Michael Steele, MSNBC, put your cards on the table, the whole enchilada, words Leave a commentDiscussing the unfairness of the Iowa Caucuses, former RNC Chairman, Michael Steele on MSNBC uttered this malaphor. It is a mashup of “the whole enchilada” (everything) and “lay (one’s) cards on the table” (to be very candid about one’s position). My guess is that the speaker was hungry. A big thanks to Ron MacDonald for hearing this one and sending it in.
Congratulations Coach Reid! You finally got the hump off of your back
Posted: February 7, 2020 Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: Andy Reid, Brian Dawkins, expressions, humor, Kansas City Chiefs, malaphor, malaphors, monky off your back, over the hump, words, Young Frankenstein 2 CommentsThis malaphor was tweeted by former NFL player Brian Dawkins (safety for the Philadelphia Eagles):
@BrianDawkins
CONGRATULATIONS COACH REID!! You finally got the hump off of your back. You have been a blessing to so many of us as a Coach yes, but also as a man. You’ve learned & given so much to so many… You Earned it!! LOVE YOU!!! #BigRed #SuperBowlChampion
I have a job underneath the books
Posted: February 4, 2020 Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: expressions, humor, language, malaphor, malaphors, off the books, under the table, words Leave a commentThis was heard at an administrative hearing. The speaker was talking about work that he was currently performing. It is a congruent conflation of “off the books” and “under the table”, both meaning to do something in secret so that taxes won’t be paid. Then again, maybe the speaker works in the basement of a library. A follow up question hopefully was made. A big thanks to John Costello for hearing this one.
If you liked this one, check out my book on malaphors, “He Smokes Like a Fish and other Malaphors”, available underneath on Amazon. https://www.amazon.com/dp/0692652205
How many cracks at the apple is this guy going to get?
Posted: February 3, 2020 Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: cracks at the bat, expressions, humor, idioms, malaphor, malaphors, second bite at the apple, words Leave a commentThis one was overheard in a conversation between a lawyer and the judge in a court proceeding. This is a nice congruent conflation of “a second bite of the apple” and “cracks at the bat”, both meaning additional opportunities. “Take a crack at (something)” (an attempt) is probably also in the mix. Perhaps the speaker was thinking of William Tell or maybe a pinata party. Kudos to Matin Pietrucha who heard this one and sent it in.
A little bit of a tightrope that the Democrats have to run
Posted: February 1, 2020 Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: Frank Thorp V, humor, language, malaphor, malaphors, MSNBC, run the gauntlet, Trump, walk a tightrope, words Leave a comment
We’ve never sought to depose every witness under the face of the sun
Posted: January 31, 2020 Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: Adam Schiff, everything under the sun, expressions, humor, language, malaphor, malaphors, on the face of the earth, Trump, words Leave a commentAdam Schiff, House Manager in the Trump Impeachment Trial, uttered this in response to the President’s counsel’s comment that witnesses would be endless and that the trial could drag on until the next election. Here is the context and the quote:
Taking up additional witnesses “could be done very quickly, effectively, we’ve never sought to depose every witness under the face of the sun,” Schiff later added, noting that a select four witnesses have been specified by House managers as “particularly appropriate and relevant” to their case.
This is a terrific congruent conflation of ” everything under the sun” and “on the face of the earth”, both meaning all things in existence, or everything one can reasonably imagine. The speaker apparently was thinking of the earth and the sun at the same time. A big thanks to Bruce Ryan for hearing this one and sending it in. Bruce has the ears of a hawk.
It was a lock cinch
Posted: January 29, 2020 Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: a lock, Brian Williams, cinch, expressions, humor, language, lead-pipe cinch, malaphor, Trump, words Leave a comment
He was taken to the carpet
Posted: January 27, 2020 Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: called on the carpet, expressions, humor, language, malaphor, malaphors, Meet the Press, Mike Braun, taken to the cleaners, Trump, words Leave a commentSenator Mike Braun, Republican from Indiana, uttered this one on Meet the Press yesterday. He was talking about Trump and the effect impeachment will have on him. It is a mashup of “called on the carpet” (to reprimand someone) and “taken to the cleaners” (to swindle someone or to soundly defeat someone). My guess is that the Senator was thinking of carpet cleaning. He also may have been thinking of the idiom “taken to the mat”(to confront or argue with someone), given mats and carpets are both floor coverings. A big thanks to Elaine Hatfield and Mike Kovacs who heard this one and sent it in.
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