It’s no shirt off my back
Posted: July 8, 2016 Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: expressions, humor, language, malaphor, malaphors, puns, shirt off my back, skin off my back, skin off my nose, words Leave a commentA loyal malaphor follower and contributor, Josh Berry uttered this mixed idiom, attempting to say no skin off my back. It is a mash up of “no skin off my back (or nose)” (not offended or adversely affected by something), and “I’d give the shirt off my back” (give anything that is asked for, no matter the sacrifice). The words “off my back” seem to be the culprit here, appearing in both idioms. “By the skin of my teeth” also seems to be mixed up, based on an internet search, resulting in “it’s no skin off my teeth”. Anyone out there ever said that? I will give my shirt off my back to Josh for saying this one and sending it in (the shirt is a Penguins Stanley Cup champion shirt, however)!
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He dropped it like a lead potato
Posted: July 6, 2016 Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: dropped like a hot potato, expressions, go over like a lead balloon, humor, language, malaphor, malaphors, mixed idioms, words Leave a commentThis gem was uttered at school by a teacher discussing an administrative initiative. It is a mash up of “go over like a lead balloon” (to fail completely) and “dropped (someone or something) like a hot potato” (disassociate instantly). This malaphor might be describing both phrases together to illustrate staying away from a failure. Maybe the speaker is from Long Island, where residues of arsenic and lead were found in potatoes. http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/004565359400410V
A big thanks to Ann Lynn for hearing this one and sending it in!
I’m going to take a wild stab in the dark
Posted: July 5, 2016 Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: expressions, humor, language, malaphor, malaphors, shot in the dark, take a stab, wild guess, words Leave a commentA double malaphor? This beauty was said on a British show called “Tipping Point.” A contestant said “I’m going to take a wild stab in the dark.” This is a triple conflation of “wild guess”, “take (or make) a stab”, and “a shot in the dark”, all meaning a guess with very little assurance of its accuracy. Barry Eigen, who heard this, suggested that this was a double malaphor. I did post “wild stab” (https://malaphors.com/2013/11/07/just-a-wild-stab/) in 2013, but this one does add “in the dark”, creating a double malaphor. “A stab in the dark” is an accepted phrase, but adding the word “wild” to it makes it a juicy malaphor. A big thanks to Barry Eigen for hearing his one in London town and passing it on!
Hold your horses on
Posted: June 29, 2016 Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: congruent conflation, expressions, hold your horses, humor, keep your britches on, language, malaphor, malaphors, mixed idioms, words Leave a commentThis is another “maraphor”. The speaker uttered this mix up, and then said, “I mean, keep your britches on.” This is a congruent conflation of “hold your horses” and “keep your britches (or pants) on”, both meaning to restrain yourself. Britches, or breeches, are pants used in riding horses so I can see where the speaker was confused. She probably visualized someone with breeches riding a horse. A big shout out to Marianne Julian who heard this and passed it on!
She hasn’t lost a beat
Posted: June 27, 2016 Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: expressions, have not lost a step, have not missed a beat, humor, language, malaphor, malaphors, words Leave a commentReferring to an elderly relative, this mix up was uttered by my wife and when she said it she immediately said, “write that down”. The best malaphors do go in one ear and out the other, and this one is no exception. Subtle, it is a mash up of “haven’t lost a step” (have not slowed down) and “not missed (or skipped) a beat” (no pause). Steps and beats go together so this one is a logical malaphor. Also, musicians sometimes lose the beat so the phrase is a real one in the musical world. A big thanks to Elaine Hatfield for blurting this one out!
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It’s not out of the bag yet
Posted: June 24, 2016 Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: expressions, humor, language, malaphor, malaphors, out of reach, out of the bag, out of the woods, words 2 CommentsA discussion took place about a potential contract. The person pursuing the contract said there were significant problems, “but it’s not out of the bag yet”. This is a good example of an incongruent conflation (mixing two idioms with opposite meanings). It is a mash up of “in the bag” (a certain thing) and “out of reach” (unattainable). “Not out of the woods” (not past a critical phase) may also be in the mix, as it seems in context with the speaker’s intention that obtaining the contract has not quite been achieved. Opposite words such as “in” and “out” seem to confuse the brain and mouth frequently. Kudos to Sam Edelmann for hearing this one and passing it on.
Do you hear these a lot? Do you say them a lot? If so, buy my book on malaphors – He Smokes Like a Fish and other Malaphors available now on Amazon at http://www.amazon.com/dp/0692652205.
We have to take the punches as they come
Posted: June 22, 2016 Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: congruent conflations, expressions, humor, language, malaphor, malaphors, mixed idioms, roll with the punches, take it as it comes, TLC, words 1 CommentThis malaphor was spoken by Jeremy Roloff on Season 10, Episode 2 of the TLC program “Little People, Big World.” He was referring to the challenge of eventually taking control of the family pumpkin farm and business in the face of his parents’ divorce. I believe this is a congruent conflation of “roll with the punches” and “take it as it comes”, both meaning to adjust to difficult events as they happen. This gem was caught by the Vice President of Malaphor Hunters (ViPMaH) Mike Kovacs. Thanks ViPMaH!
Three’s a charm
Posted: June 20, 2016 Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: expressions, humor, language, malaphor, malaphors, mixed idioms, third time's a charm, three's company, words Leave a commentI love this one because it’s so subtle. This is a mash up of “two’s company, (but) three’s a crowd” (a way of asking a third person to leave because you want to be alone with someone) and “third time’s a charm” (the third time you try something it will work). The mix up is caused by the number three appearing in both idioms, and with the similar looking and sounding “charm” and “crowd”. Ian, a regular malaphor follower, found this on a camera site that he frequents. Here is the source: http://m.dpreview.com/news/2679996282/three-s-a-charm-sony-rx10-iii-added-to-studio-scene-comparison-tool. Thanks Ian for spotting this and sending it on!
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Everyone’s digging their heels in the sand right now
Posted: June 13, 2016 Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: bury your head in the sand, civicscience, dig your heels in, expressions, humor, language, malaphor, malaphors, mixed idioms, Steve Scalise, stick your head in the sand, words Leave a commentThis beauty was found in an editorial entitled “Modern Politics are Blind”, found in civicscience.com – https://civicscience.com/modern-politics-are-blind/. This is a mash up of “dig your heels in” (refuse to alter a course of action) and “stick one’s head in the sand” (refuse to think about an unpleasant event), or “bury one’s head in the sand” (to ignore or hide from obvious signs of danger). “Draw a line in the sand” (create an artificial boundary and imply that crossing it will cause trouble) might also be in the mix. All the phrases concern being obstinate or refusing something, whether it is advice or in the context of the editorial, the facts. This malaphor is similar to a great one uttered by Steve Scalise (R-LA) who said, “he has stuck his feet in the sand”, referring to Harry Reid and the Senate Democrats (see https://malaphors.com/2013/10/03/he-has-stuck-his-feet-in-the-sand/).
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He pulled the rug over their eyes
Posted: June 8, 2016 Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: expressions, humor, language, malaphor, malaphors, mixed idioms, pull the wool over his eyes, pulled the rug out from under him, words 1 CommentThis perfectly formed malaphor was overheard in a discussion at work. It is a mash up of two similar sounding idioms – “pull the wool over his eyes” (to deceive someone) and “pull the rug (out) from under him” (suddenly take away help or support from someone). Both phrases have the word “pull” in them, and both have direction – over and under. Also adding to the mix is the combination of wool and rug – a wool rug. This is the mirror image of “he pulled the wool out from under me”, posted on March 21, 2015 ( https://malaphors.com/2015/03/21/he-pulled-the-wool-out-from-under-me/). A tip of the hat to Joel Ringer for hearing this one and passing it on! If you liked this one get the book on malaphors! He Smokes Like a Fish is available on Amazon for cheap – 6.99! A mocha latte is more than that and not half as fun with more calories. Here’s the link – http://www.amazon.com/dp/0692652205
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