They swear like chimneys
Posted: December 20, 2017 Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: expressions, humor, language, malaphor, malaphors, smoke like a chimney, swear like a sailor, words Leave a commentThis terrific conflation was uttered by a college freshman relating to her parents about the language in her dorm. It is a mashup of “swear like a sailor” (to use profanities freely) and “smoke like a chimney” (smoke cigarettes excessively). Both involve doing something in excess which leads to the mix up, I think. Also “smoke” and “swear” are 5 letter words that start with s. A big thanks to John Kooser who heard this one and shared it!
So it only stands fair that he should be prosecuted for misconduct also
Posted: December 18, 2017 Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: humor, language, malaphor, malaphors, PBS Newshour, seems fair, stands to reason, Trump, words 2 CommentsThis one was heard on the PBS News hour by one of Trump’s accusers of sexual misconduct. It is a blend of “seems fair” and “stands to reason” (is obvious). A big thanks to Laszlo Veres for hearing this one.
Oh! So the horse is on the other foot now?
Posted: December 16, 2017 Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: a horse of another color, expressions, humor, language, malaphor, malaphors, putting the cart before the horse, the shoe is on the other foot, words 1 CommentThis confused phrase is a conflation of “the shoe is on the other foot” (roles have been reversed) and I think “horse of another color” (something completely different) only because of the words “another” and “other”. “Putting the cart before the horse” (reversing the order of things) might also be in the mix as both phrases refer to reversals. My guess is that the speaker was also thinking of a horseshoe when he/she blurted this out. A big thanks to Lua the Cat for sharing this one.
He just let the cat out of the box
Posted: December 13, 2017 Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: Bernie Sanders, expressions, humor, language, let the cat out of the bag, malaphor, malaphors, out of the box, Pat Toomey, words 5 CommentsThis is a great mashup uttered by Senator Bernie Sanders regarding a comment made by Senator Pat Toomey. The video is below, but in short, Sen. Sanders asked if Toomey would pledge not to cut Social Security and Medicare and Toomey responded, “I will not cut benefits on people who are on it right now”. Sanders responded that Toomey “Just let the cat out of the box”. It is a mix of “out of the box” (a product that can be used immediately) and “let the cat out of the bag” (to reveal a secret by accident). Of course a “cat box” may have been on Sanders’ mind as he was articulating his disdain for the proposed Republican tax bill. The malaphor appears about half way through the clip. A big thanks to Susan Ameel for hearing this one!
I was trying to buttercoat it
Posted: December 10, 2017 Filed under: WORD BLENDS | Tags: butter up, expressions, humor, language, malaphor, malaphors, sugarcoat, WORD BLENDS, words Leave a commentFrom the submitter: “My coworker just said this when complimenting my singing. He used an expletive the first time, but when he repeated it, he used a euphemism in place of the expletive. When I said, “That’s not what you said before,” he said he was trying to buttercoat it, not realizing that he was mixing two expressions. When I told him that what he just said is a malaphor of butter up and sugarcoat, he said that it perfectly conveyed his sentiment.”
This is a great word blend of “sugarcoat” (palatable, or easy to take) and “butter up” (to be nice to someone by flattery or other means). I think this should be a new phrase in the lexicon, and the above situation is a great example. A big thanks to Diana for sharing this one!
I wouldn’t do that in a pink fit of Sundays
Posted: December 9, 2017 Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: Australian, Australian idioms, expressions, humor, in a pink fit, language, malaphor, malaphors, not in a month of Sundays, words 1 CommentThis was uttered by the submitter’s mum on many occasions. It is a mashup of “in a pink fit” (a tantrum or in anger) and “in a month of Sundays (under no circumstances). The mix up seems to be caused by that pesky preposition “in”.
I researched the phrase “in a pink fit” as I had never heard of it and it seems to be an Australian idiom. Any UK folks out there heard of it? A big thanks to Abigail for sending this one in.
Did you enjoy this Australian malaphor? Get the malaphor book “He Smokes Like a Fish and other Malaphors” from down under today! Check out Amazon at https://www.amazon.com/dp/0692652205
Bills’ McDermott starting to look over his head
Posted: December 6, 2017 Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: Buffalo Bills, expressions, humor, language, looking over your shoulder, malaphor, malaphors, Olean Times Herald, over your head, words Leave a commentThis malaphor headline comes to us from the Olean Times Herald: http://www.oleantimesherald.com/sports/pollock-bills-mcdermott-starting-to-look-over-his-head/article_5bf52096-cfe4-11e7-9e3a-1b4137e0f0fe.html
If you clicked on the link, you will see that the author of the article inadvertently mentions the two sources: “in over your head” (too deeply involved in a difficult situation) and “looking over your shoulder” (insecure or anxious about a potential change). This is another classic “head/shoulders” mash up. I have posted numerous others. A shout out to John Costello for spotting this one.
I think she’s going to drive me into a wall
Posted: November 28, 2017 Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: drive me insane, drive me up a wall, expressions, humor, language, malaphor, malaphors, words Leave a commentThis was uttered by the submitter’s daughter, complaining about a co-worker. It’s a nice congruent conflation of “drive (someone) insane” and “drive (someone) up a wall”, both meaning to irritate or annoy someone to the point of distraction. The speaker may have been thinking “insane” but the “in” led to “into”. Just a theory. A big thanks to Steve Grieme for hearing this one!
She did not fall far from the turnip truck
Posted: November 27, 2017 Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: expressions, fell off the turnip truck, humor, language, malaphor, malaphors, the apple does not fall far from the tree, words Leave a commentThis excellent mashup was overheard from a flight attendant. It is a nice malaphor reflecting “just fell off the turnip truck” (ignorant or unsophisticated) and “the apple does not fall far from the tree” (someone is displaying traits or behaving in the same way as their relatives (usually parents)). It actually might be a whole new phrase, describing someone displaying ignorance that is inherited. Incidentally, the “turnip truck” idiom seems to be often garbled. I have posted two other malaphors messing with this phrase: “Does he think I just fell from the turnip tree?” https://malaphors.com/2014/07/29/does-he-think-i-just-fell-from-the-turnip-tree/ and “I wasn’t born off the turnip truck” https://malaphors.com/2013/12/07/i-wasnt-born-off-the-turnip-truck/. I guess when things start falling they can come from anywhere and land anywhere. A big thanks to Jody Compton for hearing this one and passing it on.
Did you like this one? There are many more just like this in my book, “He Smokes Like a Fish and other Malaphors”, available on Amazon. It makes a nice stocking stuffer!
They really swept her under the bus
Posted: November 25, 2017 Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: Cristin Milioti, expressions, humor, language, malaphor, malaphors, swept under the rug, thrown under the bus, words Leave a commentTwo friends were talking about someone who was betrayed. It is a nice mashup of “swept under the rug” (to deny or conceal from public view knowledge of something that is embarrassing or damaging to one’s reputation) and “thrown under the bus” (to exploit someone’s trust for someone’s own purpose). “Under” is the common culprit here, in addition to the three letter words “bus” and “rug”. This seems to be the latest in the bus malaphor series. In addition to this one, I have posted such similar malaphors as “she threw me under the wolves (https://malaphors.com/2017/11/20/she-threw-me-under-the-wolves/), “Trump is not going to throw Paul Ryan over the bus” (https://malaphors.com/2017/04/05/trump-is-not-going-to-throw-paul-ryan-over-the-bus/), and “he really sold him under the bus” (https://malaphors.com/2013/05/16/he-really-sold-him-under-the-bus/), the latter a classic uttered Cristin Milioti. Not sure what’s so hard about uttering “thrown under the bus” but the phrase seems to conjure up a lot of other idioms in the brain’s recesses….A big thank you to Verbatim for hearing this and passing it on.
Malaphors 
Recent Comments