He just let the cat out of the box

Posted: December 13, 2017 | Author: | Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: , , , , , , , , , | 5 Comments

This 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!

You let the horse out of the cart

Posted: July 1, 2017 | Author: | Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: , , , , , , | 1 Comment

This is a nice mashup of “put the cart before the horse” (have things in the wrong order or mixed up) and “let the cat out of the bag” (to reveal a secret or a surprise by accident).  Lots going on in this one.  “Cat” and “cart” are similar looking and sounding so they are definitely culprits in this mental mixup.  Prepositions are often the cause of malaphors, and in this one, “out” and “before” seem to be in play.  The speaker might have conjured up a feed bag for horses when he was thinking bag.  Both phrases involve order, whether putting things in or putting them before something else.  Yes, this is a classic malaphor, perfectly structured and multi-layered.  A bravo to Bob Edwards for burping this one up and Susan Edwards for quickly writing it down and sending it in!

Did you like this one?  Want to see more?  Check out my book “He Smokes Like a Fish and other Malaphors” available on Amazon.  You’ll want to read it from front to cover.