That is a mixed sword
Posted: March 16, 2019 Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: double edged sword, expressions, humor, malaphor, mixed bag, words Leave a commentThis unintended utterance is a nice congruent conflation of “mixed bag” and “double edged sword”, both referring to something that has benefits and problems. Or maybe a Minecraft weapon? A big thanks to Craig Ormson for uttering and sharing this one!
Right out of the get-go
Posted: March 14, 2019 Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: expressions, from the get-go, Getgo, Giant Eagle, humor, language, malaphor, malaphors, out of the gate, words Leave a commentThis was heard on a podcast. It is a nice congruent conflation of “from the get-go” and “right out of the gate” (immediately, right from the start). Lots of alliteration in this one, contibuting to the mashup. This is not a malaphor in Pittsburgh, however. It means “just finished getting gas”. A big thanks to Vicki Ameel-Kovacs for hearing this one!
It landed with a dud
Posted: March 13, 2019 Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: a dud, humor, landed with a thud, malaphor, malaphors Leave a commentThis one was overheard at a meeting. Someone was describing a failed product launch. It is a congruent conflation of “landed with a thud” and “a dud”, both meaning something that did not work as intended, or was ineffective. Of course dud and thud rhyme and sound alike, likely the source of the malaphor. A big thanks to Peter Hopkins who heard this one and sent it in.
It’s a collusion witch hoax
Posted: March 12, 2019 Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: Donald Trump, expressions, hoax, humor, language, malaphor, Trump, witch hunt, words Leave a commentThis one is self-evident – spoken by Trump to the press on March 8 after the Manafort sentencing. This is a conflation of “witch hunt” (an attempt to blame and punish people who hold unpopular views and opinions, often under the guise of some other investigation) and “hoax” (to trick into believing as genuine something false). Maybe it was used intentionally as shorthand talk, like “Tim Apple”. A big thanks to Frank King for spotting this timely one.
That should give us a foot up
Posted: March 8, 2019 Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: expressions, get a leg up, humor, language, malaphor, start out on the right foot, words 3 CommentsOverheard at a meeting. It is a congruent conflation of “get a leg up” and “a foot in the door”, both meaning to receive support or an advantage. “Start off on the right foot” (to have a favorable or positive start) may also be in the mix. I suppose getting a foot up is just a little advantage? Kudos to Martin Pietrucha for hearing this one and passing it on.
It holds much weight
Posted: March 6, 2019 Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: carries weight, expressions, holds water, humor, Jeremy Bash, language, malaphor, MSNBC, words Leave a commentJeremy Bash uttered this one the other night on the Malaphor channel, MSNBC. It is a mashup of “carries much weight” (to wield importance or influence) and “holds water” (stands up to critical examination). A subtle and commonly used malaphor. Props to Frank King for hearing this one.
Tie the tea leaves together
Posted: March 5, 2019 Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: expressions, Here and Now, humor, language, malaphor, Mueller, NPR, read the tea leaves, tie it all together, Trump, words Leave a comment.This was heard on NPR’s “Here and Now” show. A pundit was talking about trying to predict what the Mueller investigation report will be like, based on all the information that has been released so far. It is a mashup of “reading the tea leaves” (predicting on little bits of information) and “tie it all together” (finish it up neatly). “Tie up loose ends” (resolve some issues at the end that are not critical) might also be in the mix. Tea leaves seem to confuse folks. Previous malaphors have included “reading between the tea leaves” https://malaphors.com/2017/03/27/reading-between-the-tea-leaves/ and “read between the tea lines” https://malaphors.com/2019/01/24/i-wish-i-could-read-between-the-tea-lines/. A tip of the hat to John Costello for hearing this one!
I know this is not everyone’s dish of tea
Posted: February 26, 2019 Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: cup and saucer, dish it out, expressions, humor, malaphor, Morning Joe, not one's cup of tea, William Weld, words 6 CommentsWilliam Weld, former Massachusetts governor, uttered this one on MSNBC’s Morning Joe, when he introduced the topic of climate change. This is a mashup of “not one’s cup of tea” (not one’s preference) and maybe “dish it out” (to dispense something, often verbally)? Or was the speaker just thinking of “cup and saucer” and got the two confused? No one knows except Mr. Weld, and perhaps he doesn’t either. On that note, I think I’ll have a “disha”. A big thanks to two people who heard this one and sent it in almost simultaneously: David Stephens and Donna Calvert. Thanks David and Donna!
They would jump on a bullet for him
Posted: February 25, 2019 Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: congruent conflation, expressions, fall on a grenade, funny, humor, idioms, malaphor, take a bullet for, Trump, words Leave a commentThis was uttered when discussing the blind loyalty of Trump supporters. It is a congruent conflation of “take a bullet for (someone)” and “falling (or jumping) on a grenade for (someone)”, both meaning to accept a personally harmful or sacrificial task to protect someone else. Jumping on a bullet doesn’t seem like a great sacrifice to me, so perhaps this speaker was not such a loyal follower. A big thanks to John Kooser for hearing this one.
The Manafort situation throws the whole incentive system on its head
Posted: February 11, 2019 Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: Berit Berger, Brian Williams, humor, language, malaphor, out the window, turn on its head, words Leave a commentColumbia Law School professor Berit Berger uttered this one on the MSNBC show “The 11th Hour with Brian Williams”. She was discussing the pardon system and the Manafort case. This is a mashup of “turn (something) on its head” (to alter something in an unexpected way) and “throw it out the window” (forgotten, disregarded). “Turning” and “throwing” seems to have caused the mixup here. A big thanks to Frank King for hearing this one.
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