Knock you back on your socks
Posted: July 31, 2020 Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: back on your heels, Chuck Todd, expressions, humor, knock your socks off, language, malaphor, words Leave a commentChuck Todd on MSNBC was describing Democratic strategist worries about certain voter registration numbers. This is a congruent conflation of “knock your socks off” and “set (one) back on (one’s) heels” , both meaning to put one in a state of surprise. A big thanks to Bruce Ryan for hearing this one and sending it in!
To see things from other people’s shoes
Posted: July 27, 2020 Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: expressions, humor, language, malaphor, through my eyes, walk in someone's shoes, words Leave a commentThis mashup was spotted on Facebook. Here is the post:
This is a congruent conflation of “through the eyes of (someone)” and “walk (stand) in (someone’s) shoes”, both meaning to consider another’s perspective, experience, or motivation. “See things from another angle” might also be in the mix. Then again, a pair of nice, shiny patent leather shoes could literally help you do this. A big thanks to Grant Shipley for spotting this and Yvonne Stam for sending it in.
Now we’re up against the cliff
Posted: July 24, 2020 Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: Chuck Schumer, cliffhanger, coronavirus, expressions, fall off a cliff, humor, language, malaphor, up against the clock, words Leave a commentSenate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer was discussing the coronavirus relief package legislation and noting the Republicans’ non-response. He then uttered this nice mashup of “against the clock” (a shortage of time being the main problem) and “fall off a cliff” (suddently become less successful). “Up against the wall” (in great difficulty) might also be in the mix, but given the context of time running out, “against the clock” is probably what the speaker had in mind. Also, “clock” and “cliff” sound similar. I think “cliffhanger” (situation where the outcome is suspenseful or uncertain) must have been on Schumer’s mind as well. Here is the context:
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer said, noting that he and Speaker Nancy Pelosi urged Republicans to come to the table three weeks ago but neverreceived a response.“Nothing, now we’re up against the cliff.”
Kudos to Mike Kovacs for hearing this one and immediately reporting it to Malaphor Central.
On your back heels
Posted: July 23, 2020 Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: Ali Velshi, expressions, humor, language, malaphor, on your back foot, set back on your heels, words Leave a commentAli Velshi, subbing for Rachel Maddow on her show, uttered this one. It is a mashup of “set back on (one’s) heels” (surprise or shock) and “on your back foot” ( in a position of disadvantage, retreat). Another tip of the hat to Frank King for hearing this one.
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Use your indoor words
Posted: July 22, 2020 Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: expressions, humor, language, malaphor, use your indoor voice, use your wordsh, words 3 CommentsA mom was overheard saying to her rambunctious child, who was over-excited and talking too loudly in public: “use your indoor words.” This is a mashup of “use your words” (tell me with words what you want, rather than whining and crying) and “use your indoor voice” (speak more quietly). “Use your” is the common denominator here, and the cause of the mixup. A big thanks to Verbatim for passing this one along!
Both of their backs were up against a corner
Posted: July 21, 2020 Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: back against the wall, backed into a corner, Dylan Bank, expressions, humor, language, malaphor, Roger Stone, Trump, words Leave a commentDylan Bank, director of the documentary “Get Me Roger Stone!” was interviewed on CNN about Trump’s commutation of Stone’s sentence. Bank was saying that time was running out for both Trump and Stone as Stone was having to report to prison. This nice malaphor was then uttered. You can find it in the transcript here:
https://www.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/2007/13/cnr.12.html
This is a near perfect congruent conflation of “backed into a corner” and “back to the wall”, both meaning to be in a high-pressure situation with no escape. I did post this malaphor last year when Yamiche Alcindor, PBS journalist, said a similar mixup. https://malaphors.com/2019/09/27/they-have-their-backs-up-against-the-corner/?fbclid=IwAR1vaRUEYsSOIg1IFCxK4DGhZ8Uppno_D1ASi0_GlZKK6UyknvGo56EnL28 However, it was too good to pass when offered up a second time. A big thanks to Steve Hubbard and Jim Kozlowski who both spotted this one and sent it in almost at the same time.
They (schools) should get with the drill
Posted: July 20, 2020 Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: expressions, get with the program, humor, know the drill, Larry Kudlow, malaphor, words 2 CommentsLarry Kudlow, White House economic advisor, was talking about the importance of schools reopening in the fall despite the coronavirus. “The president has been very vocal about going back to school. And I would add to that, as I said, all these fancy colleges and universities, of which I went to one,” Kudlow told reporters. “They should get with the drill, you know?” https://thehill.com/homenews/administration/506840-trump-economic-adviser-says-returning-to-school-amid-pandemic-is-not
This is a mashup of “get with the program” (to conform or fall in line with what is expected) and “know the drill” (to be familiar with what happens without having to be told). These two idioms both refer to someone getting something done without being told, and so it is almost a congruent conflation. Maybe Mr. Kudlow was thinking about all the retrofitting construction that might be required in light of the virus. Lots of drills will be needed. A big thanks (again) to Frank King, who heard this one on the Malaphor channel, MSNBC (The 11th Hour).
That’s a big fish to swallow
Posted: July 17, 2020 Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: big fish, bitter pill, humor, language, malaphor, words Leave a commentThe speaker meant to say “a bitter pill to swallow” (an unwanted or unpleasant situation that someone is forced to accept) but apparently had fish on his mind. This is a mashup of “a bitter pill to swallow” and “big fish in a small pond” (a person who is important in a limited arena). Fish do get swallowed up by other fish and they do swallow hooks, so these pictures might have been on the speaker’s mind as well. Or maybe he was thinking of the classic movie, “Big Fish”. A shout out to Sandor Kovacs for hearing this one and Mike Kovacs for reporting (and saying) it.
Trump coddles up to Putin
Posted: July 15, 2020 Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: coddle, cuddle up, expressions, humor, Joe Biden, malaphor, mashups, Trump, words Leave a commentThis one comes on the heels of my last malaphor, both uttered by Joe Biden in the same speech. See https://malaphors.com/2020/07/13/the-chinese-are-spending-multiple-billions-of-dollars-trying-to-own-the-technology-of-the-future-while-we-sit-with-our-thumb-in-our-ear/
This one appears near the end of the speech. Here is the text:
The only thing that can tear America part, and I mean this sincerely, no foreign country, not the way he coddles up to, well, I shouldn’t even get into this, but coddles up to Putin and others. They can’t tear us apart.
This is a mashup of “cuddle up to” (get close to, ingratiate) and “coddle” (treat tenderly). A big thanks to Frank King for hearing this one on Morning Joe!
We turned the curve
Posted: July 1, 2020 Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: ahead of the curve, Chris Hayes, expressions, flattened the curve, humor, Latoya Cantrell, malaphor, MSNBC, turned the corner, words Leave a commentLaToya Cantrell, mayor of New Orleans, was discussing police actions and public safety on the MSNBC show, “All In with Chris Hayes”. This is a mashup of “turned the corner” (begun to have improvement or success after a difficult or troubling period) and “ahead of the curve” (better than average). Both idioms are about success or improvement. Although the topic was not about the pandemic, “flatten the curve” (slowing down the spread of a disease) was probably on the speaker’s mind as well. A big thanks to Frank King for hearing this one. You can hear this malaphor at approximately 16 minutes into the show:
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