You’re feeding into his hands
Posted: November 9, 2016 Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: expressions, feed into, humor, language, malaphor, malaphors, playing into his hands, words Leave a commentThis is a nice mash up of “playing into (his) hands” (to assist one in one’s scheming without realizing it) and “feed into” (push something into something). “Spoon-feed” (to treat someone with too much care or help) might also be in the mix. A big thanks to Barry Eigen for hearing this one and sending it in!
He’s open game
Posted: November 7, 2016 Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: Donald Trump, expressions, fair game, humor, Jeb Bush, language, malaphor, malaphors, open season, words Leave a commentTrump said this when referring to Jeb Bush. He invoked his former Republican rival because “he’s open game” for not standing by his pledge to support the GOP nominee. “So he signed the pledge, right? But he didn’t honor it,” Trump said. “How do you — how do you live with yourself, you know?” http://www.politico.com/story/2016/10/donald-trump-jeb-bush-230358
This is a mash up of “open season” (a period of time when everyone is criticizing someone) and “fair game” (someone that is considered permissable to attack or abuse). Both idioms involve criticizing someone or something which is the cause of the mix up. A big thanks to Frank King for hearing this one and sending it on!
That’s the only breath of sunshine in this story
Posted: November 4, 2016 Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: books, breath of fresh air, expressions, humor, language, malaphor, malaphors, ray of sunshine, words Leave a commentThis gem was uttered in a college class by the professor. He was discussing a bad strategy resulting in a 19th century army’s major defeat and noted one positive, followed by this malaphor. It is a mash up of “a ray of sunshine” (something that makes you feel hopeful) and “a breath of fresh air” (pleasantly new). The mix up stems from two phrases that both relate to something positive and hopeful, but also are weather-related (sunshine, fresh air). A big thanks to Forrest Morgan who was the speaker and contributor. By the way, Forrest has just written a terrific book entitled “Waking the Snow Leopard”, an exciting thriller available on Amazon – https://www.amazon.com/Waking-Snow-Leopard-Forrest-Morgan/dp/0997681705/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=&sr=
Give them a round of hand
Posted: November 3, 2016 Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: congruent conflation, expressions, give a big hand, humor, language, malaphor, malaphors, round of applause, words Leave a commentThis beauty was heard at a luncheon honoring university donors. The emcee asked the audience to give the honorees “a round of hand.” This is a congruent conflation of “round of applause” and “give them a (big) hand”, both meaning to have an audience give approval by clapping their hands. A round of ham or beef also comes to mind, so perhaps the emcee was hungry at that moment. A big round of hand to Martin Pietrucha for hearing this one and passing it on!
Looking for that odd, hard to find stocking stuffer? Try my book “He Smokes Like a Fish and other Malaphors”, available now on Amazon! It makes a great Christmas gift and bathroom read.
In the 70s women were trying to break into the glass ceiling
Posted: October 31, 2016 Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: break in someone, break new ground, breaking through the glass ceiling, expressions, humor, language, malaphor, malaphors, words 1 CommentThis is a subtle malaphor involving the misuse of “into” and “through”. On National Public Radio a reporter was talking to a woman who had been one of the early female insurance agents in Cincinnati. She said that in the 70s women were trying to break into the glass ceiling. As Yvonne Stam, the contributor of this mash up says, “Which sounds painful, but breaking through the glass ceiling was no walk in the park either.” This is a mash up of “breaking through the glass ceiling” (overcoming an unacknowledged discriminatory barrier to employment, particularly for women) and “break in (someone)” (train or instruct in a new job or enterprise). “Break new ground” also may be in play, as it describes someone doing something no one else has done, which certainly applies to the glass ceiling. A big thanks to that hawk-eared Yvonne Stam for hearing this one and sending it in!
It’s all a bunch of crock
Posted: October 29, 2016 Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: a bunch of baloney, a crock, expressions, humor, language, malaphor, malaphors, mixed idioms, words Leave a commentThis malaphor was uttered by actor Bill Murray in a GQ interview, discussing the recent Ghostbusters movie. Here’s the link: http://www.gq.com/story/bill-murray-dan-fierman-gq-interview. This is a congruent conflation of “a bunch of baloney (or malarkey or…)” and “a crock”, both meaning falsehoods or lies. Actually, I like this one for describing a really big lie. A big thanks to Martin Pietrucha for spotting this one and sending it in!
If you want to see more Hollywood malaphors, check out my book “He Smokes Like a Fish and other Malaphors”, available on Amazon now! I guarantee it’s not a bunch of crock.
That’s the key to the head of the snake
Posted: October 27, 2016 Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: carlos dunlap, cutting off the head of the snake, expressions, humor, key to success, language, malaphor, malaphors, words 3 CommentsThe NFL Network did a segment on the Cincinnati Bengals’ defensive end Carlos Dunlap and his preparation for the Thursday night game vs Miami. In explaining the importance of getting to the quarterback, Dunlap said, “That’s the key to the head of the snake.” This is a mash up of “key to success” or “key to the game” (crucial piece to win) and “cut off the head of the snake” (military term meaning to remove the enemy leader first so as to weaken the rest of the enemy). A big thanks to Bob Marchinetti for hearing this one and passing it on!
CINCINNATI, OH – OCTOBER 4: at Paul Brown Stadium on October 4, 2015 in Cincinnati, Ohio. (Photo by Joe Robbins/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** name
We were 3 sheets passing in the night
Posted: October 25, 2016 Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: expressions, humor, language, malaphor, malaphors, three sheets to the wind, two ships passing in the night, words 1 CommentA neighbor’s elderly aunt said this beauty, referring to an inebriated group. This is a mash up of “three sheets to the wind” (drunk) and “two ships passing in the night” (people who are rarely in the same place at the same time). The speaker apparently got her numbers mixed up. She also could have been thinking about the group “passing out” and thus mixed the phrases. Anyway, sounds kinky. A big thanks to John Polk, who is also a big fan of wordplay. You can follow him on Twitter – @ClichesGoneWild.
He was always under his mother’s apron strings
Posted: October 24, 2016 Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: expressions, humor, language, malaphor, malaphors, tied to his mother's apron strings, under her thumb, words 1 CommentThis one was uttered by a nurse relating a story about someone. It is a mash up of “tied to (one’s) mother’s apron strings” (dominated or dependent on one’s mother) and “under (someone’s) thumb” (dominated by someone). Both expressions relate to domination, causing the confusion. The speaker might have also conjured up the image of a child under his mother’s apron in the kitchen. A big thanks to Steve Grieme for hearing this one and passing it on!
Did you like this one? Check out the book on malaphors, “He Smokes Like a Fish and other Malaphors”, available on Amazon at http://www.amazon.com/dp/0692652205.
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