It could be the turning factor in the game
Posted: February 13, 2016 Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: deciding factor, expressions, humor, language, malaphor, malaphors, turning point, words Leave a commentAnother gem from the sports world. This one was heard on the local Root sports network in Pittsburgh. During a University of Pittsburgh basketball game, the play by play announcer uttered this malaphor. It is a mash up of “turning point” (a point at which a change of course is possible) and “deciding factor” (that which influences the decision). I like this mixed idiom as it describes the “something” that turns a game around, as opposed to the point in time. A shout out to Kathy Yeskey Vose for hearing this one and sending it in!
I always like to give people the shadow of the doubt
Posted: February 10, 2016 Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: benefit of the doubt, beyond a shadow of a doubt, expressions, humor, language, malaphor, malaphors, words Leave a commentAlbie, a malaphor follower, overheard one of his friends in conversation talking about someone who they thought was lying to them. He said “Now, I always like to give people the shadow of the doubt, but…” This is a mash up of “benefit of the doubt” (a judgment in one’s favor when neither the evidence is for or against one) and “without (or beyond) a shadow of a doubt” (without the smallest of doubt). Certainly the word “doubt” used in each phrase and as a noun contributed to the mix up. For me, giving the shadow of the doubt conjures up the Reagan expression, “trust but verify”. A big thank you to Albie for sending this one in!
She hit the goldpot
Posted: February 8, 2016 Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: expressions, hit the jackpot, humor, language, malaphor, malaphors, pot of gold, strike gold, words 1 CommentThis was overheard in a conversation recently. It is a nice congruent conflation of “struck gold” and “hit the jackpot”, both meaning to become rich. Perhaps a little leprechaun and his pot o’ gold were in the speaker’s mind as well. A big thanks to Katie Hatfield for sharing this one.
At least you’ve got a leg in the door
Posted: February 7, 2016 Filed under: BODY PARTS, foot, leg | Tags: expressions, foot in the door, humor, language, leg up, malaphor, malaphors, words Leave a commentThis was spoken by Ian, a longtime malaphor follower. He said this to his wife regarding the use of acronyms at their respective jobs, and how she knows more of the lingo in his field (biological sciences) than he does of hers (clinical psychology) owing to her background. It is a nice mash up of “leg up” (an advantage) and “a foot in the door” (first step in a process). The anatomical mix up is evident, as it is in many malaphors. Thanks to Ian for sharing this one!
Squirmish
Posted: January 20, 2016 Filed under: WORD BLENDS | Tags: Donald Trump, expressions, humor, language, malaphor, malaphors, New York times, portmanteau, Sarah Palin, skirmish, squirm, words Leave a commentMalaphors are not just idiom blends, but can be word blends as well (if you click on the category Word Blends you will find the ones I have posted). This word blend was uttered by Sarah Palin in her speech endorsing Donald Trump for President. She uses it in this context:
“And you quit footing the bill for these nations who are oil-rich, we’re paying for some of their squirmishes that have been going on for centuries. Where they’re fighting each other and yelling ‘Allahu akbar,’ calling jihad on each other’s heads forever and ever. Like I’ve said before, let them duke it out and let Allah sort it out.”
It is a mash up of “squirm” (to wriggle the body from side to side) and “skirmish” (a brief fight between small groups). While one might argue that this is actually a portmanteau, I would disagree. A portmanteau is an intentional combination of two (or more) words or morphemes, and their definitions, into one new word, such as smog (smoke and fog). A word blend malaphor is unintentional (I believe Ms. Palin did not mean to say “squirmish”) and it does not create a new word that means something (I don’t think). Kudos to John Costello for finding this one and passing it on!
He got the raw end of the stick
Posted: January 19, 2016 Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: Baltimore Sun, expressions, humor, language, malaphor, malaphors, Rasheed Sulaimon, raw deal, short end of the stick, words Leave a commentThis gem comes from an interview with former Duke turned Maryland basketball player Rasheed Sulaimon’s mother. She was discussing his dismissal from the team:
I can do a pre-hearing statement off the fly
Posted: January 18, 2016 Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: congruent conflation, expressions, humor, language, malaphor, malaphors, off the cuff, on the fly, words Leave a commentThis beauty was spoken by a confident attorney prior to a hearing. It is a congruent conflation of “on the fly” and “off the cuff”, both meaning to do something quickly and without thinking carefully before they do it. Mixing “on” and “off” is certainly a part of this malaphor, and perhaps “fly” and “cuff”, as both can be articles of clothing? Using “off” instead of “on” actually makes more sense as an airplane “flies off” to somewhere. “Fly off” means to go in a hurry, similar to the meaning of this malaphor. The speaker perhaps just inverted the words “fly” and “off”. A big thanks to Sam Edelmann for hearing his one and passing it along.
Stick with your guts and get it done
Posted: January 15, 2016 Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: expressions, go with your gut, humor, John Kasich, language, malaphor, malaphors, stick to your guns, stick to your ribs, words Leave a commentThis one is hot off the press, having been uttered in last night’s GOP debate by Governor John Kasich. It is a mash up of “stick to your guns” (remain firm in your convictions) and “go with your gut” (trust your feelings when making a decision). The similar sounding words “guts” and “guns” probably contributed to the confusion. Also food sometimes “sticks to your ribs” and so stick and guts might seem to go together. A big thanks to Steve Grieme for hearing this one and passing it on in real Malaphor time.
It hit me like a brick wall
Posted: January 11, 2016 Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: expressions, hit a wall, hit me like a ton of bricks, humor, language, malaphor, malaphors, words 1 CommentThe speaker was talking about how difficult a final exam was. Given the context, this is a mash up of “hit me like a ton of bricks” (to surprise or shock someone) and “hit a wall” (coming up against an insurmountable obstacle). The exam must have been difficult and a surprise! The confusion is obvious: both expressions contain the word “hit” and certainly walls can be made of bricks. The expression “hit a wall” is also sometimes stated “hit a brick wall”, making the two expressions have even more commonality. Perhaps the speaker is a Pink Floyd fan as well. A big thanks to Adam Jacob for hearing this one and passing it on.
Watch my words
Posted: January 7, 2016 Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: expressions, humor, language, malaphor, malaphors, mark my words, read my lips, watch my lips, words 1 CommentBoomer Esiason said this one on the NFL pre-game show last week. It is a nice congruent conflation of “mark my words” and “read (or watch) my lips”, both meaning to pay attention or listen very carefully. This is similar to last February’s malaphor, “read my words”, involving the same mash-up. https://malaphors.com/2015/02/13/read-my-words-houston-does-not-get-out-of-the-first-round-this-year/. Both malaphors harken back to the George H.W. Bush era – “Read my lips. No new taxes.” A big thanks to that frequent malaphor contributor Steve Grieme!
Malaphors 
Recent Comments