When all the balls are in line
Posted: January 11, 2014 Filed under: ANIMALS, ball, duck, THINGS | Tags: balls in the air, blended idioms, congruent conflations, ducks in a row, expressions, fall in line, humor, language, malaphors, mixed idioms, stars aligned, words Leave a commentChristopher Dolan, the California lawyer who is representing the McMath family who has a brain dead daughter, said regarding litigation against the hospital, “What we needed to know is that when all the balls are in line that we could move quickly and not have to then have any impediments.” This is a mash up of “ducks in a row” and “fall in line”, both meaning to have things properly organized. “Stars aligned” might also be in the mix as that phrase also means things happen in an organized way and also line rhymes with aligned. Also “many balls in the air” might be at play since the speaker used the word balls and was referring to many things happening, although not at once. Thanks to Ron Marks for sending this one in!
http://edition.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/1401/04/ndaysat.01.html
Let’s roll up our hands and all get together
Posted: January 7, 2014 Filed under: ACTION, BODY PARTS, hand, roll, sleeve | Tags: blended idioms, expressions, get your hands dirty, humor, join hands, language, malaphors, mixed idioms, roll up your sleeves, words Leave a commentHoward Fineman on the tv show “Hardball” said a few days ago that Congress’s attitude will not be “let’s roll up our hands and let’s all get together” on various issues. This is an amusing mixture of several thoughts, including “roll up our sleeves” (prepare for hard work), “get your hands dirty” (involve yourself in all parts of a job), and “joining hands” (working together), the latter sort of a “kumbaya” approach to working. Rolling up one’s hands is similar to the Master’s wonderful malaphor, “Let’s roll up our elbows and get to work!” (see posting dated 7/30/12). Many thanks to “my ol’ pal” for spotting this one and sending it in!
Gem in a haystack
Posted: January 3, 2014 Filed under: gem, haystack, needle | Tags: blended idioms, expressions, hidden gem, hidden jewel, humor, language, malaphors, mixed idioms, needle in a haystack, words Leave a commentThis is a mash up of “needle in a haystack” (something extremely hard to find) and “hidden gem” (an undiscovered talent or place). The phrase actually is a great one in context, where a trip advisor reviewer was relating how he had discovered a great restaurant:
Thanks to Lou Pugliese for sending this one in!
I want to go on the table
Posted: December 30, 2013 Filed under: record, table, THINGS | Tags: blended idioms, expressions, go on record, humor, language, malaphors, mixed idioms, put your cards on the table, words Leave a commentThe speaker, Trey Compton, was wanting to “go on record” but instead uttered this wonderful malaphor, a mash up of “go on record” (official statement) and “put your cards on the table” (candid statement). Then again, knowing Trey, maybe he really wanted to go on a table? Thanks to Trey Compton for sending this one in!
Wrapping down another Christmas
Posted: December 25, 2013 Filed under: wrap | Tags: blended idioms, expressions, humor, language, malaphors, mixed idioms, winding down, words, wrapping up Leave a commentThis is a congruent conflation of “wrapping up” and “winding down”, both meaning to bring to an end. Also wrapping gifts comes to mind. Merry Christmas everyone!
Pink Floral Gift Wrap (Photo credit: Premier Packaging)
She needs to get her ducks in order
Posted: December 23, 2013 Filed under: ANIMALS, duck, house, PLACES | Tags: blended idioms, congruent conflation, ducks in a row, expressions, house in order, humor, language, malaphors, Matt Lauer, MegaMillions, mixed idioms, Today, words 2 Comments
Cropped headshot of Matt Lauer (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
Matt Lauer uttered this malaphor last week on the Today show. He said that the winner of the MegaMillions lottery “needs to get her ducks in order”, a mash up of “ducks in a row” and “house in order”, both meaning to get organized. This congruent conflation is probably commonly said, as ducks walk in an orderly fashion and also in a row, both conjuring up the same image. A big thanks to Victoria Ameel-Kovacs for sending this one in!
This news hits me in the old jugular
Posted: December 16, 2013 Filed under: gut, jugular | Tags: blended idioms, expressions, go for the jugular, hit me in the gut, humor, language, malaphors, Mike Shanahan, mixed idioms, Robert Griffin III, Terry Shea, Washington Redskins, words Leave a comment
Redskins primary logo 1972-1981, 1983-present (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
Robert Griffin III’s quarterback guru, Terry Shea, was stunned to hear Griffin had been benched in favor of backup Kirk Cousins
and rendered inactive for the rest of the season. “This news hits me right in the old jugular.” This is a mash up of “hit me in the gut” (surprising news) and “go for the jugular” (strike quickly and immediately). I think perhaps the speaker was also thinking of “the old one-two” (two quick punches) as I cant think of anything else where “old” would sneak in there. Thoughts anyone? Thanks to John Costello for sending this one in. You can read the malaphor in its entire context below:
http://www.desmoinesregister.com/usatoday/article/3988865
It added another feather to his bow
Posted: December 12, 2013 Filed under: bow, feather, Uncategorized | Tags: another string to his bow, bow, Bow and arrow, expressions, feather, feather boa, feather in his cap, humor, language, malaphors, mixed idioms, words Leave a comment
Bow, Arrows, & Quiver (Photo credit: Travis S.)
This is a mash up of “another string to his bow” (an Australian and British idiom meaning an extra skill or qualification), “another arrow to his quiver” (American version of the same), and “a feather in his cap” (an honor or award). The confusion certainly lies in the meanings of both phrases which are similar, but also that bows and arrows conjure up feathers in headdresses. Arrows also contain feathers at the ends. I can also see the speaker confusing bow with boa, and that of course leads to feather boas, a must have item in burlesque shows. Lots going on in this malaphor. Thanks to Eric Marsh for sending this one in.
Ingrown players
Posted: December 9, 2013 Filed under: house, WORD BLENDS | Tags: blended idioms, congruent conflation, expressions, home-grown, humor, in-grown, in-house, Ingrown hair, language, malaphors, mixed idioms, words Leave a commentIf you have been following this blog and my website – http://www.malaphors.com – you know that the sports world is a gold mine for malaphors. This beauty was heard on a local sports radio talk show (Pittsburgh). A guy was talking about the Pirates and criticized the organization for focusing exclusively on “ingrown players” rather than seeking free agents. This is a congruent conflation of “home-grown” and “in-house”, both meaning something local or conducted within the organization. Just wondering, but was Tom Herr, the second baseman for the St. Louis Cardinals, an in-grown ballplayer? A big thanks to Justin Taylor for hearing this one and passing it along!
I wasn’t born off the turnip truck
Posted: December 7, 2013 Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: blended idioms, expressions, fall off the turnip truck, humor, language, malaphors, mixed idioms, not born yesterday, turnip, words Leave a commentThis masterpiece is a blend of “wasn’t born yesterday” and “fallen off the turnip truck”, the former describing someone who is not naiive or easily fooled and the latter someone who is unsophisticated or ignorant. I think this would be a good one to say when you REALLY want to let someone know you are aware of what is going on. Or if you really were born off a turnip truck. And if that’s the case, I would always root for you. Thanks to Brad Stone for uttering this unintentional malaphor and to his wife Char for sending it in!
English: A Turnip (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
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