I don’t know him from a hole in the wall
Posted: April 30, 2013 Filed under: hole, wall | Tags: blended idioms, expressions, hole, hole in the ground, hole in the wall, humor, language, malaphors, Marilyn Milian, mixed idioms, People's Court, wall, words Leave a comment
The People’s Court (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
This is a mash up of “a hole in the wall” (obscure place) and “I wouldn’t know him from a hole in the ground” (obscure person). Also in the mix has to be “doesn’t know him from Adam” and “he doesn’t know his ass from a hole in the ground”, as well as the visual of punching holes in the wall. This blended idiom comes to us compliments of Barry Eigen, who heard it on yesterday’s (4/29/13) episode of The People’s Court, uttered by “Judge” Marilyn Milian.
We aren’t going to throw in the white flag
Posted: April 28, 2013 Filed under: flag, throw, towel | Tags: blended idioms, Dwight Howard, expressions, flag, humor, language, Los Angeles Lakers, malaphors, mixed idioms, surrender, throw in the twoel, towel, wave the white flag, words Leave a comment
Dwight Howard (Photo credit: Keith Allison)
Commenting on the Lakers’ ability to play in the series when so many
players were injured, Los Angeles Laker Dwight Howard remarked that the players were
not about “to throw in the white flag.” Thanks to “My ol’ pal” who heard this gem on the 5:00 pm local L.A. news. It is a mash up of “throw in the towel” and “wave the white flag”, both meaning to surrender. Perhaps a white towel (a common sight with athletes) was also in the confusion.
It’s been a long road to hoe
Posted: April 25, 2013 Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: blended idioms, hoe, humor, language, malaphors, mixed idioms, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, road, row, tough row to hoe 1 CommentThis is a mash up of “tough row to hoe” and “long road”, both meaning long, difficult situations. Row and road sound similar, adding to the confusion. I saw this one in today’s morning Pittsburgh Post-Gazette:
“I’m very happy. It’s been a long road to hoe,” Mr. Berry, the project architect, said as he took photographs of the mostly finished product and checked for any problems that needed to be fixed.
I just wanted to get it out of my chest
Posted: April 24, 2013 Filed under: chest | Tags: blended idioms, Boston Red Sox, chest, congruent conflation, david ortiz, expressions, get it off my chest, humor, language, malaphors, mixed idioms, out of my system, words Leave a comment
English: David Ortiz Boston Red Sox player. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
This congruent conflation mixes “get it out of my system” and “get it off my chest”, both meaning to unburden oneself. This was spoken by Boston Red Sox player David Ortiz‘ in response to his emotional pregame speech:
don’t think there was one human being who wasn’t affected by what we got
going on down here,” Ortiz said. “This past week, I was very emotional,
very angry about the whole situation. I had to get that out of my chest
and just make sure that our fans and everybody in the nation knows that
this is a great nation, and part of it was how everybody supported each
other when this thing went down. I’m happy to be a part of this
nation.”
Read more at: http://nesn.com/2013/04/david-ortiz-says-f-word-during-speech-just-came-out-feels-like-boston-should-be-pumped/
don’t think there was one human being who wasn’t affected by what we got
going on down here,” Ortiz said. “This past week, I was very emotional,
very angry about the whole situation. I had to get that out of my chest
and just make sure that our fans and everybody in the nation knows that
this is a great nation, and part of it was how everybody supported each
other when this thing went down. I’m happy to be a part of this
nation.”
Read more at: http://nesn.com/2013/04/david-ortiz-says-f-word-during-speech-just-came-out-feels-like-boston-should-be-pumped/
don’t think there was one human being who wasn’t affected by what we got
going on down here,” Ortiz said. “This past week, I was very emotional,
very angry about the whole situation. I had to get that out of my chest
and just make sure that our fans and everybody in the nation knows that
this is a great nation, and part of it was how everybody supported each
other when this thing went down. I’m happy to be a part of this
nation.”
Well put, Papi. Isn’t it great to have him back?
Have a question for Ricky Doyle? Send it to him via Twitter at
@TheRickyDoyle or send it here.
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In the News
NESN Team
Dale Arnold
John Beattie
Andy Brickley
Alison Bullock
Tom Caron
Mike Cole
Zack Cox
Jamison Coyle
Jenny Dell
Ricky Doyle
Dan Duquette, Jr.
Dennis Eckersley
Jack Edwards
Jamie Erdahl
Naoko Funayama
Peter Gammons
John Henry
Leah Hextall
Luke Hughes
Doug Kyed
Charlie Moore
Marcus O’Mard
Don Orsillo
Eric Ortiz
Jayme Parker
Adam Pellerin
Jerry Remy
Jim Rice
Jen Slothower
Zach Stoloff
Ben Watanabe
Read more at: http://nesn.com/2013/04/david-ortiz-says-f-word-during-speech-just-came-out-feels-like-boston-should-be-pumped/
don’t think there was one human being who wasn’t affected by what we got
going on down here,” Ortiz said. “This past week, I was very emotional,
very angry about the whole situation. I had to get that out of my chest
and just make sure that our fans and everybody in the nation knows that
this is a great nation, and part of it was how everybody supported each
other when this thing went down. I’m happy to be a part of this
nation.”
Read more at: http://nesn.com/2013/04/david-ortiz-says-f-word-during-speech-just-came-out-feels-like-boston-should-be-pumped/
“This past week, I don’t think there was one human being who wasn’t
affected by what we got going on down here,” Ortiz said. “This past week
for me, myself, I was very emotional and angry about whole situation
and got to get that out of my chest and make sure our fans and everyone
in the nation knows that this is a great nation and part of it was
supporting each other when everything went down.”
Thanks to Mike Browning for passing this gem along.
I want to hold my powder
Posted: April 15, 2013 Filed under: fire, powder | Tags: blended idioms, expressions, fire, hold fire, hold your tongue, humor, keep the powder dry, language, malaphors, mixed idioms, Morning Joe, Paul Ryan, powder, words Leave a commentThis malaphor was spoken by Congressman Paul Ryan (R – Wis) during his appearance on Morning Joe when asked for his “prebuttal” on Obama’s forthcoming budget. It is a mash up of “hold one’s fire” (refrain from criticism) and “keep one’s powder dry” (ready to take action if necessary). To “hold one’s tongue” also might be in the mix as it has a similar meaning and fits in the context. Or maybe Rep. ryan is changing his mind on the current gun legislation proposals? Many thanks to Mike Kovacs for spotting this one.
Official portrait of Congressman . (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
I’m at the end of the straw
Posted: April 12, 2013 Filed under: rope, straw | Tags: blended idioms, end of my rope, expressions, humor, language, malaphors, mixed idioms, rope, straw, the last straw, words Leave a commentThis beauty is a combo of “at the end of my rope” and “the last straw”, both meaning to be at the end of one’s endurance. Straws and ropes are similar in shape and even texture, adding to the mental confusion. A tip of the toque to Paula Fow for sending this congruent conflation to me.
I don’t know it off the top of my hand
Posted: April 2, 2013 Filed under: hand, head | Tags: blended idioms, expressions, hand, head, humor, language, malaphors, mixed idioms, off the top of my head, offhand, words 1 CommentThis is a mash up of “off the top of my head” and “offhand”, both meaning to say something without preparation. Hand and head both look and sound similar, and are both body parts, all adding to the confusion. I have heard this one many times in conversation and in meetings.
He’s a one act pony
Posted: March 30, 2013 Filed under: pony | Tags: blended idioms, expressions, humor, language, malaphors, mixed idioms, one act play, one trick pony, pony, trick, words 1 CommentOkay, so is it fair to post your spouse’s malaphors? My wife said this one last night, referring to a college basketball player. This is a mash up of “one trick pony” and I think “one act play“. Pony and play are four letter words beginning with P and ending with y, which is part of the confusion. Ponies are certainly playful as well.
You’re just rubbing sand in it
Posted: March 27, 2013 Filed under: rub, salt, sand | Tags: blended idioms, expressions, humor, language, malaphors, mixed idioms, rub salt in the wound, salt, sand, Today, Willie Geist, words Leave a commentI heard this one by Willie Geist on the Today show. He meant to say “you’re just rubbing salt in the wound” as he was explaining that the person’s actions were making the situation worse. As for the other expression, not sure but certainly sand is abrasive and can hurt if in a wound. It also conjures up in my mind the guy kicking sand in the other’s face, aggravating the situation.
Malaphors 
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