Party for two?
Posted: January 22, 2013 Filed under: party, PLACES, THINGS | Tags: blended idioms, dinner for two, expressions, humor, language, lingusitics, malaphors, mixed idioms, party of two, Shania Twain, words Leave a commentA friend heard this subtle malaphor from a seating host at a restaurant. This is a mash up of “party of two” and “table for two”, both expressions used at restaurants. This is in contrast to a true party for two, noted by Shania Twain in her hit, “Party for Two”:
BRIDGE:
It doesn’t matter what you wear
‘Cause it’s only gonna be
you and me there (Whoa!)
CHORUS:
I’m having a party
A party for two
Invitin’ nobody
Nobody but you
We’ve got our hands cut out for us
Posted: January 21, 2013 Filed under: ACTION, BODY PARTS, cut, hand | Tags: blended idioms, expressions, hands, hands full, humor, malaphors, mixed idioms, words, work, work cut out for us Leave a commentThis is a mixture of “our work cut out for us” and “we’ve got our hands full”, both meaning a lot of work is ahead. There are other phrases involving the word “hands” that might be in play – “many hands make light work”, all hands”, “helping hands”. Perhaps the severed hand below will help…
And then everyone wonders why Europeans turn down their noses at Americans
Posted: January 18, 2013 Filed under: BODY PARTS, nose | Tags: blended idioms, expressions, humor, Jersey Shore, language, look down their nose at, malaphors, mixed idioms, nose, turn up their noses, wordplay, words Leave a comment“Turn down their noses” is a wonderful mash up of “turn up their noses” (sneer at someone) and “look down their noses at” (to see someone who is inferior or has no value). The confusion lies in “up” and “down” and “look” and “turn”. Maybe the nose has “turn down” service? Who knows? But it seems to be an incredibly popular malaphor given the thousands of google hits. The subject line above refers to the Jersey Shore phenomenon:
“The Jersey Shore kids are gross. Not Gross Baboons necessarily, just gross. They are so wrong in so many ways. Have you been to Florence? It is by far one of the most beautiful cities in the world. They needed to have a pack of steroid-ed gumbas trouncing around the Ponte Vecchio like I am going to the moon. Reports from Italy have the locals cringing from horror that this somehow represents Italians in the United States. And then everyone wonders why Europeans turn down their noses at Americans. The worst part is now that the Jersey Snore kids have terrorized Florence, Italians will equate ding-dong Guidos and Guidettes with the state of New Jersey.”
http://imeanwhat.com/tag/dj-pauly-d/
Here’s another good one:
Falvo’s Meats – Don’t get me wrong, I know there are a number of quality butcher shops in the area, but this place with its friendly service, fair prices and excellent products keeps me coming back time after time. I rely upon their advertisement in the Sunday TU for inspiration when planning the week’s meals and my boys turn down their noses at bacon that does not come from the Slingerland’s institution.
http://blog.timesunion.com/vinoteca/11-things-i-love-about-the-capital-district-part-1/5085/
We’ll burn that bridge when we come to it
Posted: January 17, 2013 Filed under: ACTION, bridge, burn, THINGS | Tags: blended idioms, bridgei, burn, burn your bridges, cross that bridge when we come to it, expressions, humor, Jimmy Buffett, language, malaphors, mixed idioms, words 3 CommentsThis malaphor, popularized by Jimmy Buffett, is a mash up of “we’ll cross that bridge when we come to it” (don’t worry about something that has not happened) and “burn your bridges” (permanently end relationships).
“Burn That Bridge”
But your love is something new
When I hold you we’re swaying in the wind
Of all the bridges I’ve ever crossed
High and lonesome and wild and lost
I feel this time I’ll take it to the end
We don’t care what the people may say
If there’s a price it’s the price we’ll pay
[Chorus:]
And we’ll burn that bridge when we come to it
Burn that bridge when we come to it
Burn that bridge when we come to it
Burn it down
Burn it down
We’ve both done our share of runnin’ around
Now we know enough to know the kind of love
we’ve found
It’s the real thing and we’ve got to see it through
I’m a singer and a sailor on a midnight sea
Oh captain come and take me on your fantasy
If we’re crazy that ain’t nothin’ new
‘Cause we don’t care what the people may say
If there’s a price it’s the price we’ll pay and
[Chorus]
Who knows how it started
Who knows it’s ends
The point of no return is waiting
just around the bend
[Chorus]
It’s like shooting ducks in a barrel
Posted: January 16, 2013 Filed under: ACTION, ANIMALS, barrel, duck, shoot, THINGS | Tags: blended idioms, ducks, ducks all in a row, expressions, fish, malaphors, mixed idioms, shooting fish in a barrel, wordplay, words 2 CommentsThis is a mash up of “shooting fish in a barrel” (easy action with guaranteed success) and “all your ducks in a row” (getting everything in order), submitted by a loyal follower, the TruroTattler. Given the enormous amount of google hits, this is a common malaphor, as ducks appear to be as easy a target as fish. Also shooting mechanical ducks in a penny arcade shooting gallery is certainly playing on the mind in this one.
It takes a lot to take the air out of my sails
Posted: January 13, 2013 Filed under: sails, THINGS | Tags: air out of my tires, blended idioms, expressions, language, linguistics, malaphors, mixed idioms, sailst, tires, wind, wind out of my sails, wordplay, words Leave a commentThis was uttered by a guy who was frustrated by a spin class:
Maybe I Signed Up for Karaoke Instead of Spin by Accident?
It takes a lot to take the air out of my sails, but an unimpressive spin class will do that to me right quick. I actually felt bad that I’d made a friend come with me to this class because it was a pretty uninspiring way to spend 45 minutes. I have a limited amount of time to dedicate to my fitness regime: I don’t have time to ef around like this…
This is a mash up of “take the wind out of my sails” (feel less confident) and “let the air out of my tires” (make someone depressed). I think he meant the latter. See also a previous malaphor – “he took the thunder out of my sails”.
He doesn’t want to appear to be pushing on anyone’s toes
Posted: January 12, 2013 Filed under: ACTION, BODY PARTS, push, toes | Tags: blended idioms, expressions, language, linguistics, malaphors, mixed idioms, pushover, stepping on toes, toes, wordplay, words Leave a commentI can’t remember the context of this odd malaphor but it could be a mash up of “stepping on someone’s toes” (offend someone) and possibly “push the envelope” (to go further beyond the accepted limits). However, I think “pushover” (a person easily taken advantage of) or “pushy” (overly forward) is probably what the speaker was thinking of as he might be describing himself as both not offending his audience and taking advantage of them.
Don’t rock the apple cart
Posted: January 10, 2013 Filed under: apple, boat, cart, FOOD, THINGS | Tags: apple, blended idioms, boat, expressions, language, linguistics, malaphors, mixed idioms, rock, rock the boat, upset the apple cart, wordplay, words 1 CommentThis congruent malaphor mixes the similar meaning phrases “upset the apple cart” and “rock the boat”. A good example of the use of this malaphor is in a description of an Upper West Side apartment for rent:
“Minimum Age Limit For Renters : If you are coming to NYC for a big party weekend, this is probably not your place. I have fabulous neighbors and there is a great, great staff and take great care to not rock the apple cart.”
If the tables were reversed…
Posted: January 9, 2013 Filed under: ACTION, table, THINGS | Tags: blended idioms, expressions, malaphors, mixed idioms, roles reversed, turn the tables, words Leave a commentI heard this one on the radio last week. In context, the speaker was clearly wanting to say “if the roles were reversed”, but instead mixed in “tables were turned” (to cause a reversal in one’s plans). The confusion lies in the similar words reverse and turn. Also the idioms have similar meanings, but as “my ol’ pal” points out, “tables were turned” means getting even with someone while roles were reversed has a broader connotation.
Malaphors 
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