He’s chasing windmills
Posted: November 14, 2016 Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: Chris Matthews, Don Quixote, Erin Gloria Ryan, expressions, humor, language, malaphor, malaphors, tilting at windmills, wild goose chase, words 2 CommentsThis was said by Erin Gloria Ryan on the Chris Hayes show, All In. She was referring to Trump. This is a congruent conflation of “tilting at windmills” and “wild goose chase”, both meaning futile searches or pursuits. “Chasing a ghost” might also be in the mix, and also “chasing rainbows”, the latter noted by “my ol’ pal”. As everyone probably knows, “tilting at windmills” is a reference to the masterpiece “Don Quixote,” wherein the title character tilts at windmills, thinking in his madness that they are enemies. He probably chased them as well. A tip of the hat to Sam Edelmann, frequent malaphor contributor, for hearing this one and passing it on.
He led me on a blind goose chase
Posted: November 28, 2012 Filed under: ACTION, alley, ANIMALS, goose, PLACES | Tags: blended idioms, blind alley, expressions, futile pursuits, malaphors, mixed idioms, wild goose chase, words 2 CommentsThis is a mash up of “down a blind alley” and “led on a wild goose chase”, both meaning an unproductive or futile pursuit. Blind and wild are similar sounding words, so the brain chose the wrong swirling fragment. This seems to be a common malaphor, based on the many internet hits. Reminds me of the proverb: A blind goose is as good as a deaf duck (ok, I made that up – just trying to be a wise quacker).
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