Rusty is cowarding in the bathroom
Posted: September 6, 2016 Filed under: WORD BLENDS | Tags: coward, cowering, expressions, humor, language, malaphor, malaphors, WORD BLENDS, words Leave a commentLinda Bernstein, loyal malaphor follower, related this one from the Fourth of July. Fireworks were being set off all around, and Rusty the dog hid away in the interior bathroom to get away from the loud noises. Her grandson Nick then exclaimed that “Rusty is cowarding in the bathroom”. This is a nice word blend of cowering and coward. Cowards do often cower, and the words sound similar, so the mix up is a perfect blend. As many of you know, most malaphors are idiom blends but once in awhile two words are blended together to make a nice word blend malaphor. These are very different than portmanteaus, as I have explained in previous posts. A hat tip to Linda Bernstein for sending this beauty in!
I have a quandrum
Posted: August 16, 2016 Filed under: WORD BLENDS | Tags: Barrel of Monks, conundrum, humor, language, malaphor, malaphors, portmanteau, quandary, WORD BLENDS, words Leave a commentA spin on MLK’s famous speech? No, but a pretty good word blend, combining “quandary” (dilemma) and “conundrum” (a puzzle). As I have explained in previous posts, single word malaphors are different than portmanteaus. A portmanteau is an intentional blending of two words to form a new word with a specific meaning, such as “smog” (a blend of smoke and fog). A single word malaphor is an unintentional blending of two words to create a new word that is incorrect, such as “Buckminster Palace” (Westminster Abbey and Buckingham Palace), or a “faceover” (makeover and facelift). Interestingly, Quandrum is the name of a Belgian Ale brewed by the Barrel of Monks brewery located in Boca Raton, Florida. It is described as a “quadraphonic Belgian style quadrupel aged several months in rum barrels”. Cheers! A big shout out to Tiffany G. for hearing this one and passing it on!
Want to know more about single word malaphors? Buy my book, He Smokes Like a Fish and other Malaphors. An entire chapter is devoted to these little gems. Available now on Amazon at http://www.amazon.com/dp/0692652205
That’s just peachy-dory!
Posted: March 16, 2014 Filed under: WORD BLENDS | Tags: confruent conflation, expressions, humor, hunky-dory, language, malaphor, malaphors, mixed idioms, peachy keen, WORD BLENDS, words 1 CommentThis is a mash up of the expressions peachy keen and hunky-dory, both meaning fine or satisfactory. This seems to be a fairly common malaphor, based on internet hits. Now hunky keen is a different matter….Thanks to Char Stone for sending this one in!
Our salt supplies are deplenished
Posted: March 4, 2014 Filed under: WORD BLENDS | Tags: depleted, expressions, humor, language, malaphors, malphor, mixed idioms, replenish, WORD BLENDS, words Leave a commentThis is a word blend of “depleted” (to use up or empty out) and “replenish” (to fill up). Since REplenish means to fill again, then it is reasonable to assume DEplenish would mean the opposite. I heard this one on the Pittsburgh CW 10:00 news, in a discussion of salt supplies in Cleveland. Although malaphors are generally mixed phrases or idioms, they can appear as mixed words or word blends as well. See my other word blends in the category list under Word Blends.
This hotel needs a faceover
Posted: December 6, 2013 Filed under: WORD BLENDS | Tags: blended idioms, expressions, facelift, humor, language, makeover, malaphors, mixed idioms, WORD BLENDS, words 2 CommentsOkay, I admit saying this one. While visiting Miami on business this week, I remarked to a colleague that the hotel I was staying in was very nice but was showing its age, and then blurted the above. I silently screamed Malaphor! and immediately wrote it down. As you know, the best malaphors are quickly forgotten because of their subtlety. Faceover is a one word blend of “facelift” and “makeover”, both indicating improved cosmetic changes. I actually like the word faceover as it is a good description of any rehab project. I would encourage everyone to start using it. Now if the subject matter was a hockey arena, it might be a triple blend with faceoff in the mix….
He made a split minute decision
Posted: December 20, 2012 Filed under: ACTION, minute, second, TIME, WORD BLENDS | Tags: blended idioms, conflations, expressions, last minute, malaphors, mixed idioms, split second, WORD BLENDS, words Leave a commentThis is another word blend malaphor, mixing “split second decision” (immediately) and “at the last minute” (deciding something at the last opportunity). As I get older, I seem to be making more of these kinds of decisions.
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