Put a little elbow sweat into it
Posted: September 2, 2020 Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: break a sweat, elbow grease, expressions, humor, language, malaphor, words Leave a commentThe speaker’s daughter was brushing the cat very lightly. Wanting to get more fur off since the cat was shedding, the speaker uttered this nice malaphor. It is a congruent conflation of “elbow grease” and “break a sweat”, both meaning to put forth a large effort or amount of energy to complete a task. “Work up a sweat” might also be in the mix as it also means to exert a lot of energy to complete a task. This one reminds me of one of my favorites: “Let’s roll up our elbows and get to work”. https://malaphors.com/2012/07/30/lets-roll-up-our-elbows-and-get-to-work/
A tip of the hat to John Kooser who realized he had uttered the malaphor, and then promptly sent it in.
You have to run the whole board
Posted: August 31, 2020 Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: across the board, expressions, humor, malaphors, run the table, Trump, words Leave a commentIt’s hard for Republicans. You have to run the whole board, because they started off that we’re going to play for New York. With all of the crime in New York, I got to play for New York, because we did well in New York. We did well in New York, but we’re going to play for New York.
That hits home like a ton of bricks
Posted: August 28, 2020 Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: expressions, hits home, humor, language, like a ton of bricksro, malaphors, Michael Steele, MSNBC, words Leave a commentMichael Steele, former Lieutenant Governor of Maryland and political pundit, said this one on Nicole Wallace’s show, Deadline: White House. Mr. Steele was talking about the Jason Blake shooting and his experience as a father talking to his sons about what to do if stopped by police. This is a congruent conflation of “hits home” and “hit (one) like a ton of bricks”, both expressions meaning to receive information that has a sudden or signifcant impact on one. A big thank you to Mike Kovacs for hearing this subtle and neatly formed malaphor and sending it in.
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Equal playing field
Posted: August 26, 2020 Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: equal footing, expressions, humor, level playing field, malaphor, words Leave a comment
They’re going to leave it all on the table; they’re going to put it all on the court.
Posted: August 24, 2020 Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: expressions, humor, leave it all on the court, leave nothing on the table, malaphor, malaphors, put it all on the line, Van Jones, words Leave a commentThis is a rare double malaphor spoken by Van Jones on the Anderson Cooper show 360 degrees. Here is the excerpt from the CNN transcript:
VAN JONES, CNN POLITICAL COMMENTATOR: Well, I mean, I think they’re going to leave it all on the table. They’re going to put it all on the court. Look, I think if you are Barack Obama, Michelle Obama, to sit here — I mean, if you think we feel heartbroken, terrified and just, you know, miserable about what’s going on, imagine how they feel.
The first malaphor, “leave it all on the table”, is a congruent conflation of “leave it all on the field” and “leave nothing on the table”, both meaning to give something 100% or everything you have. The second, “put it all on the court”, is a mashup of “leave it all on the court” (give something 100%) and put it all on the line” (risk everything for something). Mixing sports idioms with politics is a risky business, and Mr. Jones realized he had uttered a malaphor, but his quick attempt made him step into malaphor doo doo once more. This unicorn was spotted by Bruce Ryan, and for that he is now elevated into the Malaphor Hall of Fame. @VanJones68
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We pulled out all the strings
Posted: August 20, 2020 Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: Cedric the Entertainer, humor, idioms, Kristen Chenoweth, language, malaphors, pull the strings, pulled out all the stops, The Greatest #AtHome Videos, words Leave a commentThis was heard on the CBS tv show “The Greatest #AtHome Videos”. Cedric the Entertainer teamed with Kristen Chenoweth to surprise a group of young performers. One of the performers uttered this nice malaphor. You can hear it here: https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=785249305547779
It is a mashup of “pull out all the stops” (to do someting with maximum effort or ability) and “pull the strings” (to be in control of events or some other people’s actions). “Pulled on our heart strings” might also be in the mix. “Pull” is the common denominator here, and “strings” and “stops” are also similar sounding words, adding to the confusion. A big thanks to Lou Pugliese who heard this one and passed it on.
Broaden the tent
Posted: August 18, 2020 Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: broaden the base, humor, language, make a bigger tent, malaphor, Scaramucci, words Leave a commentThis subtle mixup was uttered on Steve Hilton’s show on Fox by The Mooch, Anthony Scaramucci, when discussing the current demographic base of the Republican Party. https://www.foxnews.com/us/hilton-scaramucci-clash-over-presidential-politics-best-candidate
It is a congruent conflation of “broaden the base” and “make a bigger tent”, both meaning a group or movement that encompasses the broadest and most diverse members possible. A big thanks to Frank King who sent this one in.
I played him like a fine-tooth piano
Posted: August 17, 2020 Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: expressions, go over it with a fine-tooth comb, humor, malaphor, played him like a fiddle, player piano, words Leave a commentThis was heard on one of those cop shows on Court TV. A woman who was helping set up a perpetrator uttered this one. It is a mashup of “play (someone) like a fiddle” (easily mainpulate someone for one’s own needs) and “go over (something) with a fine-tooth comb” (scrutinize something). The piano reference might be an eggcorn of ‘fine-tooth” for “fine-tuned”. A “player piano” (mechanical piano) might also have been on the speaker’s mind. A big thanks to Gary Kelly who heard this one and passed it on!
I know where the skeletons are buried
Posted: August 14, 2020 Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: Disloyal, expressions, humor, know where all the bodies are buried, language, malaphor, malaphors, Michael Cohen, skeletons in the closet, Trump, words Leave a commentThis perfectly formed malaphor is found in the foreward to Michael Cohen’s soon to be released tell all book, “Disloyal”. Here is the context:
“Trump has no true friends. He has lived his entire life avoiding and evading taking responsibility for his actions. He crushed or cheated all who stood in his way, but I know where the skeletons are buried because I was the one who buried them.” https://www.foxnews.com/politics/michael-cohen-trump-disloyal-skeletons
This is a conflation of “know where (all) the bodies are buried” (to know secret or scandalous information about a person or group) and “have skeletons in (one’s) the closet” (to have damaging or incriminating secrets from one’s past). Both idioms involve secrets and damaging information, and both involve dead bodies, hence the mixup. This mashup is actually brilliant in that it incorporates damaging information and where to get the damaging information all in one terrific malaphor.
A big thanks to Mike Kovacs, Chief Malaphor Hunter, for spotting this one in plain sight. Bravo.
The disciples fell on their feet
Posted: August 13, 2020 Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: expressions, fell on our knees, humor, language, malapor, swept off our feet, words Leave a commentA pastor was teaching on Psalm 76, noting that when Jesus was transfigured the disciples fell on their feet. This is a conflation of “fall on (one’s) knees” (to kneel down as a show of respect) and “be swept off (one’s) feet” (to become very enamored with someone). Both expressions involve admiration or awe of another. Also the body parts “knees” and “feet” seem to be the source of the confusion here. Of course, “fall on (one’s) feet” is an expression indicating one who is lucky or successful, and I suppose that is true in the disciples’ case. However, I believe it is a malaphor given the context. A big thanks to Steve Grieme who heard this one and passed it on!
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