Quid pro quo is one of these things to muddy the works
Posted: November 11, 2019 Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: expressions, gum up the works, humor, Jim Himes, language, malaphor, malaphors, Meet the Press, muddy the waters, Trump, words Leave a commentThis gem was uttered by Congressman Jim Himes (D-CT) yesterday on Meet the Press, talking about the Trump impeachment inquiry. It is a mashup of “muddy the waters” (to make a situation less clear) and “gum up the works” (to interfere with the proper functioning of something). Both expressions refer to degrading something, and “works” and “waters” might have been jumbled by the phrase “water works”? A big shout out to Bruce Ryan who heard this one and passed it on. @jahimes @MeetThePress
You can hear this malaphor just about at the beginning of the video:
The book is running away from the charts
Posted: November 2, 2019 Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: expressions, humor, language, malaphor, malaphors, off the charts, ran away with, words Leave a commentA TV host was interviewing an author, and commenting on the author’s successful book (on the NY Times bestseller list). This seems to be a mashup of “run away with” (win handily) and “off the charts” (spectacular). Both phrases refer to something or someone having success, hence the mixup in context. A big thanks to Verbatim for hearing this one and sending it in.
Speaking of books running away from the charts, check out my malaphor book, “He Smokes Like a Fish and other Malaphors”, available on Amazon. They’re selling like butter! https://www.amazon.com/dp/0692652205
Don’t beat a horse while it’s down
Posted: October 31, 2019 Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: beat a dead horse, expressions, horse, humor, kick him while he's down, malaphor, words 2 CommentsIn the seemingly never ending mashups of idioms involving the word “horse”, I give you this latest one, uttered by my grandnephew Nathan Hatfield. His Dad was asking him about a project he was working on. It is a mashup of “Kick (one) when (one) is down” (to criticize someone wh has already suffered a setback) and “beat a dead horse” (to continue to focus or talk about something). Idioms that include the word “horse” are for some reason continually mixed up. See my website and type in “horse”. You will be amazed. A big thanks to John Hatfield III for hearing this one and passing it on!
Why climate change deniers are running out of rope
Posted: October 21, 2019 Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: at the end of one's rope, expressions, humor, language, malaphor, on the ropes, running out of time, words Leave a commentThis is actually the title of an article in The Guardian: https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2019/oct/17/climate-science-deniers-environment-warning
It is a mashup of “running out of time” (to no longer have any time left to finish an activity) and, based on the context, I believe “on the ropes” (close to defeat). “At the end of (one’s) rope” (completely worn out) might also be in the mix as both idioms refer to the end of an activity. A big thanks to John Kooser who spotted this one in plain sight.
They’ll be coming with guns out
Posted: October 19, 2019 Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: all guns blazing, expressions, humor, knives out, language, malaphor, words Leave a commentThe speaker (contributor’s mom) was referring to Republicans when she heard that an impeachment inquiry on Trump was starting. This is a mashup of “with all guns blazing” (forcefully and with a strong sense of purpose) and “knives out” (people eager to criticize another). Perhaps in this era “guns out” is more appropriate than knives. A big thanks to Sandor Kovacs who heard this one and passed it on.
He would do fine if he keeps his eyes on the wheel
Posted: October 18, 2019 Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: expressions, eyes on the ball, eyes on the prize, humor, malaphor, malaphors, put your shoulder to the wheel s, words Leave a commentThis one was uttered by a witness in a trial. It is a conflation of “keep your eyes on the ball” (stay focused) and I think “put your shoulder to the wheel” (work hard, put an effort into something). Certainly one has to keep their eyes open when driving, but don’t stare at the wheel or you will be in big trouble. Perhaps the speaker was thinking “eyes on the prize”, and the big Wheel of Fortune bubbled up in his brain. Not sure. A big thanks to Tom Justice who heard this one and passed it on.
You know how to beat a dead horse in the mouth
Posted: October 15, 2019 Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: beat a dead horse, don't look a gift horse in the mouth, expressions, humor, idioms, malaphor, words Leave a commentAnother horse malaphor. This one is a mashup of “beat a dead horse” (to continue to focus or talk about something) and I think “don’t look a gift horse in the mouth” (if you receive a gift, accept it graciously). “Horse” is the common denominator here. “Shoot off (one’s) mouth” or “diarrhea of the mouth” could also be in the mix, both meaing to be an excessive talker. That fits with “beat a dead horse”.
By the way, idioms that include the word “horse” are for some reason continually mixed up. See my website and type in “horse”. You will be amazed. A big thanks to Thomas Smith for sending this one in.
They will kick the can down the bucket
Posted: October 12, 2019 Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: expressions, humor, kick the bucket, kick the can down the road, language, malaphor, malaphors, words Leave a commentThe speaker was talking about whether the EU would give England another extension on Brexit, and that more than likely an extension would be approved. This is a mashup of “kick the can down the road” (to postpone or defer a definitive action) and “kick the bucket” (to die). “Kick” is the common word here, and “cans” and “buckets” are similar objects which probably led to the mixup. I can’t help think that also the “ck” sound might have muddied the mental waters. A big thanks to Nate Shand for uttering this one and then allowing me to share it with the malaphor world.
She was bridging the fences
Posted: October 8, 2019 Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: bridge the gap, expressions, humor, malaphor, straddle the fence, words Leave a commentA University lecturer said that one of her students uttered this one. This is a mashup of “bridge the gap” (make it easier for two groups to communicate with each other) and “straddle the fence” (not to take a side when presented with two or more options). “Fences” and “bridges” are often mixed up, apparently. See, e.g., https://malaphors.com/2016/11/28/theres-a-lot-of-mending-bridges-going-on/
A big thanks to K. Carver for hearing this one and passing it on!
This is a way for them to get a piece of the slice
Posted: September 30, 2019 Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: expressions, humor, malaphor, malaphors, Marketplace, NPR, piece of the pie, slice of the pie, words Leave a commentThis was heard on NPR’s Marketplace on 9/24. Vivian Ho, Director of the Center for Health and Biosciences at Rice University’s Baker Institute for Public Policy, was talking about why retailers like Walmart are getting into the health care business. “…this is a way for them to get a piece of that slice….” This is an interesting one, as both phrases contain a word that the malaphor omits – “pie”. It is a congruent conflation of “getting a piece of the pie” and “getting a slice of the pie (or cake)”, both meaning to obtain a share of some benefit. Or maybe the speaker meant to get a really small share of something? Probably not, if it involves Walmart. You can hear the malaphor at 15:45:
https://www.marketplace.org/shows/marketplace/what-debt-does-to-the-economy/
A big thanks to David Barnes, who heard this one and shared a slice of the fun. @Marketplace @VivianHo
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