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- Burning the Midnight Oil From Both Ends. “I’m so stressed that I’m burning the midnight oil from both ends.” This is a mixup of the two idioms, “burning the midnight oil” and “burning the candle at both ends.”
- Heavy Is the Goose That Lays the Golden Egg. “George just got promoted to management, I hope he’s ready for it. Heavy is the goose that lays the golden egg.”
- Walking a Thin Line. “That decision seems a little risky! He’s walking a thin line.” This malaphor is a combination of “walking on thin ice” and “walking a fine line.”
- I Can Read Him Like the Back of My Book. “He couldn’t hide anything from me. I can read him like the back of my book!” This malaphor mixes up two very common idioms: “know him like the back of my hand” and “read him like a book.”
- Spoonerism
- Malapropism
- Other Ways We Play with English Words
A ‘spoonerism’ is when a speaker accidentally mixes up the initial sounds or letters of two words in a phrase. The result is usually humorous.
A ‘malapropism’ is when an incorrect word is used in a sentence that sounds like the correct word but means something completely different.
Blends
One of the easiest ways to get words mixed up is to think of one word while trying to say another. This is how blends end up happening. These mistakes happen regularly in all languages and are usually easy to notice. One famous example in pop culture is from the 2004 film Mean Girls, where the main character Cady gets nervous and accidentally creates the word grool.
Portmanteaus
Sometimes, though, these blends are intentional and become official words of their own. These new words are called portmanteaus and are quite common in English. Don’t believe me? Well, think about the last time you listened to a podcast (iPod + broadcast), breathed in smog (smoke + fog), on met friends for brunch (breakfast + lunch). A relatively new blended word is for a type of food from Louisiana that has increased in popularity in recent years, especially around American Thanksgiving. Do...
Aug 2, 2024 · The following are some examples of malaphors. Blends at the phrase level: "You hit the nail right on the nose." (A combination of "You hit the nail right on the head" and "That’s right on the nose.”) "She really stuck her neck out on a limb." ("Stuck her neck out" and "went out on a limb") . . . "I can’t make these split-minute decisions."
- Richard Nordquist
May 20, 2022 · A malaphor is a mixed metaphor that got lost in translation somewhere. What does this look like? Discover some of the more common malaphors here.
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- Senior Writer
Feb 7, 2023 · Here are some everyday idioms we tend to use with more accuracy: “At the drop of a hat,” which means very quickly. “Hit the sack,” which means go to bed. “Don’t judge a book by its ...
Jul 17, 2016 · 1. A blessing in the skies -> A blessing in disguise. This one seems to make a little sense, as if we’re referring to a blessing from the heavens; however, this idiom is meant to describe a ...
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Dec 14, 2023 · Idioms and phrases are quirky parts of the English language, but they can be a tricky concept for non-native speakers to master. You might find yourself mixing up prepositions, which can entirely change the meaning of your idioms. In this article, get ready to explore some common idiom mistakes and learn how to avoid making them.
