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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...
Mar 3, 2018 · However, normally that refers to a new word that makes sense when you combine two words, not an already established word that doesn't make sense in the context you intend. Urban slang for what happened when you said "handful" would be a brain fart or a senior moment. But neither of those specifically refers to saying the opposite of what you meant.
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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An excellent source of mixed metaphors is the 6-part sketches 'Peter and John' on the British TV program 'A Bit of Fry and Laurie'. The two hard-drinking Fitness club owners do a lot of damage to standard English idioms. Example: Fry:'The boardroom and the bedroom are just two sides of the same agenda' –
Do Something – 1970s Disco Style Men’s Classic T-Shirt. £17.00 – £24.50. Select options. Since the 1980's we have collected these messed up phrases - "mixed idioms" or "malaphors" or "mondegreens" or eggcorns - and publish them for the world.
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Jun 21, 2022 · Mixed Metaphors Explained: 8 Examples of Mixed Metaphors. A well-crafted metaphor uses consistent imagery ("hitting the nail on the head”); when you start mixing imagery ("hitting the nail on the nose"), you can create a type of malapropism known as a mixed metaphor. A well-crafted metaphor uses consistent imagery ("hitting the nail on the ...
