Wednesday, May 31, 2017

WHEN IS A MALAPROP NOT A MALAPROP?


When it's a covfefe !!
















To be totally honest, at first I thought Trump meant to type "kerfuffle", not "coverage"...
kerfuffle
noun  ker·fuf·fle \kər-ˈfə-fəl\
Popularity: Top 10% of words



Of course, "The Donald's" inadvertently made-up word doesn't meet the strict criteria of 'malaprop'. On the other hand, my college friend [from way back when] had a few zingers... 

CASE IN POINT: She frequently opined that her former boyfriend was a real 'Bwana Don'. I kept imaging this goofy guy with a chimp when what she really meant was a lothario skirt-chaser [i.e., a Don Juan] !!



My friend Shellie S. also liked to talk about her "STIMULATED"  pearls...

And she clearly was not familiar with the term "salutatorian" when she exclaimed that her cousin was not the valedictorian of his high school class, but the second highest ranking student, the 'vale-VIC-torian' !!

*********************
While on the general subject of malaprops, one of my most humorous memories concerns two moms with whom I was working [at my children's grade school, Holy Name] many moons ago. We were putting up art work for an upcoming Open House. There were famous quotes written in the style of calligraphy as part of this art work. One of the women ['Marcia'] quipped, "Oh, I just love what that student came up with... 'Speak softly and carry a big stick' ".




I looked at her a bit quizzically, and asked, "You don't know to whom that quote is typically ascribed?"
She replied 'No', and so did the other mom, 'Michelle'.
 "O.K. , I'll give you ladies a hint [I said]...the person I have in mind is also famous for having the teddy bear named after him."

"Oh, that's easy!", they both exclaimed.
Then to my utter surprise, two names were blurted out in unison by these hapless gals: Paddington!! Winnie the Pooh!! 

There are malaprops, and there are puns...

I LOVE PUNS !


EPILOGUE:

Oh, how did I forget about another of Shellie's zingers!
She opined that a wealthy acquaintance of hers was "born on the silver platter". I had to wonder whether this individual also had a silver spoon hanging out of their mouth ... the latter having been handed to them "on a silver platter" !!
... And  then  there's
this  last  tidbit ...

I've heard folks yell out  "COOTIES!" when what they meant to say was KUDOS!
And some poor guy I know used the term "fox paws" at a job interview...
I'm still laughing!!!!


Friday, May 12, 2017

SHAGGY ELEPHANT IN THE ROOM...OR...

'HORSE'S HEAD' AS WICKED,

MALICIOUS METAPHOR???







           ******
"He who permits himself to tell a lie once, finds it much easier to do it a second time and a third time till at length it becomes habitual".
                                                     -Thomas Jefferson