...uh, idioms, that is. So now the following really random thoughts:
The elephant in the room is an English idiom for an obvious truth that is being ignored. It is based on the idea that an elephant in a small room would be quite impossible to overlook.
When people cherry pick, they choose things that support their position, while ignoring anything that contradicts it.
A person who is extremely talkative can talk the hind legs off a donkey.
A dog and pony show is a presentation that has lots of style, but no real content.
"A mondegreen* is repeating the mishearing of a phrase in such a way that it acquires a new meaning."
"Shirley, good Mrs. Murphy shall follow me all the days of my life" instead of "Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me... "
"Andy walks with me, Andy talks with me, Andy tells me I am his own ..." as opposed to "And He walks with me, and He talks with me..."
"Gladly, my cross-eyed bear" instead of "Gladly my cross I'd bear".
Or "While shepherds washed their socks at night" instead of "While shepherds watched their flocks by night..."
* Somewhat the opposite of malapropism, which a saying of the wrong word or words.
1 comment:
It seems that a lot of these phrases are disappearing from our jargon.It's unfortunate in a way , as they certainly add to an otherwise dull conversation. A couple of ones that come to mind for me are: "like ugly on an ape", and "thinner than turnip soup."
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