Comments | scribblerworks: Mangling Phrases

scribblerworks

Mangling Phrases

May 14, 2011 12:36

Maybe I'm just getting crankier as I age, but I really hate seeng metaphorical phrases get mangled.

The one that drives me up the wall a lot these days is seeing "free reign". No, no, no! A thousand times, NO! I realize how it has come about, of course, and this one starts with the problem of homophones in English (you know, words that sound like ( Read more... )

language, observation, ranting, writing

Comments 8

kalimac May 14 2011, 21:48:03 UTC

"Tow the line" is another weird one.

scribblerworks May 14 2011, 23:26:22 UTC

Yes. One wonders what line they are towing? Have they been sailing recently? Because they apparently have never been in a foot race.

:D

margdean56 May 15 2011, 00:27:18 UTC

Then there's the old standby of "pouring over a book". I'm always afraid the book will get wet!

scribblerworks May 15 2011, 16:58:24 UTC

That reaction has often crossed my mind as well! :D

(The comment has been removed)

scribblerworks May 15 2011, 17:01:01 UTC

Ha! Although I haven't seen those manglings as much.

Makes me cranky too... anonymous July 7 2011, 09:50:55 UTC

That commercial bugs me so much I finally had to google it and see if I was the only one, and apparently it annoys quite a few people. I recently was on an unrelated message board where one poster made the comment "I agree hole heartly." Good lord. Sounds like something that needs medical attention.

Re: Makes me cranky too... scribblerworks July 7 2011, 16:08:22 UTC

Oh, dear! "Hole heartly"! (Not even "heartedly"?) Yeah, that does sound like someone is bleeding all over the place.

Re: Makes me cranky too... anonymous July 7 2011, 20:11:35 UTC

Yes, "heartly"! I noticed another comment where the same poster also mentioned the word "hick-up".
Another thing that I've been seeing a lot is the addition of a an unnecessary apostrophe in the plural of words. A sign at a local fast food place proclaimed "$.99 Taco's on Sundays!"
Thanks for letting me vent! :)