Wednesday, March 20, 2024

Fun with American English Idioms

In our early dating days, I learned my husband had a funny way with vocabulary. One time, instead of saying ‘peachy keen’ or ‘hunky dory’ to mean all is well he said, ‘peachy dory’.

The turn of phrase still amuses us. Sharing old memories is a blessings, for sure.

Fast forward thirty plus years and he delivered another phrase twist worth mention. We debated on something and he conceded, adding, “Whatever flips your boat”. The alternates he conflated are whatever ‘floats your boat’ or ‘flips your trigger’.

Aren’t regional idioms fascinating? Are you familiar with how many regard boating or sports, not to mention long lost meanings?

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28 comments:

  1. How funny. Hubby mispronounces words and then I do too. Makes us both laugh.

    Have a fabulous day and rest of the week, Darla. Hugs. ♥

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  2. Dearest Darla,
    You mention just some funny regional idioms.
    Coming from another continent and culture can really spice up things.
    Once here at home around the dinner table with friends (yes, I'd cooked the meal for them...) they asked where I stayed while doing consulting in Germany. I just flapped out: 'Oh, I slept with the manager!'. In Dutch that meant I stayed at the manager's home... Haha. Boy they laughed their heads off to FINALLY getting to know me better.
    In Italy in a split second I told my boss, Dr. Bagnasco about how my successor was doing and I told him: 'She is a smart cookie' — which she was.
    Did a post about that hilarious event: https://mariettesbacktobasics.blogspot.com/2021/10/youre-smart-cookie-hilarious-true-story.html
    Oh, speaking seven languages I can assure you the laughter at times about some funny expression.
    But humor is the key ingredient to happiness and we all need lots of it.
    Hugs,
    Mariette

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    1. You're a brilliant cookie. :D I'll definitely read that post and wish you all the best. ~hugs~ Thank you for becoming part of my little community.

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  3. There is still a lot of good ones out there!

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  4. Where I have fun, is listening to audiobooks written by UK writers; the idioms are different, and they often are a real hoot compared to our American ones.

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  5. That is cute. I didn't realize there are a lot about boats. I hope your hubby is feeling better. XO

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  6. I wonder if there's a term for this. I know malapropism is kinda close, but it's not quite what he's doing. Oh, I just googled and got malaphor. But I don't think that's quite right either.

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    1. Thank you for the cool research! I never thought to investigate.

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  7. HAHA......... I do things like changing out words but my fibro has so much to do with that. My deal is making up phrases. But no joke, listening to me or carrying on a conversation with me is a challenge these days. I say things at time that really don't make sense. I tell the grands that I just make up my own talk!! As for my post ~~ https://pam-lifethroughmyeyes.blogspot.com/2024/03/neighbor-braden-and-girls-and-forgotten.html?showComment=1710962456998#c6325594425311400941 Like you, not only do I like the old homes, and building, I also like the old cemeteries. I am a big believer in spirits though, and I fear messing around graves might bring one home with me...lol....Now, when one of my post brings up ideas for a post of your own, GO FOR IT....I do it all the time.

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  8. Hi Darla, getting words and phrases wrong is common. One reason could be we don't consciously pay attention to nuances while we talk, though we might while we write.

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    1. I am not a perfect writer but a worse speaker. lol Best wishes!

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  9. Or how 'bout some living creature idioms such as "The Cat's Meow", "The Cat's Pajamas", "Bee's Knees" or the one about beating a dead horse? Here, since my mom and dad seem to think they're not crowd followers, I hear them all too often jumbling the old "marching to the beat of our own drum".

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    1. I have many living creature idioms for short story titles. :D You're parents are the best.

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  10. Well who knows what hunky dory meant originally. Or peachy keen. Combining the two seems about right since who knows why either are used the way they are in the first place.

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  11. heer in trout towne any thing can meen what ever it troo iz if ya can figure out what we iz talkin bout in de furst place 💙😺🐟‼️

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  12. I remember DJ asking me why I said Jimmy Cricket all the time.....I told him it was better than saying a bad word in front of him

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