What on earth is a bienapropism?? Richard Lederer says that “The best malapropisms are those that leap across the chasm of absurdity and land on the side of truth” and dubs them bienapropisms, in the spirit of the French roots. My interpretation? Bien (good) + appropriate + malapropism = lots of fun!! Here are some examples, again from Anguished English. Read ’em and weep.
- The cookbook is being compiled. Please submit your favorite recipe and a short antidote concerning it.
- We sold our house and moved into one of those pandemoniums.
- To be a leader, you have to develop a spear de corps.
- Senators are chosen as committee chairmen on the basis of senility.
- The hills were worn down by eroticism.
- Apartheid is a pigment of the imagination.
- Certainly the pleasures of youth are great, but they are nothing compared to the pleasures of adultery.
- The defendant pleaded exterminating circumstances.
- Finally, this one that we’ve used for fun in our family for years: It’s a fragment of your imagination.
Happy Tuesday!
This, that and the other thing 
Isn’t language a marvellous thing! Special thanks for the pigment, fragment and pandemoniums 🙂
My pleasure, Tish. I’m happy when people take the time to read and enjoy, rather than simply wanting a photo. Yes, language is marvelous, sometimes in good ways, sometimes not so much. 🙂
janet
Too much of the latter all round at the moment.
Hehe. Love these. Ah; the pleasures of adultery.
I think the one about the recipes and the antidotes is my favorite…at least right now. 🙂
janet
My sister, when learned French at the same time as English, asked her Dad at the dinner table, “May I have your remains.”
🙂 That one would fit right in, Sherry.
janet
In French leftovers are remains.
One of those words that doesn’t translate with the same meaning. 🙂
True
These are great but I think No. 6 is the most poignant!
. . . or maybe just ironic!
I agree or, as you say in the next comment, ironic. True, though, either way.
janet
Thanks for starting my day with a chuckle – number one makes me think of the cookbook my mother’s church assembled.
Oooo, that doesn’t sound good, Dan. 🙂 I’m glad you’re still around to laugh about it. Maybe it was food for thought only?
janet
When someone says something disparaging to me, I just say ‘I represent that remark’, and just let it pass right through me. It usually leaves them speachless.
I’m sure it does, Charles. 🙂 Thanks for adding that one.
janet
hope I never need an antidote to your cooking !!!
Me, too!! 😉
LOL, this is what happens when autocorrect changes my sentences, too. Except I think mine tends to favor just straight up malapropisms.
You’re right, Madison. I never thought of that, although usually it just produces irritation.
My uncle always said he hated my antidot’s cooking.
Then he’d laugh and bellow, “Tum. Tum. Tum – TUM!”
He had a pendant for making right turns at the wrong time.
Bye,
Randy
🙂 Well-played, Randy.
The last 5 are funny. Good list Janet!
Thanks, Deborah. How’s life on the west coast today? 🙂
Life is good. Autumn is showing signs of wanting Summer to move on, and it’s getting chilly in the mornings. Chillier than normal.
How is life for you in the middle of the country?
It’s been hot and humid. Not really any signs of autumn yet, which is fine with me. Although I like autumn, summer has hastened by much too quickly for me. Just trying to slow things down to enjoy life. 🙂
I wish Summer would stay longer too.
School has started here and #1 Grandson is getting used to getting up early and going to school. We’re all adapting to the new schedule.
I’m glad all is well there! Hope you’re able to slow things down and keep on enjoying life! xx
Hilarious stuff 😀
Reminds me of the comedian who used lines like this all the time. It was his main shtick – Norm Crosby, I think.
Thank you for the laughs – and I do love your fragments.
Thanks and I’m glad, A-C. 🙂
I love this!! Thank you dear Janet for making my day. Cheers Virginia
My pleasure, Virginia. 🙂 More next Tuesday. Stay tuned.
😀
Exactly!
those are fun/funny, and a good tonic for the finale to a very long day… 🙂
It makes me happy to read that, Lisa. I hope today is better…and shorter!
janet
I’d tell you which one I liked best – but they are all so hysterical ( and I resemble that remark, too)
Sometimes when I start reading from this book, I just start laughing out loud, sometimes so much that I cry. 🙂 So good!!
janet
I bout died over the hills! I mean I really lost it! Oh my goodness, these are so good! 😛
Makes me happy to read that, Joey. You’d be crying reading this book.
I am crying now! 😀
LOL, Janet! Looks/sounds like the word correcting app gone awry! But maybe a fragment of my imagination, too! 😉
But a hilarious fragment, Gordon.
Hilarious!
Thanks. Glad you enjoyed them. I’ll get back to posting more language humor soon.
janet