Examples Of Mixed Metaphors

We all have heard about metaphors. They are figures of speech that compare two improbable things, as in the sentence; ‘My heart is a singing bird’. Metaphors provide emphasis and clarity to a sentence while mixed metaphors distract and confuse a reader. In mixed metaphors, two entirely different metaphors are taken together to make a comparison, in effect, rendering the sentence illogical and incoherent, as in the example, ‘A heart as big as gold’. When people try to become too detailed while conversing or even too careless while choosing a metaphor, mixed metaphors occur. This often makes the sentences appear hilarious and ridiculous as the metaphors used are conflicting and unrelated. However, mixed metaphors can be used to create humour deliberately. Being a bit more careful can help you avoid mixed metaphors in a sentence, ensuring that your language sounds logical, even when read. Read on to know more about mixed metaphors, with examples.

Mixed metaphors are often the result of inappropriate merging of two common metaphors. For example, the metaphor, “wake up and smell the coffee”, suggests you to be more alert and “read the writing on the wall”, implies to see the bad news which is already explicit. Mixed metaphors, using these two metaphors, would read something like, “Wake up and smell the coffee on the wall”. As a result, the imagery and the sentence appear illogical and inconsistent. Here are some examples:

Mixed metaphors are comic as well as absurd. They are those phrases or factors that must be avoided in a language unless an explicit humorous situation needs to be created.