Warren Buffett (page 9) is a master of taking cliches literally. Try doing the same thing with a cliche you find particularly annoying. I especially love messing with the cliche "He doesn't know his ass from his elbow." (You'll find me doing that on page 11.)
Years ago, a colleague at a magazine I worked for corrected my pronunciation of "harass." I had put the emphasis on the second syllable (ha-RASS), and she said it had to be on the first (HA-russ). (Both versions are correct.) Later that day we argued over something else at a staff meeting and I blurted, "She doesn't know harass." The woman said I was being offensive; but I honestly didn't think I was punning at the time.
Word Hero Chapter One
Warren Buffett (page 9) is a master of taking cliches literally. Try doing the same thing with a cliche you find particularly annoying. I especially love messing with the cliche "He doesn't know his ass from his elbow." (You'll find me doing that on page 11.)
Years ago, a colleague at a magazine I worked for corrected my pronunciation of "harass." I had put the emphasis on the second syllable (ha-RASS), and she said it had to be on the first (HA-russ). (Both versions are correct.) Later that day we argued over something else at a staff meeting and I blurted, "She doesn't know harass." The woman said I was being offensive; but I honestly didn't think I was punning at the time.