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Exercise Your Figures > Exercise 11: Ironic Cliche

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.

May 31, 2011 | Registered CommenterJay