Catherine H: language 9-13

Metaphors

Up a creek without a ladder
My daughter used this metaphor today but it has been used in our family for years. My grandfather would use it and the grandchildren would say,
"That's not right! Its up a creek without a paddle OR up a tree without a ladder.!"
To our delight he would always reply,
"If you were up the kind of creek I'm up, you'd need a ladder too!
Now don't tell your grandmother I said that."
We never got tired of the joke.


The following is used as an example of bad metaphor in the business book Metaphorically Speaking by Ann Miller (2004 New York: Chiron Associates). Miller might think this is bad but I love it!

"Mr. Speaker, I smell a rat! I see it floating in the air; and if it is not nipped in the bud, it will burst forth into a terrible conflagration that will deluge the world!"
Sir Bolye Rocher, Irish politician

citation: Arthur Levitt Bloomgburg Radio 4/30/03

Also From Miller's book:
pg. 146, 144

Speech must be as bold as a lion, soft as a gentle hare, impressive as a serpent pointed as an arrow, and evenly balanced like a scepter held in the middle.

--Tibetan Proverb

One stands a long time with open mouth before duck flies in.

--Chinese Proverb

I heard myself say this a few days ago. I am fairly sure it's original.

"Storytelling is like sex.
Everybody does it and it doesn't require any skill to do it badly"

Catherine Horn