[Ads-l] "Don't X and tell me it's Y"

Laurence Horn laurence.horn at YALE.EDU
Mon Dec 4 14:46:14 UTC 2017


> On Dec 4, 2017, at 7:07 AM, Jonathan Lighter <wuxxmupp2000 at GMAIL.COM> wrote:
> 
> We discussed such phrases some time ago.
> 
> Current birthday card for "senior citizens":
> 
> [Old grouch says,] "'Golden Years'? Don't $@!% on my plate and tell me it's
> pot roast !!
> 
> JL
> 

I’d have thought meat loaf would be a more plausible replacement than pot roast.  Just tried googling “Don’t shit on my plate and tell me it’s [Y]” and the tally for Y is:

Chocolate: 1
Pudding: 1
Chocolate pudding: 1
Brownies: 1
Meat loaf: 1 

YMMV.

I’ve never heard/read a version that includes substitution of solids, as opposed to the classic X = “piss in my face” and Y = “raining”.  Much more genteel.


LH
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The American Dialect Society - http://www.americandialect.org



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