Put the ketchup on ’em
My grandson loves to play “ketchup” when we’re in the car. This game started as a game of “catch up” in which we would attempt to catch up to or pass the car in front of us (safely of course). Soon it devolved evolved into “let’s put the ketchup on ’em gramma.”
I tried to explain what a play on words is and that we were playing “catch up”, but he didn’t get it. He is only 4 after all. So in his mind, ketchup is interchangeable with other foods.
Last time he came, he said, “let’s put the applesauce on ’em gramma!”
When I took him home, he decided we were out of “ketchup” and we “put the mustard on ’em”.
Grandma thinks it’s great, because playing with words is one of her favorite things. She often teases the kids using word play that they don’t understand. Sometimes she teases adults, but it’s not as much fun. It’s only fun with adults if they don’t catch on. It’s amazing how many mix ups can occur because of word mix ups. It reminds me of Ellen’s segment, called “Clumsy Thumbsy,” where she shows how the automatic text corrector on people’s phones goes horribly wrong as they text.
One text went from mortgage payment to MOTTS Applesauce. This left a person asking for a loan to pay for his Motts Applesauce payment. Unfortunately, most of these turn out as things I can’t share on my blog, but it’s amazing how word mix ups can create humor (and other things in our lives).
This is also a good reason to carefully edit our work. We can say something else entirely with just a few mixed up letters. I have to watch auto-correct on my iPad closely!
Do you have funny stories of words gone wrong? Do you like t play with words in a punny way? (word intended) Do you laugh or get upset when words go wrong in your life? Have you ever ‘put the mustard on someone’? How much do you pay for your MOTTS applesauce? We’d love to hear your stories. 🙂
Related articles
- Wednesday Word Play: Palindromes (writingwithbothsidesofmybrain.wordpress.com)
- More Word Play: Euphemisms (writingwithbothsidesofmybrain.wordpress.com)
- Summertime Ketchup…er…catch up (mattdantodd.com)
- Posted in: Challenge ♦ Creative writing ♦ Language Play ♦ The Inner Child ♦ Writing
- Tagged: auto-correct, Ellen, Games, mixed up words, word play
ansuyo
writing with both sides of my brain 
I record for the Talking Newspaper for the blind and on one occasion I was reading about a new benefits scheme that was to be introduced. I got the first bit right, dealing with various elements of the scheme. ‘The Job seeker’s element; the disability element; the sickness element and then, for some unknown reason, I read the next bit as ‘the housing elephant’ !!
That’s hilarious! Thanks for the laughs. 🙂
Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha! I love it Anne. You are fast on the draw today 🙂
Freudian slip?????
I worked as a pastor’s secretary in a small Baptist church for several years and though I know I had many typos, this one stands out in my memory. I had typed the Sunday bulletin and was reading it over again just before I copied it onto the bulletin covers for that week. Thanks goodness I did, because in the very first prayer was ‘Holy Spit’! Not even spell check could have saved me from that! lol! K
Now that one made me laugh out loud literally! I love bulleton bloopers! I wonder what would have happened had you not found that little typo. Thanks for sharing that one 🙂
I loved this post, Angie! A few word slips now and again are a wonderful thing, leading to all kinds of creative twists. A Freudian slipper for sure! “:)
Freudian slipper!!!!!! Hahahahahahahaha. That’s great. The world would be so borning without word slips.
lovely wordplay blog!
Thank you David. We get serious sometimes too, but Imma loves to play and Gram thinks it’s pretty cool too. Thanks for coming by. 🙂
Your grandson sounds so precious Angie. What a blessing! My son when he was that age used to say he was going to, Corth Narolina on his vacation. I still call it C N just because it reminds me of his cuteness. 🙂
He’s a case for sure. I’m glad you can still remember that time of your son’s life. They are so amazing! I have some of those memories from all my children and now am building them with the grandchildren. 🙂
Too cute. I love what kids come out with. Your grandson has a great handle on the ‘game’. My 5-yr-old granddaughters twists words around and if I try to correct her, she tells me in no uncertain terms that I am RON and she’s right!
Lol. Gotta love ’em! They call them as they see them, and sometimes it’s hilarious!
How cute! Now I will think of you next time I use ketchup 🙂
Christy, my plan worked then!!!! Today I looked down after eating out with my daughter and saw ketchup all over my chin. Why she didn’t tell me I don’t know, but it puts a whole new take on “put the ketchup on”. he he
This is wonderful, Angie. Grandkids are the best, and the word slip is so cute. This is a great post, and I’m still laughing at the comments, too!
Thank you Marilyn!
Thanks for the reblog!