The lexical emotive means and stylistic devices

Watch Out for Mixed Metaphors

Another reason to avoid dead metaphors is that it’s easy to mix them up.

Here’s a tip: A mixed metaphor is exactly what it sounds like—a combination of two unrelated metaphors.

Let’s get all our ducks on the same page. (A mashup of “get our ducks in a row” and “get on the same page.”)

Mixed metaphors can be pretty funny; the great Yogi Berra was famous for his “Yogi-isms,” which often contained bewilderingly mixed metaphors that still managed to get his point across:

Even Napoleon had his Watergate.

But if you’re not trying to be funny, mixed metaphors can come off as awkward or even undermine the point you’re trying to make.