MOM!!! You Exploded My Horses!

In linguistics, idioms are usually presumed to be figures if speech contradicting the principle of compositionality.

In other words, idioms are hard.  Especially if you are four years old.

There are believed to be over 25,000 idiomatic expressions in the English language including "hold your horses."  That's where all this came from.  Claire has heard me say many times, "Claire, just hold your horses.

So yesterday after waiting for many, many hours for the sun to go down and the start of the fireworks she starts physically spazzing out and proclaimed, "I can't do it!  My horses are going to explode out!  I can't hold them any more!"

We die laughing.  She gets her affirmation and decides this is a good avenue for comedy gold.  So today on the way to the library Brad and I make a casual mention about a Slurpee.  She inhales sharply and squeals, "We are getting a Slurpee!!!"  No, no, we explain, we just mentioned a Slurpee.  It was only 10am, not appropriate Slurpee time (if you are teaching good eating habits to a 4 year old...I personally thing there is never a bad time for a Slurpee).  She deflates and grumbles, "Mom, you exploded my horses."  More laughs.

And that, my friends, is how new idioms are born.