Two or three years ago, someone called into a National Public Radio talk show and first uttered the phrase “I’ll take my answer off the air,” meaning that he or she would hang up and listen to the answer on the radio. Which, of course, is taking one’s answer on the air. But the phrase sounded smart to other listeners, and today almost every NPR caller says “I’ll take my answer off the air.”
If I had to learn English as a second language they’d have to put me on the short bus.