My landlord really has me over a barrel. It is time to sign another lease, a contract, for the next year. Rent has been going up around my city, so it wasn’t a huge shock that my landlord asked for more money. But the amount she asked for was a bit shocking. Over a Barrel … Read More
Falling apart at the seams has two meanings. First, it can mean that something is failing or being destroyed. It will be completely ruined soon. Another definition is becoming very emotional. A person who is falling apart at the seams is probably crying uncontrollably. “Falling apart at the seams” is synonymous with “coming part at … Read More
As a percentage of their population, the Republic of Ireland has more English speakers than any of the countries we have covered this past week. Of the countries with over 1 million people, it has the largest percentage of English speakers. So, I want to cover an Irish phrase. After looking around, I decided to … Read More
Knackered is a British term meaning tired or exhausted. The word is used across many English-speaking countries (UK, Ireland, Australia, etc). Example: Sorry, but I can’t come to the party tonight. I am knackered. When a horse became useless it was sent to the knackers yard. The knackers yard was the slaughterhouse for horses. It … Read More
Choosing an American saying for this week is probably the most difficult task. American customs (and language) have been spread over the globe through media, politics, and American socio-economic power. So, it is hard to find Americanisms that are not well-known but are useful for a second language learner to learn. I decided to use … Read More
I would like to start today’s entry by asking you three questions: In the past month have you helped a stranger, or someone you didn’t know who needed help? In the past month, have you donated to a charity? In the past month, have you volunteered your time to an organization? Ubuntu Ubuntu is difficult … Read More
Today we are going to take a look at a New Zealand slang word. Munted means broken beyond repair or intoxicated. It can be used as an insult. It should also be noted that munted is also used in Australia in a same way and can be used in British English to describe a drunk … Read More
It’s cold in Canada. A toque (alternatively tuque or touque) is what Canadians call a winter hat. You may know this garment as a wool cap, stocking cap, or beanie. The defining detail was a long tassel or pom-pom, but that is no longer required. Now, a toque can refer to any winter hat. The … Read More
My friend, Joel, challenged me to look at some phrases from around the world for my daily phrases this week. I thought it might be interesting to look at nationally specific phrases. The phrase fair dinkum is one that has always fascinated me. Fair dinkum is an Australian phrase that means unquestionably good or genuine. … Read More
Yesterday we talked about a few different types of suits; lawsuits, suit yourself, well-suited. However, I omitted another type of suit. In playing cards we call the symbols ‘suits’. The four most common suits are diamonds, hearts, clubs, and spades. Indeed, that is where today’s phrase comes from, card suits. In spades is an intensifier … Read More
