This is one of those funny things about language. The way that a word is used is not always the way you think. This morning, the director of my institute came in to our office to greet us. We mentioned that we will be putting up Halloween decorations this morning and she responded, “I’m expecting.” … Read More
To say the least is an understatement. It is like saying, “this is least amount that I can say. I actually could say a lot more.” It suggests that the situation is actually more extreme than the statement says. It comes from the larger phrase, “to say the least of it.” Example: They just got … Read More
Something that has bothered me in Korea is the use of “Cheer up.” It is not often used in Western countries because it is a little condescending. You are telling the other person that it is up to them to feel better. It is just not that easy to feel happy from a two-word sentence. … Read More
There are many words in the English language that have come from French. French was the official language in England while Middle English was developing. A lot of those words became anglicized (made into English). According to the analysis by Andreas Simons, French and Latin make up 56% of the English vocabulary (top 5,000 words). … Read More
Have you ever been in a situation where you were talking about someone and then they showed up? What did you do? Well, a lot of English speakers will say, “speak of the devil!” in this situation. The phrase comes from a longer one, “speak of the devil and the devil shall come.” In British … Read More
Here is a phrase that all teachers can relate to. Actually, I am sure most people can relate to this. ‘My patience is wearing thin’ means that you are losing your patience. The most important part of this phrase is ‘wearing thin’. This is an allusion to clothes being destroyed. Wearing thin or wearing out … Read More
On the Table On the table means that something is up for discussion or can be included in a deal. It alludes to the idea of a negotiation table. When two people negotiate they put the things they want to trade on the table between them. An alternative origin is the British legislative system. Traditionally, … Read More
Today’s post is for Jake, who recently commented on a recent post: “Used/ taught this idiom in classes last week too! Great minds…” I am grateful for this comment for a number of reasons. First, I always like to see comments, likes, and shares on my posts. A fair amount of effort goes into these, … Read More
Disclaimer: I don’t know a lot about the Romani people. So, please take what I say with a grain of salt. Congratulations to the Gypsy King, Tyson Fury, on his victory over Deontay Wilder. It was a very exciting boxing match. Today’s word comes from ‘gypsy’. Gyp (alternatively gip or jip) is a verb … Read More
Running out of steam while climbing a mountain Last weekend, I tested out my leg for long distance cycling. I did an ‘easy’ 200km. This weekend I gave climbing a chance. I woke up late, so I wasn’t going for a long bike ride anyways. Instead, I chose to try a mountain I haven’t been … Read More
