Knoriko  +  131252 Sat, 27 Aug 05 03:09 PM Hi. I found this website by accident. I'm very glad I did! I'm reading a novel and one character often says "Please don't tell a soul that...." Can anyone tell me what this means?  Knoriko Joined on Sat, Aug 20 2005 New Member 02

	Clive  +  131280 Sat, 27 Aug 05 06:50 PM Hi, In this idiomatic phrase, 'a soul' here refers to a person. Don't tell anyone Such references today are not common, and sound a bit poetic. Best wishes, Clive   Clive Joined on Thu, Oct 28 2004 Canada Veteran Member 29,298 El tango argentino es un pensamiento triste que se puede bailar (The tango argentino is a sad thought which can be danced) Enrique Santos Discépolo

	Knoriko  +  131495 Sun, 28 Aug 05 04:37 PM This book I'm reading is about modern NYC girls, but this character is raised in England. Maybe that's why she uses the phrase all the time?? Anyway thanx for replying, Clive! Knoriko

	MrPedantic  +  135341 Fri, 09 Sep 05 12:20 AM  Knoriko wrote: This book I'm reading is about modern NYC girls, but this character is raised in England. Maybe that's why she uses the phrase all the time?? Anyway thanx for replying, Clive! Yes, you do still hear it in ordinary British English. MrP MrPedantic Joined on Tue, Oct 12 2004 Veteran Member 13,616 ...opella forensis / adducit febris... British English

	Clive  +  135358 Fri, 09 Sep 05 01:28 AM Hi, When you think about it, it's interesting to compare don't tell anybodyand don't tell a soul . It's the corporeal versus the non-corporeal. Clive Clive

	Mike in Japan  +  135365 Fri, 09 Sep 05 02:14 AM Yeah, to me, 'don't tell a soul' adds a sense of gravity [revelation would have grave consequences] to the secret. Commonly used in Australia. Mike in Japan Joined on Tue, Aug 19 2003 Senior Member 4,588 I do like to be beside the seaside