Stevenukd  +  251658 Wed, 02 Aug 06 04:28 PM Dear Teachers, 1. A: Do you mind if I ask you a few questions?     B: Go ahead buddy, anything. - Can I say "sure", "sure thing", "shoot", "fire away" instead of "Go ahead"? 2. Failure is the mother of success. - Is this a right expression? Thanks a bunch to Teachers,  Stevenukd. Stevenukd Joined on Wed, Aug 31 2005 Vietnam Regular Member 946

	Inchoateknowledge  +  251671 Wed, 02 Aug 06 04:57 PM  Stevenukd wrote: Dear Teachers, 1. A: Do you mind if I ask you a few questions?     B: Go ahead buddy, anything. - Can I say "sure", "sure thing", "shoot", "fire away" instead of "Go ahead"? 2. Failure is the mother of success. - Is this a right expression? Thanks a bunch to Teachers,  Stevenukd. go ahead and fire away are interchangeable. 'Failure is the mother of success' is a proverb. Inchoateknowledge Joined on Wed, May 3 2006 Senior Member 2,549 Beep! Beep! :) Verbs

	Maple  +  251681 Wed, 02 Aug 06 05:15 PM Yes,"Failure is the mother of success" is a proverb, or an "old saying". I'm wondering  if it's a Chinese saying has been translated into English or Vice Versa Maple Joined on Tue, Jul 11 2006 An ESL student in China Contributing Member 1,110 Verbs

	CalifJim  +  251696 Wed, 02 Aug 06 05:40 PM I'm only familiar with Necessity is the mother of invention. I've never heard the other one. CJ CalifJim Joined on Mon, Aug 2 2004 California Veteran Member 22,399 "There are no facts, only interpretations" - Nietzsche

	Maple  +  251705 Wed, 02 Aug 06 05:59 PM So "Failure is the mother of success" is the translation of the well-known Chinese old saying "失败乃成功之母"。 Maple Translation

	CalifJim  +  251719 Wed, 02 Aug 06 06:38 PM I have no idea.  Maybe both the Chinese and the English versions come from Swahili!  You'd have to do some research to find out -- if the answer is even knowable.  The origin may be several thousand years back in the mists of time. CJ CalifJim