ESL General English Grammar Questions

Re: Please explain the meaning

Delmobile — Tue, 15 Apr 2008 13:26:35 GMT

Clive, that's brilliant. Now if you can come up with a retort for "you know what happens when you ASSUME..."

GG, didn't remember that one but I found it on youtube, along with a lot of other hilarious "Leon" commercials. Thanks for the great start to my day!

Re: Please explain the meaning

Grammar Geek — Tue, 15 Apr 2008 03:26:03 GMT

There was a great commercial - "There ain't no 'we' either."

Re: Please explain the meaning

Clive — Tue, 15 Apr 2008 03:20:57 GMT

Hi,

"there is no I in t-e-a-m." But there is 'me' in 't-e-a-m'.

Clive

Re: Please explain the meaning

Delmobile — Tue, 15 Apr 2008 02:32:17 GMT

Ick, I hate this kind of twaddle.

"If it is to be..." = If "it" is going to happen. "It" presumably meaning success, progress, a hundred percent increase in sales over the next fiscal year, whatever the stated (or perhaps unstated) goal is.

"it is up to me" = rhymes with "to be." I'm serious. Overall, this motto is exhorting everyone to get off their butts and work. Don't wait for somebody else to do it - pitch in and do it yourself, if it needs doing. The plunger was introduced because plunging a clogged toilet is an unpleasant job - the boss is demonstrating that he's not afraid to tackle even the most unpleasant jobs, and the sales force shouldn't be, either.

In other words, "there is no I in t-e-a-m."

Re: Please explain the meaning

Anonymous — Tue, 15 Apr 2008 02:23:10 GMT

This looks like a motivational speech -

The person is using a plunger as a symbol for how to "unclog" a mess.

He is saying that if the company gets into a mess, he will be the first one to get to work and unclog it ("I'll be the first one to grab the plunger)

He says there is no need to call for help. If it happens (the company gets into a mess) it will be up to both of us to work together and "unclog" the mess.

Please explain the meaning

Sarunnio — Tue, 15 Apr 2008 02:01:24 GMT

Please explain the meaning of the sentence below for me.

These principles have to translate into little and big things. I bought a plunger after a toilet get clogged, and brought it to a sales meeting to illustrate the point. I said, "If the toilet gets clogged, I'll be the first one to grab the plunger. We shouldn't need to hire a janitor to clean up after us because if it is to be, it is up to me - and you."

What does the underlined sentence mean?