Search results for 'tag:Negatives tag:Idioms' matching tags 'Negatives' and 'Idioms'

Re: Differences between English and your native language

Kooyeen — Sat, 15 Mar 2008 17:38:51 GMT

Hi CB,
I wouldn't know where to start! English grammar is pretty different from Italian grammar. However, there are a lot of similar words (one example: government - governo), and several similar structures and idioms. The problem is that there are also several false friends, and lots of features that are very confusing because they wouldn't make sense in Italian.

One example is prepositions: on the net, on a pc, in a movie, in a dictionary, in a newspaper... in Italian you could use either "in" or "on" (nel, nella, etc / sul, sulla, etc.), and no one would notice (I hope so, lol). I always have to be careful to use the right prepositions in English, in Italian I pick one at random, lol.

Then there are tricky words like "any" and "some", which in Italian are both "del, delle, etc.", so you don't have to choose. The same is true of "few" and "little" (=un po'), and for "already" and "yet" (=giÃ )... and many other things I don't remember right now.

And there are a lot more tricky things, like negative questions (we use negative questions to sound "casual" and "polite", but in English they sound completely different), genderless pronouns (in Italian it's so simple, it just depends whether the noun is masculine or feminine, so death is a "she", and hate is a "he"), etc.

Anyway, don't think Italian is simple... it's really a mess. And there are a lot of regional differences, REALLY a lot. Just think that I hardly ever speak Italian, so I wouldn't say my Italian is very good at all.

Re: John put a squeeze on Mary.

Angliholic — Mon, 04 Feb 2008 06:40:59 GMT

Rachelanne wrote:

"put the squeeze on" is an idiom meaning put pressure on them. (with a negative conatation)

"to sqeeze someone " simply means just that Hug or squeeze with the hand.

Thanks, HT and Rachelanne.

Got it!

Re: John put a squeeze on Mary.

Rachelanne — Mon, 04 Feb 2008 04:16:32 GMT

"put the squeeze on" is an idiom meaning put pressure on them. (with a negative conatation)

"to sqeeze someone " simply means just that Hug or squeeze with the hand.

Re: "Any of the bits"

CalifJim — Sat, 01 Dec 2007 02:55:36 GMT

There are quite a few idioms where tell is not used exactly the same as in to tell someone something.

The following are usually negative and usually followed by an indirect question or a that clause. These mean that something is not obvious or easily seen by the subject of the sentence.

can't tell / not be able to tell / impossible to tell (if ..., whether ..., how many ..., which ..., where ..., when ..., that ...)

I can't tell what it says on that sign. I must need new glasses.
Judy was unable to tell where the dress had been torn and repaired.
No one could tell that the violinist made a mistake.
___________

Note the idiom not be able to tell the difference.

Sherry said that she had put too much salt in the stew, but I'm sure that nobody else could tell the difference.
___________

The affirmative form can tell means that something is obvious, easily seen.

I can tell that you've passed the exam. You look very happy.
You can tell when the dog is hungry. He lies by his dish and looks up hopefully every time anyone passes by.
I could tell that Jake was nervous when he gave his speech.

CJ

Re: without thinking

CalifJim — Sun, 23 Sep 2007 07:36:02 GMT

The idiom without thinking is usually thought of as negative. It means something like thoughtlessly.

I'm sure he didn't mean to insult you. He just made that remark without thinking.

The words without thinking can, of course, be used literally.

He is so smart he can multiply numbers in his head practically without thinking.

CJ

Re: I don't mean you any harm

Terr3 — Thu, 02 Aug 2007 07:29:58 GMT

Hi Philip!

I take it as 'I don't intend you any harm' is simply wrong. As a matter of fact, 'mean ... any harm' this is one whole idiom.

Hi CalifJim!

From your given examples, it seems to me that using 'mean' in this grammaric form is limited only followed by several negative behaviors, although I'm not certain if positive ones could involve. Examples:

I don't mean you any harm
I don't mean you any disrespect
I don't mean you any trouble

-Terr

Re: A few grammer doubts.

Feebs11 — Wed, 01 Aug 2007 11:43:39 GMT

Simi wrote:
Hi,

I have a couple of doubts:

1. "I've been meaning to tell you".

Why has it ("meaning to") been used this way? Can someone explain me how can i use it more often, in general? I have been intending to ...
I have been intending to/meaning to go shopping
I have been intending to/meaning to read the new Harry Potter

2. People use sentences like:

a) Could it be more interesting?

        I comprehend it as "Its most interesting" being said emphatically. That is superlative form of the adjective is used, like the use of "most" in the way I understand it. Am I right? "More" is used to make a comparative. "Could it be interesting?" > Could it be more interesting?"

b) "I couldn't agree more".

       My logic of understanding does not apply here, as a negative is being used. Please explain. I am tempted to say just take this as an idiom! "More" here is "to a greater extent".

3. I had studied in junior high that in a sentence, there should not be usage of negatives more than once, still I've come across sentences like:

                            "He is not no idiot.".

                            "There ain't no particular way."

Isn't this kinda usage wrong? If it's correct, then how? These are double negatives, which logically will produce a positive statement.   [He is] not [no idiot] = He is stupid/an idiot      [There is] not [no particular way] = There is a particular way.
It is incorrect, but commonly spoken. Do not use in formal language.

4. Shania Twain's song goes:

                            "That don't impress me much".

Shouldn't that be "That doesn't impress me much"? Formally yes, but this is a song, and they can often ignore formal grammar.

Thanks!

Re: be in-your-face?

Philip — Wed, 18 Jul 2007 23:31:22 GMT

JCDenton wrote:

Hi Guys,

My big apology, that I'm disturbing again. But I got stuck at the right meaning of this idiom....If one man will ask another one

Is there anything that's gotten more in-your-face?

Please what is the point of this sentence? I checked the web page thefreedictionary.com for this idiom and there is being written, that idiom in-your-face describes something that's difficult to ignore. But I wonder, how would you translate this sentence. I'm hesitating between these:

- Is there anything suspicious, that you noticed? or Is there anything globally suspicious?

You, know, I don't understand with who is this idiom being related. If it points to the particular attender of the dialog or whether is points to everyone.

many thanks in advance.

JCD

Think of an adversary who is yelling at you, red in the face, and making you very uncomfortable. In-your-face in usually a negative way of expresssing something that is so obvious that one cannot very well ignore it.

Re: GET AROUND TO IT

Grammar Geek — Mon, 12 Mar 2007 13:28:01 GMT

Hi Fran,

Like most idioms, adding or subracting a few words will change the entire meaning. To "get around to it" is entirely different from just "geting around."

If you get around a lot, it can simly mean you travel widely, or that you have "your thumb in a lot of pies" (that you are involved in many activities). Someone says to you "How did you know about that?" and you reply with a wink, "Oh, I get around."

A lesser-used meaning can even has a rather negative sense of having a lot of sexual partners - "Yeah, she, uh, she gets around, if you know what I mean." (Context and tone of voice will tell you if that's the intended meaning, but in most cases it won't be.)

Re: Any dictionary - Exception to the rule?

Freedom008 — Wed, 07 Feb 2007 03:01:50 GMT

Kooyeen wrote:
Hi,
this is the problem: in negative sentences we usually use any + plural noun. I don't have any sisters (not "any sister", at least in common contexts). I was pretty confident, but look:

I didn't find that idiom in any dictionary.

Is it dictionary or dictionaries? If it's dictionary, then it's not true that we should always use any + plural noun in negative senteces... maybe we should use any + plural only when any + plural noun is the object of the verb? I'm pretty confused now...

Thanks

The main point is the different structure of two sentensences. The first on is do not + any sisters,this sentencese is trying to show the point you dont have sister(use plural). The second one is do not + at/in+ any dictionary,this is trying to describe that

it is impossibe to find the idiom form the any one dictinary(one of many dictionary).