What about these idioms? Are them in fashion or out of fashion?
1. Sorry? I beg your pardon? I didn't quite catch that.
2. She thought I was making fun of her.
3. I really put my foot in it.
4. That has nothing to do with it.
5. You've got the wrong end of the stick.
6. We need something along these lines.
7. Well, if that's the way you feel about it..
9. I'll take your word for it.
10. I checked in yesterday.
11. I'm checking out tomorrow.
12. We pride ourselves on our service.
13. It leaves much to be desired!
14. Who runs this hotel?
15. I need it right away.
16. I'll do it at once.
17. Mind the step.
18. I'll get it straight away.
19. Mind your head.
20. Keep out.
bye bye
1. Sorry? I beg your pardon? I didn't quite catch that.
2. She thought I was making fun of her.
3. I really put my foot in it.
4. That has nothing to do with it.
5. You've got the wrong end of the stick.
6. We need something along these lines.
7. Well, if that's the way you feel about it..
9. I'll take your word for it.
10. I checked in yesterday.
11. I'm checking out tomorrow.
12. We pride ourselves on our service.
13. It leaves much to be desired!
14. Who runs this hotel?
15. I need it right away.
16. I'll do it at once.
17. Mind the step.
18. I'll get it straight away.
19. Mind your head.
20. Keep out.
bye bye
[nq:1]What about these idioms? Are them in fashion or out of fashion? That should be "Are they ...?" 1. Sorry? ... straight away. 19. Mind your head. 20. Keep out. All of these idioms are currently in use in standard English.
Regards, Einde O'Callaghan
Regards, Einde O'Callaghan
Einde O'Callaghan ha scritto nel messaggio ... CUT
Thank you. And what about these?
1. Keep it under your hat.
2. We've got to get to the bottom of this.
3. I can't figure it out.
4. I've been racking my brains.
5. I think I've hit on a solution.
6. That'll do the trick.
You're making a mountain out of a molehill.
Thanks a lot Einde
bye Franco
Thank you. And what about these?
1. Keep it under your hat.
2. We've got to get to the bottom of this.
3. I can't figure it out.
4. I've been racking my brains.
5. I think I've hit on a solution.
6. That'll do the trick.
You're making a mountain out of a molehill.
Thanks a lot Einde
bye Franco
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Dio (Email Removed) writes:
Most of these are not idioms. An idiom is a phrase that is not compositional. "Compositional" means you can figure out the meaning by putting together the meanings of the individual words.
Most of these are compositional, though some of them are metaphoric and others are fixed phrases with specific uses and senses in specific contexts.
These are fixed phrases, and the whole thing is a fixed repair request. The last part is a metaphor ("catch" means "understand").
"Make fun of" is a very mild idiom; it means "tease", and it's pretty clear. Only the "of" is unclear, but it's just there to hook the object onto.
This is a metaphor -- "put one's foot in it" (where "it" means something you don't want to put your foot into) means to say something embarrassing or wrong or insulting or all of the above.
"To do with" means "related to". That is an idiom, but only because "do" has so little meaning that its constructions are always vague. "Have nothing to do with" means "be unrelated to".
Another metaphor. Think of picking up a shovel by the flat metal part.
An idiom, meaning "similar to this".
A fixed phrase to indicate grudging acceptance of someone's attitude. Can be used as a challenge or to change the subject, depending on context and tone of voice. Be careful what you follow this phrase with.
"Give one's word" means to promise; "take one's word" means to accept as true. Words have to do with meaning. Not all that idiomatic; again, pro-verbs like "give" and "take", "do", "make", etc. figure in lots of fixed phrases.
A phrasal verb, most of which are technically idioms, because the particle usually doesn't contribute to the meaning. This means to register at a hotel, or, informally, to visit ("drop in").
To leave a hotel and pay one's bill, or, informally, to die (another metaphor).
An old expression; "pride oneself on" means "take pride in", or "be proud of", which you'd probably also consider idioms. There's "take" again.
A fixed phrase. It's an understatement, and means it's awful. This does come apart OK -- if it leaves much to be desired, then one must still desire much of it, which means it is undesirable as it is. So this shouldn't be that hard to understand, since it's compositional; and it's a fixed phrase, so you can just memorize it. Leave out the bang at the end, though.
"To run" an enterprise means to manage it.
"Right away" is a very common phrase meaning "immediately".
Ditto "at once".
An old verb use; "to mind" means "to bring to mind, to pay attention to". "Mind the step/gap" means "watch out for it"
"Straight away" is a British usage for "right away".
"Watch out for your head", i.e, don't hit it on that thing hanging down.
Another phrasal verb; with "out", "keep" means "stay". I.e, don't come in.
Another fixed phrase, which I guess you understand OK.
Look, practically everything in English usage is a fixed or semifixed phrase, and you just have to learn a lot of them. Sorry, that's the price you pay for a simple morphology. Read a lot, watch TV, and pick up the phrases. These are all very simple ones.
You might find something useful at http://www.umich.edu/~jlawler/aue
-John Lawler -- http://www.umich.edu/~jlawler / -- UM Linguistics Dept -- "Academic integrity still plagues campus" -- Headline, University of Michigan Daily 11/12/02
What about these idioms? Are them in fashion or out of fashion?
Most of these are not idioms. An idiom is a phrase that is not compositional. "Compositional" means you can figure out the meaning by putting together the meanings of the individual words.
Most of these are compositional, though some of them are metaphoric and others are fixed phrases with specific uses and senses in specific contexts.
1. Sorry? I beg your pardon? I didn't quite catch that.
These are fixed phrases, and the whole thing is a fixed repair request. The last part is a metaphor ("catch" means "understand").
2. She thought I was making fun of her.
"Make fun of" is a very mild idiom; it means "tease", and it's pretty clear. Only the "of" is unclear, but it's just there to hook the object onto.
3. I really put my foot in it.
This is a metaphor -- "put one's foot in it" (where "it" means something you don't want to put your foot into) means to say something embarrassing or wrong or insulting or all of the above.
4. That has nothing to do with it.
"To do with" means "related to". That is an idiom, but only because "do" has so little meaning that its constructions are always vague. "Have nothing to do with" means "be unrelated to".
5. You've got the wrong end of the stick.
Another metaphor. Think of picking up a shovel by the flat metal part.
6. We need something along these lines.
An idiom, meaning "similar to this".
7. Well, if that's the way you feel about it..
A fixed phrase to indicate grudging acceptance of someone's attitude. Can be used as a challenge or to change the subject, depending on context and tone of voice. Be careful what you follow this phrase with.
9. I'll take your word for it.
"Give one's word" means to promise; "take one's word" means to accept as true. Words have to do with meaning. Not all that idiomatic; again, pro-verbs like "give" and "take", "do", "make", etc. figure in lots of fixed phrases.
10. I checked in yesterday.
A phrasal verb, most of which are technically idioms, because the particle usually doesn't contribute to the meaning. This means to register at a hotel, or, informally, to visit ("drop in").
11. I'm checking out tomorrow.
To leave a hotel and pay one's bill, or, informally, to die (another metaphor).
12. We pride ourselves on our service.
An old expression; "pride oneself on" means "take pride in", or "be proud of", which you'd probably also consider idioms. There's "take" again.
13. It leaves much to be desired!
A fixed phrase. It's an understatement, and means it's awful. This does come apart OK -- if it leaves much to be desired, then one must still desire much of it, which means it is undesirable as it is. So this shouldn't be that hard to understand, since it's compositional; and it's a fixed phrase, so you can just memorize it. Leave out the bang at the end, though.
14. Who runs this hotel?
"To run" an enterprise means to manage it.
15. I need it right away.
"Right away" is a very common phrase meaning "immediately".
16. I'll do it at once.
Ditto "at once".
17. Mind the step.
An old verb use; "to mind" means "to bring to mind, to pay attention to". "Mind the step/gap" means "watch out for it"
18. I'll get it straight away.
"Straight away" is a British usage for "right away".
19. Mind your head.
"Watch out for your head", i.e, don't hit it on that thing hanging down.
20. Keep out.
Another phrasal verb; with "out", "keep" means "stay". I.e, don't come in.
bye bye
Another fixed phrase, which I guess you understand OK.
Look, practically everything in English usage is a fixed or semifixed phrase, and you just have to learn a lot of them. Sorry, that's the price you pay for a simple morphology. Read a lot, watch TV, and pick up the phrases. These are all very simple ones.
You might find something useful at http://www.umich.edu/~jlawler/aue
-John Lawler -- http://www.umich.edu/~jlawler / -- UM Linguistics Dept -- "Academic integrity still plagues campus" -- Headline, University of Michigan Daily 11/12/02
(Email Removed) spake thus:
All of those are in use in current English.
-- the Omrud --
What about these idioms? Are them in fashion or out of fashion?
All of those are in use in current English.
-- the Omrud --
(Email Removed) spake thus:
Yes, those are all OK as well.
-- the Omrud --
Einde O'Callaghan ha scritto nel messaggio ... CUT Thank you. And what about these?
Yes, those are all OK as well.
-- the Omrud --
Students: Are you brave enough to let our tutors analyse your pronunciation?
the Omrud ha scritto nel messaggio ...
What's another way of saying those expressions?
Let me know please.
Thank you
bye Franco
(Email Removed) spake thus:
What about these idioms? Are them in fashion or out of fashion?
All of those are in use in current English. -- the Omrud --
What's another way of saying those expressions?
Let me know please.
Thank you
bye Franco
[nq:1]What about these idioms? Are them in fashion or out of fashion? 1. Sorry? I beg your pardon? I didn't ... it at once. 17. Mind the step. 18. I'll get it straight away. 19. Mind your head. 20. Keep out.
All of these expressions are up to date in Britain.
(1) is too wordy, though. The shorter "Sorry, I didn't quite catch that" would be better.
(10) and (11) have a distinctly American feel to them. However, it is an Americanism that has now become common in Britain too. The British usually say "I arrived yesterday" and "I shall leave tomorrow". BrE Register = AmE check in. BrE check out = AmE check out, but the British mean only the paying of the bill, handing back the keys, and signing any paperwork. The Americans mean everything to do with the departure, even as far as getting into their car and driving away.
(14) is sometimes used, but usually in a rude and argumentative context. It is most likely to be asked sarcastically by a dissatisfied customer who is asserting that the hotel is badly managed and chaotic. It may also be used sarcastically by hotel staff who are tired of being told every detail of how to do their jobs by an unreasonable and overbearing customer.
If you genuinely want a factual answer to your question, it is better to ask "Which Group operates this hotel?" If you want to speak to the manager, say "Can I speak to the manager, please?"
(20) is acceptable for a notice, but abrupt and rude if spoken. Say instead "Please don't go in there".
Richard Chambers Leeds UK.
All of these expressions are up to date in Britain.
(1) is too wordy, though. The shorter "Sorry, I didn't quite catch that" would be better.
(10) and (11) have a distinctly American feel to them. However, it is an Americanism that has now become common in Britain too. The British usually say "I arrived yesterday" and "I shall leave tomorrow". BrE Register = AmE check in. BrE check out = AmE check out, but the British mean only the paying of the bill, handing back the keys, and signing any paperwork. The Americans mean everything to do with the departure, even as far as getting into their car and driving away.
(14) is sometimes used, but usually in a rude and argumentative context. It is most likely to be asked sarcastically by a dissatisfied customer who is asserting that the hotel is badly managed and chaotic. It may also be used sarcastically by hotel staff who are tired of being told every detail of how to do their jobs by an unreasonable and overbearing customer.
If you genuinely want a factual answer to your question, it is better to ask "Which Group operates this hotel?" If you want to speak to the manager, say "Can I speak to the manager, please?"
(20) is acceptable for a notice, but abrupt and rude if spoken. Say instead "Please don't go in there".
Richard Chambers Leeds UK.
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Hopefully, CyberCypher will read this and understand that not all stock phrases are idioms.
Hopefully, CyberCypher will read this and understand that not all stock phrases are idioms.
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