ENGLISH IDIOMS– are they different in other languages?
IDIOM– a group of words , established by usage, as having a meaning not deducible from those of the meaning of the individual words expressed. Are they different in other languages? What make English the richest fusion language in the world? It’s idioms; the words and phrases we use to short form every emotional, cultural, sexual, political, marketplace — you know the words we use in situations we don’t want to give a speech about. If you told me to “piss off” I’d know immediately by the tone, and manner of speech, to turn around and tell you to “stick it in your ear” before leaving. Gross or not the meaning of each is clear to the ongoing human comedy. The academic definition of idiom is a “group of words” established by usage and having a meaning not deductible from those of the individual words expressed. Every language has a list. I`d like you to add to my blog list. Send me examples out of your own cultural background that now have a place in our rich Canadian language community and I`ll add it as an addition to the list I have already prepared.
Idioms Idioms
A can of worms have a crack at it
Hit the ground running cuts no ice
Flip side of that pissed off
test of time time flies
Makes my blood boil threw them under the bus
I hope she has a good time kill two birds with one stone
going under the knife never looked back
couldn’t see the forest for the trees there is more than one way to skin a cat
cool as a cucumber put up with
Here`s my take count your blessings
The devil is in the details cherry pick
On board on a roll
Driving me bananas On top of the world
Blessing in disguise I`d never wish that on my worst enemy
Beat around the bush down the drain
A dime a dozen On the one hand, on the other
I see his hand in it Around the corner
around the clock a ton of people
no question about it get out of my hair
that being said falling on deaf ears
off the top of my head comes clean
It`s for the birds Get out of the hole
make ends meet skin in the game
cool with that soft on crime
the rubber meets the road hand over fist
take the bull by the horns run of their feet
happy go lucky an eye for an eye
cold comfort if the shoe were on the other foot
cut right to the chase all the time in the world
fly by the seat of our pants pull my leg
on the table they are not going to buy it
take care of business Do myself in
pull the wool over my eyes eating his lunch
what`s what can you spare a dime?
quick take hoops people have to jump through
par for the course circle the wagon
mask the flavor to be honest with you
I will keep you posted crap shoot
You are full of shit piss off
horn of plenty take it with a grain of salt
take a break I was screwed
not by a long shot it rings a bell
the point is sucker
A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush You can`t teach an old dog new tricks
Idioms amuse and attract me. I have often wondered whether and how different cultures and languages express similar sentiments and ideas. Do we even share the same popular notions that get captured in language? And do they become irrelevant over time? Do young people today even understand the ones I know? Are new ones getting created all the time? I have listed a bunch that come to mind and would love to know whether there are parallel expressions in other languages. I`d love people to write me and I will post their idiom on this blog in with the name of their original language and a translation into English.
Thanks for accommodating me and my SCHTICK. A schtick in Yiddish is like “my thing”, my trait or special talent. My daughter tells me the current popular term for it is “my jam”, a term she is personally not fond of. Please feel free to share this and let`s gather a bunch of “hot ticket items”
If you speak a foreign language well, and have some idioms “UP YOUR SLEEVE” in that language send it to me. Choose a copy of one of my idioms, that means the same thing in your language, but translate your idiom into English, and we will enjoy the translation, and how your language arrives at the same meaning, but the English is different. I would print it and your name unless you want your name left out. Remember to include the language from which your idiom comes from. My e-mail address is murrayrubin.ca to my blog and murray.rubin@sympatico.ca for regular E mail.
