Hi folks, today I’m going to introduce you our new collaborator. Adam participates in a lot of activities: he works in a law firm, is one of the administrators for Wikipedia and teaches English as a second language. So, now it’s your turn Adam. Welcome to English Experts.Hello, I would like to write today about idioms. Idioms, according to the American Heritage Dictionary are speech forms that are in peculiar to themselves within the usage of a given language, or in layman’s terms, untranslatable phrases. I would like to give you today 13 idiomatic expressions that I have selected. (one for each letter of the alphabet A-M). In my next installment, you will be able to read 13 more idioms to complete the alphabet.

A - apple of my eye
My definition: The apple of your eye is someone that you adore.
Example sentence: You are the apple of my eye.

B - back seat driver
My definition: A back seat driver is someone who gives unwanted criticism to the driver of a vehicle about the way they drive. I suppose that the back seat driver could be in the front as a passenger, but traditionally, the person is behind the driver.
Example sentence: Whenever my mother rides in my car, she becomes a back seat driver.

C - catch-22
My definition: A contradictory statement or situation; a paradox.
Example sentence: I would like to work in Information Technology, but there is a catch-22. I can’t work in IT if I don’t have any experience, and I can’t get any experience if I don’t work in the field.

D - dropping like flies
My definition: Suddenly falling dead or ill in large numbers.
Example sentence: The football players were dropping like flies on that hot summer day.

E - excuse my French
My definition: Something you can say to ask for an apology after swearing.
Example sentence: Excuse my brother’s French, he didn’t realize the company that he was in.

F - face the music
My definition: To receive the consequences of one’s actions.
Example sentence: The criminal was a fugitive for nearly ten years. He was caught yesterday, and now it’s time for him to face the music.

G - go the extra mile
My definition: To go above and beyond what is expected of you.
Example sentence: Barbara’s going the extra mile finally paid off this year when she received a nice raise.

H - hell in a handbasket
My definition: This is what happens when everything goes wrong.
Example sentence: In the plant supervisors’ absence, the plant went to hell in a handbasket. Production decreased by 50%.

I - I wash my hands of it
My definition: To be done with something, to be blameless.
Example sentence: There were many executives of the Enron Corporation that tried to wash their hands of their role in the company’s demise, but it was too late.

J - jaywalking
My definition: To cross the street away from crosswalks.
Example sentence: Jaywalking can get you a fine on the West Coast of the US, but the police “turn a blind eye” to it on the East Coast.

K - kick the bucket
My definition: To die.
Example sentence: My neighbor finally kicked the bucket when he was 105 years old.

L - last but not least
My definition: When a series of names is read, one can say, “last but not least.” This means that the final name read is no less important than the ones read before it.
Example sentence: And, last but not least, I present to you Emily who is a national Rhodes Scholar.

M - murphy’s Law
My definition: Anything that can go wrong will go wrong.
Example sentence: It’s Murphy’s Law that a buttered piece of toast always lands butter side down.

See idiomsite for a full list of idioms and etymologies.

Until next time,

Adam

Next: 13 Idioms - From N to Z

In my most recent posts I have been talking about different kinds of talk we engage in. There are some verbal expressions involving the word talk and an adjective or adverb.To sweet talk someone is to flatter them and say nice things in order to manipulate them in some way. When a person is in the wrong and gets caught, he may try to sweet talk his way out of the negative consequences. “Don’t try to sweet talk me” is a standard response when the person who was wronged does not want to be charmed into forgetting about his or her injury. A man may try to sweet talk a woman (feed her sentimental or flattering pick-up lines) to get a date.

Fast talking is talking slick, using smooth lines to persuade or convince or mislead or get (obtain) something. Salesmen are accused of fast talking potential customers to boost sales. Usage: “He tried to fast talk me into making a deal that I didn’t want because it was not in my best interest.”

Baby talk is gaa, gaa, goo, goo or speech that imitates the way babies sound when they try to communicate (emerging developmental speech sounds). Baby talk is also called motherese when used by adults addressing infants and is sometimes used between lovers affectionately.

Girl talk conversation that interests women. We talk about make-up, fashion, life issues such as menopause, raising children, and even men.

Happy talk according to wikipedia is the upbeat commentary that news anchors use during news broadcasts to transition from one news story to the next. Last night on the news I heard them mention “happy talk” as a synonym for politicians putting a “positive spin” on negative events.

Double talk is meaningless, ambiguous verbalizing used by politicians and salesmen to distract or impress potential clients or constituents.

Beijinhos,

Mary

Last week I wrote about the word talk. Here are some more collocations that I hope you may like.COMMON EXPRESSIONS

There is small talk, the mundane chit chat that people engage in at cocktail parties to break the ice. Topics for small talk include the weather, sports, hobbies, and news events of general interest.

Small talk is to be differentiated from shop talk, discussing your work with friends outside of work hours.

The infamous pillow talk, intimate talk between the sheets (among lovers) is the stuff espionage movies are made of, and it received national attention when it was feared that the presidential pillow talk would create national security leaks (breaches).

The coach of a sports team gives his squad a pep talk to motivate them. Parents and teachers often give pep talks to their charges to lift their spirits when they are down and they need some extra encouragement.

WHEN TO USE THE DEFINITE ARTICLE THE AND THE INDEFINITE ARTICLE A

If you have the talk, as opposed to have a talk (conversation) you are sitting your son or daughter down to explain the facts of life (the birds and the bees, human reproduction and gender specific attitudes regarding sexuality). (Remember that to give a talk means to present an academic lecture, dar uma palestra).

That’s it for now.

ttyl (= talk to you later)

Beijinhos falantes,

Mary Ziller - USA