Idioms - Blog Posts
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"Speak of the wolf and the wolf is (coming) into the house" (Про вовка промовка а вовк і в хату) This is literally the "Speak of the devil" but with with a wolf. People don`t even use the second part about the house. They just say: "Speak of the wolf". Perhaps comes from long gone supestitions of not mentioning dangerous animals as if to not "manifest" them coming to you. Its literally the reason the original word for Bear is lost. People genuinely were afraid to call the dangerous beast by it`s name, replacing it will nicknames.
There is a saying in Ukrainian: "Tell an idiot to pray and he`s gonna smash his head" (Скажи дурню молитися і він голову розіб'є). Sometimes you can just say the firs half since everyone already know the second one. It comes. Context is It comes from the tradition of bowing/kneeling during prayer. And it can have two meanings:
No matter how easy, simple or straightforward the task is, a stupid person will still find a way to screw it up...somehow. Kinda like the phraze "You had ONE job, dude!"
No matter how healthy, constructive, well-intentioned, moral, wize, demure or logical the idea/cause/midset, an idiot will still find a way to either: a) completely misunderstand/distort it/miss the entire point....and screw it up, or b) go copletely overboard with no measure....and screw it up
This isn`t even related to anything specific in my life or on the internet, i just REALLY REALLY wanted to share some cool sayings/idioms from my language. Maybe language and folklore nerds will like it. Maybe writers and worldbuilders will get some cool inspiration for the way characters speak. Maybe i will just spread the good will of funny shit in my language and culture. I will post some more of these
I bought my friend an elephant for their room.
They said “Thank you.”
I said “Don’t mention it.”
The Moon rises from the west. Artwork💖😗
I changed the sun to the moon ♡ from the idiom "The sun rises in the west" — Meaning, people say this when they don't expect something to happen.
But it can also be used when suddenly everything you know, changes! Like when a friend you know who never exercises, starts exercising— You can say "Oh my god, did the sun rise from the west today"
Or I'm making stuff up🤷♀️😗💖 Bless yall!!!
#foreshadowing ♡♡♡ while writing a story
Use that idiom properly
So you just learned a new idiomatic expression and you know that the best way to remember is to try to use it. You have to tread carefully and make sure it comes out sounding naturally. While most people will forgive you for making a mistake, you run the risk of forever using it incorrectly after that.
For instance Jun picked up the phrase, " a fish out of water", which means to feel out of place in a setting. It is usually used when talking about a human's feelings but he accidentally used it talking about an object that was out of place in the office. "That clock next to the door is like a fish out of water," he says. His colleagues know that he is trying, so no one corrects him and just nod awkwardly. After that he continues to use it in the same context to the point that it becomes habitual and it is tough to stop once he becomes aware of the situation.
So how to avoid it? Here are some ideas;
Listen actively, try to catch how other people use the expression
Google the new phrase, maybe you will find a video using it.
Ask a teacher or strong English speaker
Read! It's a great way to feed not only new vocabulary but also ideas of how to use words and phrases.
And, on the other side, if you are a bit higher level than your friend or coworker, it doesn't hurt to correct them.
Don't let this post make you feel anxious about using the new expression, you have to make mistakes to learn. Just take the time to research it and always communicate with open ears and an open mind.
Don't overdo it!
It's important to commit to our work or our studies and exert a maximum effort. But it's also important to take a step back, breathe and assess what we are doing. Make sure you have ME time, whether it is to sit down for a coffee, go to a hot spring, go for a walk, hit a punching bag or just sleep in on Sunday.
Here are some simple expressions talking about relaxation and stress;
Don't overdo it - Make sure you don't work too hard. Take care of yourself.
Hang in there! - The Japanese have an expression 'ganbare' which they always say. If you are going through a tough or busy time, do your best!
Take Five - Take a break
To ride out a storm- remember the movie Forrest Gump when Lt. Dan sat on the mast of their boat while the storm pelted them? He fought through the potentially damaging situation and came out ahead. That is what this means.
Idioms, a key part of language
I noticed a lot of textbooks don't have enough idioms. Particularly on a junior level. It's kind of crazy when you consider how common they are in our daily conversation in the realm of natural English.
So, here are a few that might be of interest to students;
When it rains it pours -> This can be used in both negative and positive situations. We use this to describe that when one thing happens, another or a few events seem to follow. For instance a student came down with COVID 19 and her air conditioning broke down a day later. When it rains, it pours, eh?
Kill two birds with one stone -> This idiom meaning to accomplish two things in one action is easy to imagine. In fact there is a similar idiom in Japanese, as there is for the previous one, so when your students study this, they will say, 'oh, I get it!'
When life gives you lemons, make lemonade. -> This is more of a proverb than an idiom but it is a good way to encourage positive thinking. The basic idea is when you are met with trouble (lemons), you should do you best to turn it into a positive situation (refreshing lemonade).
Take it on the chin -> When you are down or something bad happens to you, accept the situation and don't complain or turn it into a big problem. Be positive even in adversity.
I like to focus on positive expressions and situation as sometimes learning a language can feel like a very negative situation, especially for some beginners.
Teachers can teach idioms by making a guessing game (can you guess the meaning of this idiom), or finding ways to draw these out in the course of discussion in class. Make sure the students make a note and try to quiz them later or provide them with an opportunity to use them in a class.