Here are a few common phrases and expressions used by native speakers of English in their everyday speech.
Word/Expression: to wolf something down
Quick translation: to eat something quickly
Example: "I wolfed down that sandwich so quickly."
My interpretation: Wolves are known for eating their food quickly, for fear that another wolf will get to it before them. So to "wolf something down" is to eat as quickly as a wolf does.
Word/Expression: gotta
Quick translation: to have to/to need to
Example: "I gotta leave now."
Word/Expression: to go (expression used where food is sold)
Quick translation: to carry out/to take out with you
Example: a waiter or salesperson may ask "Would you like (your food) to go?"
Word/Expression: sick (when used to describe a person's mind or an event)
Quick translation: strange or perverted
Example: "That person is sick!" or "What he did to her is sick!"
Word/Expression: What's up?
Quick translation: a very casual way to say "Hi" or "How are you?" or "What is happening here?"
Word/Expression: handy
Quick translation: very useful, very industrious, or able to fix things themself
Example: "Her husband is very handy around the house."
Word/Expression: to catch a taxi / cab
to hail a cab/taxi
Quick translation: to get a taxi / cab
Example: "Let's catch a taxi to the restaurant."
Word/Expression: to catch a TV show/newstory/conversation
Quick translation: to hear or see something
Example: "Did you catch the news last night?"
Word/Expression: to have time
Quick translation: to have sufficient available time
Example: "If we have time, we can stay at the bar until 11:00 p.m."
Word/Expression: to threaten to kill someone
Quick translation: to be very mad with someone
Example: "I'm going to kill her when I see her."
Word/Expression: "Whatever floats your boat."
Quick translation: whatever pleases you
Example: "I'd prefer to go on Sunday." Response: "OK, whatever floats your boat."
Word/Expression: shaky/sketchy
Quick translation: unsafe, unclear, not a good idea
Examples: "I'm not sure what my boss wants me to do. His directions were a bit sketchy." OR "Should you go there? Isn't that neighborhood a bit shaky/sketchy?"
Word/Expression: "I'm outta here" (I am out of here)
Quick translation: I am leaving now
Word/Expression: guy/guys
Quick translation: a man/a group of men or a group of men AND women.
Examples: "Hi guys (men and/OR women)... what's up?" "That guy (man only) is strange." "Those guys (men, or group of men and women) are also coming with us."
Further clarification: Guy (singular) can only refer to a MAN. Guys (plural) can apply to a group of men and/or women.
Word/Expression: to double-check
Quick translation: to re-check or verify
Example: "You should double-check our bank account balance before we plan our vacation trip."
Word/Expression: "You gotta be kidding me."
Quick translation: "You must be joking." OR "What you are saying cannot be true."
Word/Expression: gonna (pronounced like "gunna")
Quick translation: going to ....
Example: "I'm gonna clean the bathroom today."
Thursday, May 15, 2008
Wednesday, May 7, 2008
Ang ALAMAT Ng mga Bundok ng Tsokolate
Sinasabi na noong unang panahon sa pulo ng Bohol sa Kabisayaan, ang lupa ay malawak nguni't tigang- Namimitak ang bukirin kapag tag-init at tunay na pagpapawisan ang sinumang magtatangkang tumahak sa patag na lupaing iyon. Ngunit kapag tag-ulan naman ay putikan ito. Sa tagsibol lamang ng palay lumalamig sa paningin ang mga luntiang tanim sa lupa.
Ngunit isang araw, ayon sa matatanda, sa magkabilang ibayo ng pulo ay dumating ang dalawang higante. Nanggaling ang isa sa gawing timog, ang isa naman ay sa hilaga. Nangatakot ang mga tao at sila ay lumisan patungo sa ibang bahagi ng pulo. Anupa't di nagtagal at nagtagpo ang dalawa.
“Hoy! Higanteng pulpol! Lupain ko ito, ang sabi ng Timog Higante. Umalis ka na at humanap ng sarili mong bayang aangkinin.”
“Hindi maaari! Nauna ako dito,” sagot ng Higanteng Hilaga. “Kung gusto mo, ay ikaw ang umalis.”
“Hindi ako makapapayag,” sabay padyak na wika ng isa. Yumanig ang kapaligiran.
“Aba! Lalo naman ako!,” palundag na sigaw ng nagngingitngit na higante.
At dahil katatapus-tapos pa lamang ng tag-ulan noon ay pumulot si Higanteng Hilaga ng putik at ibinato kay Timog. Bumilog din si Timog Higante ng bolang putik at ibinato kay Hilaga. Bakbakang umaatikabo!!! Nagmasid na lamang ang mga tao sa paghahamok ng dalawa. Talagang matira ang matibay. Ngunit tila walang matibay. Walang natira sa dalawa. Sa tindi ng pagod sa pakikipaglaban at pagbabatuhan ang dalawa ay kapwa natimbuwang na wala nang buhay.
Ang natira ay tumpuk-tumpok na bolang putik na kanilang ipinagbabato sa isa't isa.
Bumalik ang mga taong-bayan. Namuhay silang matahimik. Ang labing mga bunduk-bundukan kapag tag-araw ay animo tumpok ng kending tsokolate kung kung pagmamasdan sa papawirin. Ngunit ang mga ito ay naggagandahang bulubunduking luntian pagkatapos ng tag-ulan.
Ngunit isang araw, ayon sa matatanda, sa magkabilang ibayo ng pulo ay dumating ang dalawang higante. Nanggaling ang isa sa gawing timog, ang isa naman ay sa hilaga. Nangatakot ang mga tao at sila ay lumisan patungo sa ibang bahagi ng pulo. Anupa't di nagtagal at nagtagpo ang dalawa.
“Hoy! Higanteng pulpol! Lupain ko ito, ang sabi ng Timog Higante. Umalis ka na at humanap ng sarili mong bayang aangkinin.”
“Hindi maaari! Nauna ako dito,” sagot ng Higanteng Hilaga. “Kung gusto mo, ay ikaw ang umalis.”
“Hindi ako makapapayag,” sabay padyak na wika ng isa. Yumanig ang kapaligiran.
“Aba! Lalo naman ako!,” palundag na sigaw ng nagngingitngit na higante.
At dahil katatapus-tapos pa lamang ng tag-ulan noon ay pumulot si Higanteng Hilaga ng putik at ibinato kay Timog. Bumilog din si Timog Higante ng bolang putik at ibinato kay Hilaga. Bakbakang umaatikabo!!! Nagmasid na lamang ang mga tao sa paghahamok ng dalawa. Talagang matira ang matibay. Ngunit tila walang matibay. Walang natira sa dalawa. Sa tindi ng pagod sa pakikipaglaban at pagbabatuhan ang dalawa ay kapwa natimbuwang na wala nang buhay.
Ang natira ay tumpuk-tumpok na bolang putik na kanilang ipinagbabato sa isa't isa.
Bumalik ang mga taong-bayan. Namuhay silang matahimik. Ang labing mga bunduk-bundukan kapag tag-araw ay animo tumpok ng kending tsokolate kung kung pagmamasdan sa papawirin. Ngunit ang mga ito ay naggagandahang bulubunduking luntian pagkatapos ng tag-ulan.
Misplaced Modifiers
Misplaced Modifiers
A modifier is a word or a phrase that describes something else. You should place it as close as possible to what it describes. If you don't, your intended meaning may not be clear. Consider the unintentional meanings in the following:
O The young girl was walking the dog in a short skirt.
O The dog was chasing the boy with a spiked collar.
You can see what's wrong. The dog isn't "in a short skirt" and the boy doesn't have a "spiked collar." Because the modifier is misplaced, we have to think for a minute before we get the intended meaning. The correct versions are:
O The young girl in a short skirt was walking the dog.
O The dog with the spiked collar was chasing the boy.
See how the proper placement clarifies the meaning?
You also need to watch the placement of modifiers such as almost, even, hardly, nearly, often, and only. A couple of examples should be enough:
1. Big Dog almost ran around the yard twenty times.
2. He nearly ate a whole box of treats.
In both sentences--when he "almost ran" and "nearly ate"--nothing happened! He didn't quite get around to doing either thing. What is intended is:
1. Big Dog ran around the yard almost twenty times.
2. He ate nearly a whole box of treats.
Remember: if you give your readers a chance to interpret something in more than one way, they'll usually get it wrong! By placing your modifiers correctly, you'll eliminate this possibility and have a better chance of getting your point across.
A modifier is a word or a phrase that describes something else. You should place it as close as possible to what it describes. If you don't, your intended meaning may not be clear. Consider the unintentional meanings in the following:
O The young girl was walking the dog in a short skirt.
O The dog was chasing the boy with a spiked collar.
You can see what's wrong. The dog isn't "in a short skirt" and the boy doesn't have a "spiked collar." Because the modifier is misplaced, we have to think for a minute before we get the intended meaning. The correct versions are:
O The young girl in a short skirt was walking the dog.
O The dog with the spiked collar was chasing the boy.
See how the proper placement clarifies the meaning?
You also need to watch the placement of modifiers such as almost, even, hardly, nearly, often, and only. A couple of examples should be enough:
1. Big Dog almost ran around the yard twenty times.
2. He nearly ate a whole box of treats.
In both sentences--when he "almost ran" and "nearly ate"--nothing happened! He didn't quite get around to doing either thing. What is intended is:
1. Big Dog ran around the yard almost twenty times.
2. He ate nearly a whole box of treats.
Remember: if you give your readers a chance to interpret something in more than one way, they'll usually get it wrong! By placing your modifiers correctly, you'll eliminate this possibility and have a better chance of getting your point across.
Things we should know
Metaphor
Transferring to one word the sense of another. One thing is likened to another as if it were the other.
Examples: Screaming headlines, He made an ass of himself, it stirred our emotions, Life is a lark.
Allegory
A story where people, things or happenings have another meaning, used in teaching or explaining.
Examples: The ship of state has sailed through rougher storms than the tempest of these lobbyists.
Example of Allegory
The Faerie Queene
by
Edmund Spenser
Lo I the man, whose Muse whilome did maske,
As time her taught, in lowly Shepheards weeds,
Am now enforst a far vnfitter taske,
For trumpets sterne to chaunge mine Oaten reeds,
And sing of Knights and Ladies gentle deeds;
Whose prayses hauing slept in silence long,
Me, all too meane, the sacred Muse areeds
To blazon broad emongst her learned throng:
Fierce warres and faithfull loues shall moralize my song.
Parable
To throw beside, to compare. A story with a moral or enigmatic saying.
Examples:
Firefly's Light: A Parable on letting your light shine
Firefly is proud of the light on his tail. He is so proud he shows off and brags. He soon discovers that it is better to just let his light shine than to try to shine his light.
Esmeralda's Crown: A parable on living for JesusEsmerelda is a child of God. She lives her life for Him. When she gets to heaven she receives her crown of life. But what she does with her crown may be a surprise.
Fable
A fiction tale in which animals or other creatures are used to convey a meaning.
Examples:
"A famished fox saw some clusters of ripe black grapes hanging from a trellised vine. She resorted to all her tricks to get at them, but wearied herself in vain, for she could not reach them. At last she turned away, hiding her disappointment and saying: 'The Grapes are sour, and not ripe as I thought.'"
"A fox, seeing some sour grapes hanging within an inch of his nose, and being unwilling to admit that there was anything he would not eat, solemnly declared that they were out of his reach."
Euphemism
To use an auspicious word for an inauspicious word, a less distasteful word for another that is crude.
Examples: He passed away.
They are going to the powder room.
Onomatopoeia
To make a word by imitating the sound or noise of the object.
Examples:
The buzzing of innumerable bees
The "zz" and "mm" sounds in these words imitate the actual sounds of bees.
hiss, splash, bong, clack, splat, swish,
Personification
Where a person represents some quality, thing or idea,
Examples: Cupid, the Wise Old Man, The Greek Gods.
Necklace is a friend
"Necklace is a friend" is an example of personification because Necklace is a thing, and necklaces cannot be friends. Only living things can have friends.
"Wind yells while blowing"
"Wind yells while blowing" is an example of personification because wind cannot yell. Only a living thing can yell.
Examples:
Irony
Humorous or sarcastic expression where the meaning of the words is the exact opposite.
Examples: It was ironic that the fireboat burned and sank
Maybe this will help you a person that’s blind finds another who is also blind but successful and heirs the irony the blind hobo was the cause of the rich guys blindness.
Simile
Examples: The icecicles shimmered like precious diamonds .
The falling snow was as beautiful as butterflies fluttering around a flower garden .
Hyperbole
Greek- Throwing beyond excess, exaggeration for effect.
Examples: That story is as old as time.
My sister uses much make-up so she broke a chisel trying to get it off last night!"
Synecdoche
When the whole is substituted for the part or part for the whole.
Examples: Man does not live by bread alone.
Tiger Christ unsheathed his sword,
Threw it down, became a lamb.
Swift spat upon the species, but
Took two women to his heart.
Samson who was strong as death
Paid his strength to kiss a slut.
Othello that stiff warrior
Was broken by a woman's...
Transferring to one word the sense of another. One thing is likened to another as if it were the other.
Examples: Screaming headlines, He made an ass of himself, it stirred our emotions, Life is a lark.
Allegory
A story where people, things or happenings have another meaning, used in teaching or explaining.
Examples: The ship of state has sailed through rougher storms than the tempest of these lobbyists.
Example of Allegory
The Faerie Queene
by
Edmund Spenser
Lo I the man, whose Muse whilome did maske,
As time her taught, in lowly Shepheards weeds,
Am now enforst a far vnfitter taske,
For trumpets sterne to chaunge mine Oaten reeds,
And sing of Knights and Ladies gentle deeds;
Whose prayses hauing slept in silence long,
Me, all too meane, the sacred Muse areeds
To blazon broad emongst her learned throng:
Fierce warres and faithfull loues shall moralize my song.
Parable
To throw beside, to compare. A story with a moral or enigmatic saying.
Examples:
Firefly's Light: A Parable on letting your light shine
Firefly is proud of the light on his tail. He is so proud he shows off and brags. He soon discovers that it is better to just let his light shine than to try to shine his light.
Esmeralda's Crown: A parable on living for JesusEsmerelda is a child of God. She lives her life for Him. When she gets to heaven she receives her crown of life. But what she does with her crown may be a surprise.
Fable
A fiction tale in which animals or other creatures are used to convey a meaning.
Examples:
"A famished fox saw some clusters of ripe black grapes hanging from a trellised vine. She resorted to all her tricks to get at them, but wearied herself in vain, for she could not reach them. At last she turned away, hiding her disappointment and saying: 'The Grapes are sour, and not ripe as I thought.'"
"A fox, seeing some sour grapes hanging within an inch of his nose, and being unwilling to admit that there was anything he would not eat, solemnly declared that they were out of his reach."
Euphemism
To use an auspicious word for an inauspicious word, a less distasteful word for another that is crude.
Examples: He passed away.
They are going to the powder room.
Onomatopoeia
To make a word by imitating the sound or noise of the object.
Examples:
The buzzing of innumerable bees
The "zz" and "mm" sounds in these words imitate the actual sounds of bees.
hiss, splash, bong, clack, splat, swish,
Personification
Where a person represents some quality, thing or idea,
Examples: Cupid, the Wise Old Man, The Greek Gods.
Necklace is a friend
"Necklace is a friend" is an example of personification because Necklace is a thing, and necklaces cannot be friends. Only living things can have friends.
"Wind yells while blowing"
"Wind yells while blowing" is an example of personification because wind cannot yell. Only a living thing can yell.
Examples:
Irony
Humorous or sarcastic expression where the meaning of the words is the exact opposite.
Examples: It was ironic that the fireboat burned and sank
Maybe this will help you a person that’s blind finds another who is also blind but successful and heirs the irony the blind hobo was the cause of the rich guys blindness.
Simile
Examples: The icecicles shimmered like precious diamonds .
The falling snow was as beautiful as butterflies fluttering around a flower garden .
Hyperbole
Greek- Throwing beyond excess, exaggeration for effect.
Examples: That story is as old as time.
My sister uses much make-up so she broke a chisel trying to get it off last night!"
Synecdoche
When the whole is substituted for the part or part for the whole.
Examples: Man does not live by bread alone.
Tiger Christ unsheathed his sword,
Threw it down, became a lamb.
Swift spat upon the species, but
Took two women to his heart.
Samson who was strong as death
Paid his strength to kiss a slut.
Othello that stiff warrior
Was broken by a woman's...
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