Tongue in Cheek

Idiom: tongue in cheek; used as an adjective or adverb

First Example:

Helen: What did you get me for my birthday?

Rick: Tickets to see One Direction!                                          

Helen: You're kidding, right?

Rick:  No.  You said you liked them.

Helen: Yeah, but I said it tongue in cheek. I can't believe you took me seriously!

Rick:  I'll admit, I'm kind of glad.  I thought it was a strange band for a 35-year-old woman to like.

Helen: Yeah, well, hopefully you can sell them and buy me a real present.

Meaning: When an American says that something was said "tongue on cheek," it means that the statement is meant to be understood as ironic and humorous.  It can be used as an adverb (as above) or an adject.  In the example above, Rick believed Helen when she said she liked the boy band One Direction, but he didn't realize she was making a joke, so he bought her tickets for her birthday.  This is a common problem when Americans say things "tongue in cheek." Here is another example using the phrase as an adjective:

Jen: Hey John. How was your weekend?

John: It was great!  Like I texted you, I took my grandmother to the opera on Saturday, and then...

Jen: Wait, you mean that wasn't a tongue in cheek text? You really took your grandmother to the opera?

John: Yeah, she and I both love Bizet, and they're doing Carmen.  It's a great production.  I thought it was strange that you responded back with "LOL."

Jen: I didn't realize you liked opera. Huh, you learn something new every day.

Meaning: In this case, John told Jen via text that he was going to an opera with his grandmother, but Jen thought the text John sent was a "tongue in cheek" joke, so she responded with "LOL" ("Laugh Out Loud").   In this case, John was not being ironic as he actually likes opera.  Notice that this example uses the expression as an adjective, whereas the previous example used the expression as an adverb.

This week, we have been covering strange/humorous American idioms in honor of our new favorite blog,  Venezuela Sayings.

For more information, please visit www.languagesystems.edu

To fall off the back of a truck

Idiom: to fall off the back of a truck; used as a verb ("must" being a noun).

 First Example:

Christina: Ooh, I like that phone.  Can I see it?

Salesman: Sure! And it's a great price! Only $100.                  

Christina: Wow, that's cheap for a new phone. Is it used?

Salesman:  No, it's brand new.

Christina: Then why are there pictures on it of someone's kid?

Salesman:  Maybe it fell of the back of a truck.

Christina: I'm sorry - I can't purchase stolen goods.  But thanks!

Meaning: When an American says that something "fell off the back of a truck," it means that the item is stolen property.  One common usage is like the one above, when a person will state euphemistically that something "fell off the back of a truck" to suggest that something is stolen without admitting to selling stolen goods (which is illegal).  In the example above, the salesman is telling Christina that the phone might be stolen, but without admitting anything wrong.  However, while the idiom was initially used to euphemistically admit that something was stolen, it is now sometimes used in everyday English to replace "stolen" even though no admission of guilt is being avoided.  Here is another example:

Maria: Wow, Daniel! That's a nice bike!  Where did you get it?

Daniel: I bought it from a guy in an alley in downtown.

Maria: Did it falloff the back of a truck?

Daniel: I didn't think of that; it was pretty cheap.  Think I should go by the police station and see if anyone has reported it stolen?

Maria: Probably a good idea. And who knows - if it is stolen, maybe the owner will give you what you paid for it as a reward.

Meaning: In this case, Maria asks if the bike could be stolen - a possibility Daniel hadn't thought of.   Of course, if he gets caught riding a stolen bike, he could get into trouble, so Maria suggests that he check with the police station to find out if it is stolen.

This week, we will be covering strange/humorous American idioms in honor of our new favorite blog,  Venezuela Sayings.

For more information, please visit www.languagesystems.edu

To Feel Blue

To Feel Blue: To feel depressed or sad. The use of the color blue to mean sad dates from the late 1300s.

Dialogue 1

Nikki: What is the matter, Ned? You look awful!

Ned: I’m feeling really blue because Carol just left me for another guy.

Nikki: Really? Who?

Ned: Her new co-worker, Bob. She just told me all of a sudden that she wanted to break up.

Nikki: I’m so sorry to hear that. Don’t worry. You’ll find someone new. Besides, you didn’t get along very well with Carol anyway. You need to find someone who likes the same things you like.

Ned: You’re right. I feel blue now, but tomorrow things will be much better.

Dialogue 2

Bob: Oh, no! I failed my math test. That means I have to take summer school to bring up my grade.

Ken: That’s too bad! You must really feel blue right now.

Bob: You think? I had big plans for the summer and now it will all be spent at school with Mr. Simpson doing math problems.

Ken: Maybe you should have studied more?

Bob:  Ok, don’t make it worse. I already feel blue. You need to do something to cheer me up.

Ken: Well, I can help you with your math. I love math. I could do it all day!

Meaning: To feel blue means to feel very sad about something or someone.  In the first dialogue, Ned is feeling blue because his girlfriend broke up with him.  In the second dialogue, Bob feels blue because he has to take a math class during the summer instead of doing something fun.  

For more information, please visit: www.languagesystems.edu

April Fools!

April Fools' Day falls on the first of April each year and every year; this day is also known as All Fools' Day.  First celebrated in France, people believe it came from a calendar change in the 16th century when the calendar transition switched New Year's Day from April 1 to Jan. 1. People who would continue celebrating New Year's on the first of April were considered to be "April fools." As such, people would play tricks on those who celebrated. Many people play pranks and tell funny lies on the April fool’s day, so be alert! After a person has played a prank, they say "April fools" to let everyone know it was just a prank or joke.

Dialogue 1: 

Cindy:  Yuck!!! These doughnuts are HORRIBLE! What kind of filling is this?

Pat: Ha ha! April fools!

Cindy:  What??

Pat: It's April 1st today, so it is April Fools' Day! You know that you are officially allowed to play pranks and tell lies on April Fools' Day. I put mayonnaise filling in the doughnuts!

Cindy: Gee, thanks! Let me see if Bob would like a doughnut....

Dialogue 2:

Patricia: Did you see Ken's status on Facebook!!

Cherri: No, what happened! Calm down and take a few deep breaths.

Patricia: He just changed his status from single to married!!! I didn't even know he was engaged. He just married someone named Betty, who is 52 and lives in Texas. 

Cherri: Come on! You know that can't be true. It's probably an April fools' joke. I mean, he's only 19.  She is old enough to be his mom.

Patricia: That's right! It's April Fools' Day. I always forget. 

Meaning: In dialogue 1, Pat played a prank at the office by filling the doughnuts with mayonnaise for April Fools' Day.  In dialogue 2, Ken made up a fake status about marrying a much older woman in another state.  

For more information, please visit www.languagesystems.edu

To Get Away From It All

To Get Away from It All: To leave your home, workplace, or a stressful situation and go somewhere relaxing or peaceful.

Example #1

Jim: I am so stressed out at work right now! I have to get so many things done by next week and I just don't have enough time in the day.

Tim: That doesn't sound good. Maybe after you turn all your work in next week, you should go on vacation, to get away from it all!

Jim: You're right. A nice trip to Hawaii sounds good. I could just hang out on the beach all day and do nothing!

Tim: Well, that's a good way to get away from it all! 

Example #2

Sally:  I can't believe how beautiful the weather has been recently. Not a cloud in the sky!

Jill: I know. After the cooler winter it is a welcome change. At work, I can't even concentrate. I just stare out the window at the blue sky!

Sally: Yeah, on days like today, I just want to get away from it all. Do you know what I mean?

Jill: Yes, I do. Getting away from it all would break the boredom of my everyday life!

Meaning: To get way from it all means to go somewhere different from where you live in order to have a rest or vacation. In example #1, Jim is super stressed out at work and probably needs to get away from his work for a while and just relax.  In example #2, the weather is nice and Jill is bored with her everyday life, so she would like to go somewhere different on vacation to enjoy the nice weather.  

For more information, please visit www.languagesystems.edu

Spring Fever

Spring Fever:  A feeling of restlessness and excitement experienced at the beginning of springtime.     

Dialogue

Teacher: OK everyone. Please stop talking so that we can do today’s grammar lesson.

Student 1: (Ignoring the teacher) Wow! Look at today’s beautiful weather!

Student 2: (Also ignoring the teacher) Yes, it’s the perfect day to go to the beach!

Student 1: What’s the teacher saying? I can’t focus on this lesson at all because I have spring fever.

Student 2: Spring fever? What does that mean?

Student 1:  It means that I feel restless because of the changing season and so I want  to do something other than study!

Student 2: Oh, I see. Well, why don’t we skip the last class and go to the beach. If the teacher asks us tomorrow, we can say we were suffering from spring fever!

                                          News report from KLSI:     

News Anchor:  All through the ages, writers and poets have documented a special illness that seems to spread quickly during the months of April and May.  The symptoms of this illness include restlessness and daydreaming.  It’s commonly known as spring fever!

This week, scores of students hit the beach during spring break to find a remedy for spring fever. Road trips and all-night parties have also been known to cure the restlessness that many feel when springtime begins. 

What are you planning to do for spring break? Take our survey on our website:

What are your plans for spring break?

      1.    Party all night long.

      2.  Hit the beach and surf.  

      3.  Sleep.

      4.  Go on a road trip.

We will show the results of this survey tonight at 11:00. 

Meaning: Spring Fever  is the restlessness and excitement felt at the beginning of spring or the body’s psychological response to changing seasons. In the dialogue, the students cannot focus in class because they have spring fever, so they decide to just go to the beach.  In the news report, the news anchor is introducing a story and survey about spring break, when a lot of people feel the effects of spring fever.

 For more information, please visit:www.languagesystems.com. 

Money Doesn't Grow On Trees

Idiom:  Money Doesn’t Grow on Trees; used as an idiomatic phrase.

Example:  

“Alex had asked his father to buy him a new Ferrari sports car as a high school graduation present so that he could drive himself to college.  Unfortunately, Alex’s father could not afford to buy him such an expensive present.  His father told him that money doesn’t grow on trees, and bought him a Toyota instead.”

Meaning:  

Money Doesn’t Grow on Trees means that it is not so easy to earn money.  It can also be used to mean that you should be careful about how much money you spend.  In this example, Alex’s father could not afford to buy him an expensive car for college.  In general, the kind of money needed to buy a Ferrari is not so easy to obtain, so instead, Alex’s father bought him a much cheaper and more sensible car.  This idiom can be used to give people advice on how they spend their money.  It can especially be used to convey the idea that money is not so easily earned.  This idiom is used as a phrase in this example.

This idiom is from the LSI book "The Idiom Advantage – Fluency in Speaking and Listening," which is used as the primary Idioms textbook in LSI’s Advanced Conversation classes.

For more information, please visit www.languagesystems.com