Leigh's Lingua #19: FANFARE!

Fanfare – a sound of joy!

As many of you know, Monday is the “birthday” of the USA.  We celebrate July 4^th as the beginning of America.  Often on July 4^th, Americans hear “fanfares”.   A fanfare is a piece of music that welcomes a king or queen, or tells the world about someone important coming --- or some important event, like the Olympics!  Usually a fanfare is music with trumpet sounds.  Lots of trumpets!  You can hear a very nice explanation of “fanfares” on this week’s (July 2011) “Classics for Kids” (which is NOT just for kids!) at this website:  http://www.classicsforkids.com/shows/thisweek.asp  

Any Vermont Adult Learning student who completes the three questions and sends them back to me at:  my e-mail, Amazing.Love@myfairpoint.net, will get a prize!  Please include your full name and mailing address when you write me.  (This is good until December 31, 2011.)

Leigh's Lingua #18: "Wearing the Pants"

Who "wears the pants" in your family?

It is not just an expression about who is actually wearing pants.  It means, "who is in control"?

"Wearing the pants" comes from a time when only men wore pants.  Only men should be in control of their families, was the thought.

But if a woman (mother or wife) seems to have control --- even over her husband -- she might "wear the pants."

Women and men both wear pants (trousers) in American culture.  Women and men can both work in positions that "control" others -- such as being a chef, a fire chief, an office boss, or a mayor.

Can women ever "wear the pants" in your native culture?  Who "wore the pants" in your family when you grew up?  Did your mother seem to have more control, or your father?  Or your older brother or an aunt?

Write about "who wore the pants" when you grew up.  I would love to hear from you.

Leigh's Lingua #17: "On Your Dime" and "On Your Time" - Important Differences!

"Dime" and "Time" sound very close in English.  But one means an amount of money, and the other means an amount of time.

To say something is on [someone's] "dime" means that they will pay for it.  The cost is theirs.  I heard this recently, when my brother called me.  He said the call was on his work place's "dime."  That means I did not have to pay for it.

But if something is on someone's "time," that is on another matter!  Your boss may say, "You must do that on your own time."  You may question your boss:  "Does that mean I get paid or not paid?"  "Must I do it at home, or here at work?"

Another expression in English is:  "Time is money."    So, to do something on one's own time is also to do it on one's own "dime" --- even though it may cost much more than 10 cents (a dime).  

Leigh's Lingua #16 - "On Top of the World" and "Over the Moon"

Everyone wants to be happy, right?

Two expressions in English that mean "very, VERY happy" are:  to be "on top of the world" and "over the moon."  You cannot exchange them.  You cannot be "over the world," or "on top of the moon."

A friend of mine from Africa feels "on top of the world" this week.  He has reached his goals.  He got an education degree from St. Michael's College in Vermont.  He is very, very happy.  He is also "over the moon" because he is going home soon.  He will see his wife and his children.  He has been away a long, long time.

When were you last "on top of the world" or "over the moon"?   Can you tell someone about it in English?  Can you write a sentence or two about it?

Yesterday I was taking pictures with a camera at a college graduation.  Someone was holding a fancy pole called a "mace".  It had a little statue of St. Michael -- who is an angel -- sitting on top of the world.  I wonder what St. Michael was thinking.  He had a sword.  He killed an evil dragon in the world.  Do you think he was also "on top of the world," meaning, happy?

American astronauts were the first men to step on the moon.  Do you think they were "over the moon" (very, very happy) about that?  I think so.  I remember hearing their voices on the radio.  I was a young girl.

Leigh's Lingua #15: "Behind the Eight Ball"

If you like looking up new phrases, this is a wonderful website:
http://www.phrases.org.uk/meanings/behind-the-eight-ball.html

I used "behind the eight ball" in a letter last night.  And a friend asked me, "What does that mean?"

I had to go looking myself!  According to the website above, it is an American slang expression that means, "to be in a difficult position."  We could also say, "to be in a tight spot."   In the difficult position, you also see no easy escape.

If you are "behind the eight ball," you might be --- on a train, it's moving, and you realize you lost your ticket.... Or... you get a call from school that your child is sick, but your boss just said YOU MUST GET THIS JOB DONE BY 1:00...... Or... the landlord is at your door, and you do not have the rent money for him or her.  That is being "behind the eight ball."  Not a happy day. 

We think the expression comes from a game called "pool."  In pool, there are balls with numbers on a table that you have to poke with a long stick.  The balls roll and drop into pockets at the corners of the table.  Trouble comes if you hit the ball number "eight."  So, you do not want to be "behind" the eight ball with your stick.

When was the last time you were "behind the eight ball"?  I was behind the eight ball yesterday.  I came to my class and realized... I had done the homework all wrong.  Uh-oh!

Leigh's Lingua #14 - "Handy"

If you think the word "handy" looks like "hand," you are pretty smart.  :-)

American English-speakers use "handy" as an adjective that means nearby (close to your hand!), or easy to work (easy).   People may say that the remote control of a television is "handy".  The remote control lets you sit and watch TV and movies without getting up.  You can just press a button from your chair -- that's easy!  (Except for me.  I like to get out of my chair.)

People may say that an extra bathroom for guests is "handy".  If you have two bathrooms, guests won't be trying to take a shower when you are trying to shave.

In Germany, a cell phone is called a "handy" now.  Actually, they are pretty handy, aren't they?

What do you keep near you -- so your hand can quickly reach it?  A salt-shaker on the table?  A box of kleenex by your bed?  What things also work easily for you, and so are "handy"?  Maybe phoning someone is easier than writing a letter. 

Sometimes being handy is good.  Sometimes, it just makes us lazy. 

Leigh's Lingua #13: "The Big One"

What a lot of snow Vermont had in February... and March!  Shovel.... shovel.... shovel....

I was reminded of the phrase "The Big One" as I shoveled.

Many Americans refer to a heart attack as "The Big One."  It means it is the "big thing" that will cause their death.   Actually, people can die from shoveling too hard, too long.  People can die from working too much.

No one wants to have "The Big One."   Some American TV comedies have had "The Big One" as a topic.  See "Sanford & Son" -- a popular show in the 1970s and 1980s.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=stdi-1tIUhM

Keep care of your heart.  Don't work or worry too much.  We don't want you to have "The Big One" too soon.