Comedy of mistakes or mystery of idioms
I got a comment : “You hit the nail on the head”. English isn’t my native language, I’m using it since 3 years, and only in internet, not in common life, so I thought “What the hell?”.
I was almost sure, that somebody was just impolite. I answered “Do the same for your yourself”… but suddenly spark of intelligence lighted in my head, and thought appeared, that maybe I should check it in idioms dictionary before answering. And I realised, that man was just nice trying in few words tell me, that I was absolutely right or that I did exactly right thing.
It thaught me, that 1st – I should check, what somebody exactly wanted to say, before I became angry, especially if it was not in my native language. 2nd – I should improve my English, if I want to communicate well with people, especially if I pretend to be a writer.
I’m starting reading “Devil wears Prada” in original. It’s old book, but I just got it in original version, and I’m determined enough to read it. From 1st pages I guess, that it wont be easy. But let’s go!
Regards
Sabina busy with reading.
P.S. See you after month. Kidding. It wont take so long time. See you after two weeks 😛
P.S. 2. I’m in crazy mood today. Maybe because of that crazy postman 🙂
Posted on August 11, 2011, in humour, My Blogs and tagged determination, funny stuff, idioms in English, misunderstandings, problems with language, sense of humour, translating. Bookmark the permalink. 12 Comments.
Taste of life by Sabi 
Yes i think this happens a lot on peeps Spaces, as everyone
just uses everyday sayings but forget that here in WordPress
that we have a varied selection of wonderful peeps from all
over the world and sometimes these sayings are a bit hard to
follow, even I get a little mixed uo sometimes and trying to use
translations on some peeps Spaces is a bit difficult at times,
but certainly worth all the effort…
I think this book of yours is extremely
large but definitely a good read, well I
hope so anyway 🙂 lol
Androgoth Xx
I saw movie with Meryl Streep. I liked it. I didn’t read a book in Polish. This one in original is a real challenge for me. But I was always good in understanding read text. Maybe my intuition helps. On final exam on some course of English I got 100%. A bit less from grammar and conversation. The worst was understanding from hearing. I had headache that day,and fever, and I heard mostly boooo. hehe. Before a part of exam with conversations in couples started, I took some pill. I don’t know, why I didn’t do that before.
Xx
i read your home page last night and there is a reference to a king i researched it if iam correct your native language is polish as there was a king august iii connected to poland am i right. from kevin
Yes, Kevin, you are right 🙂 My native language is Polish, and I live in Poland as well.
That king it was old story. My mom’s family with ages lost nobility. But they were reopeating to their kids, and then they to their kids, that they have noble roots. My mom was very distinguish lady, even cooking and cleaning, she didn’t lose it. I miss her…
By the way that king wasn’t very good. He let noblemen do do, what they wished to, and it ruined kingdom.
Have a wonderful day, Kevin.
S.
well i live in england and i have a lot of respect for the polish people for what they did in the war and you can tell your gradparents that as they did so much and were so brave the legendary squadron of there pilots 303 or 30 they have a memorial in uxbridge in london dedicated to themthey shot more german planes down than any other RAF squadron in second world war . and we must never forget that .theres lots polish in my home town where i live in portsmouth the drive taxis i get on well with them. you should be proud you have royal blood in your genes. you shouls add his photos to your blog or start one with family history.
Yeah, our pilots were really great. I love hearing about squadron 303. Alas novadays not all polish people in Egland are so good. I’m glad, that you have good experience with them.
I know some woman, who is looking for her ancestors, and relatives all over the world, and is making family tree. She invited me for coffee, so maybe I should go.
Thank you for next inspirational advices Kevin 🙂
“Devil wears Prada” One of the few books I left half read. Found it too feminine and insipid for my taste.
Hope you have the patience and liking to read it to the last word. Best of luck! 🙂
I guess, that I am not so much patient, so probably I wont read it till the end or maybe even to half 😉
I have other books in English. The most simple is one about famous psycho killers, and dictators. But probably I wont read it. I read a part about Johnson’s sect, and common suicide hundreds of people in the jungle in South America, and it was enought for me.
I have also few books from Reader’s Digest, and some soft comedy by Jenny Colgan. Probably I’ll land with the last one 😉
Thank you for visit.
Have a wonderful day 🙂
As I’m sure you figured out, English has many strange sayings that don’t necessarily make sense if you take them literally. I suppose other languages are like that, too, but English seems to have a lot of inconsistencies which makes it hard to learn.
Yes, all languages have probably idioms. And yes, English has probably the biggest number of them 🙂 I just have to learn all the time.
Thank you for visit Binky 🙂 Welcome in my world.
Ah, that happens to me once as well. There was an expression that made confuse and I looked up the meaning on Google. Problem solved.
Anyway, when I saw your blog, it reminds me of a famous Polish author, Joseph Conrad. He’s awesome! He’s one of the few people out there who inspire me to publish in English, even though it is not my first language. You can do it too, I am sure.. 🙂
So, keep working hard! You may be able to publish a book the way Conrad did. Who knows?
Keep dreaming! 🙂
Subhan Zein
Who knows 😉 But your English is better, than mine. 🙂