Expression: "Service."
Meaning: This idiom is from South Korea (대한민국) and is used when something is being given to an English-speaking foreigner at no cost. We are unsure of its origin since more common expressions in America include "no charge" and "on the house," nor have we heard this phrase when receiving anything from anyone from other English-speaking countries.
Example: You are dining at a Korean restaurant and someone who works there delivers another dish of something and says "service."
Wednesday, April 29, 2015
Thursday, April 23, 2015
Nosebleeding
(nosebleeding ketchup)
Expression: Nosebleeding
Meaning: This expression comes from the Philippines. Filipinos, overall, speak English very well even though they are not native English speakers. The origin of this idiom is the false idea that speaking English is so difficult that thinking about what to say causes the nose to bleed. There is never any real blood, so this phrase is said as a joke by lesser-fluent speakers or as a joke by more-fluent speakers to lesser-fluent speakers.
(ketchup being put under the nose by a more-fluent speaker)
Example: "I'm nosebleeding."
Friday, April 17, 2015
Once in a Blue Moon
Expression: "Once in a blue moon."
Meaning: The origin of this expression is not actually English, but a non-English word that sounds like the color blue. This word was used to name the second full moon on those rare occasions that two full moons occurred during one calendar month. Because the phrase sounded like "blue moon," it became "blue moon." And because blue moons are rare, this idiom evolved to mean something that happens rarely.
Example: "Since having children, they now only go out once in a blue moon."
Meaning: The origin of this expression is not actually English, but a non-English word that sounds like the color blue. This word was used to name the second full moon on those rare occasions that two full moons occurred during one calendar month. Because the phrase sounded like "blue moon," it became "blue moon." And because blue moons are rare, this idiom evolved to mean something that happens rarely.
Example: "Since having children, they now only go out once in a blue moon."
Tuesday, April 14, 2015
Elvis has left the building.
Expression: "Ladies and gentlemen, Elvis has left the building."
Meaning: This originated with Elvis Presley, the "King of Rock and Roll." After his shows, someone would announce his departure in order to encourage attendees to leave. Before this, people would continue to wait for him maybe in their seats, or backstage, or elsewhere in the facility, maybe to hear more from him, or to meet him, or just to see him, or whatever. By making this announcement, however, fans knew that the show was definitely over, and there was no more to see or hear. Since his passing, the expression has evolved to mean that something, often a performance of some kind, has finished.
Example: You have been successfully entertaining friends with jokes or magic tricks and you are now done, so you announce, "ladies and gentlemen, Elvis has left the building."
Sunday, April 12, 2015
Don't quit your day job.
Expression: "Don't quit your day job."
Meaning:Many people leave their jobs and try new careers doing something they think they are good at. Sadly, many are either not nearly as good as they think, or they are just not quite good enough to succeed. The result is failure. Over time, this expression has evolved into a way to tell someone that he or she is not good at something, but using humor to do it. What makes it funny is when the person probably already knows that he or she is not that good, and you would really not expect the person to actually quit his or her job to do the thing professionally.
Example: You hear me singing off-key, so you tell me, "don't quit your day job." Yes, I know I will never earn a living as a singer.
Meaning:Many people leave their jobs and try new careers doing something they think they are good at. Sadly, many are either not nearly as good as they think, or they are just not quite good enough to succeed. The result is failure. Over time, this expression has evolved into a way to tell someone that he or she is not good at something, but using humor to do it. What makes it funny is when the person probably already knows that he or she is not that good, and you would really not expect the person to actually quit his or her job to do the thing professionally.
Example: You hear me singing off-key, so you tell me, "don't quit your day job." Yes, I know I will never earn a living as a singer.
Saturday, April 11, 2015
Having a Ball
Expression: "having a ball"
Meaning: There are two origins for this expression. If someone, or a group, has a physical ball, then the ball is used for throwing, catching, bouncing, and/or rolling within some kind of game or activity in which the participant(s) is/are having fun. Another kind of ball is a fancy party, at which attendees wear formal dress, dance with each other, and also have a good time. Even without a physical ball or anyone dancing, the phrase has evolved to generally mean that some event was fun.
Example: I had fun at your party last night, so I tell you "I had a ball."
Meaning: There are two origins for this expression. If someone, or a group, has a physical ball, then the ball is used for throwing, catching, bouncing, and/or rolling within some kind of game or activity in which the participant(s) is/are having fun. Another kind of ball is a fancy party, at which attendees wear formal dress, dance with each other, and also have a good time. Even without a physical ball or anyone dancing, the phrase has evolved to generally mean that some event was fun.
Example: I had fun at your party last night, so I tell you "I had a ball."
Thursday, April 9, 2015
The 411
Expression: "The 411," pronounced "the four one one"
Meaning: The phone number 411 is an information hotline in the United States of America. For public information, such as government information, you dial 411 on your phone. Because of this, Americans began to use the number 411, pronounced "four one one," as an expression to mean information in general.
Example: I am working on a project and you want information from me about the status, so you ask me, "what's the four one one?"
Meaning: The phone number 411 is an information hotline in the United States of America. For public information, such as government information, you dial 411 on your phone. Because of this, Americans began to use the number 411, pronounced "four one one," as an expression to mean information in general.
Example: I am working on a project and you want information from me about the status, so you ask me, "what's the four one one?"
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