STRANGE ENGLISH SAYINGS You h ITS RAINING CATS

STRANGE ENGLISH SAYINGS You h IT’S RAINING CATS AND DOGS: ave e room. IT WENT OUT WITH THE ARK (OF NOAH) h t a f n r i o g t i n n a y o h u p r e t l h r E o at e h T Speak of the devil and will appear his horns Barkin The last straw tha t broke the g up t h c amel’s back e wron g tree

Why is English spelling so absurd? Every learner of English has asked this question over and over from. However, the answer is rather complex. Just think of the pronunciation of the conjugate verb 'to read': 'read-read’. Both in the present and the past we write the word exactly the same, yet we say: "I read/i/ every day" and "I read/e/ a book yesterday". Why not make things easier and change the spelling? There are many other examples, such as the word ‘queue, which has the same pronunciation like its initial letter, "Q", but with a very silent (and very English) «queue" of four letters silently following their leader. And what about the noun ‘tear' as in: "I have a tear in my eyes" and the verb 'to tear’, as in "tear the paper in two"? Why not have different spellings to distinguish these two totally different words with totally different pronunciations? We could go on, but we would be here forever. SPELLING TESTS For foreign learners of English, this is all very frustrating, as they often try pronounces the written words as they see them written. The result is often a "foreign" or "bad" pronunciation. Italians, Spaniards and French have terrible problems pronouncing words like "bear" (the animal) and "pear" (the fruit) that rhyme. They think, logically, they must also rhyme with «hear". But they don't. However, if it is any consolation, even native English speakers have problems too. Not with pronunciation, which they learn before they can read and write, but with spelling. Spelling tests are part of all English lessons at school. There also quiz TV shows in which contestants are asked to write/spell words like "thorough", "through" and "psychologist» under time constraints.

But why all this madness? Maybe it's because Britain is a country of paradoxes. Is our insistence on a totally illogical but "correct" spelling system just another example of our national tendency towards paradoxical extremes? But there is also a logical, historical explanation. If we look at the historical origins of the English language, English is written with Roman letters, developed to transcribe Latin. Unlike modern Italian, French and Spanish, however, which derive almost entirely from Latin, English mixes Germanic roots (Anglo-Saxon and Old Norse) with Romance roots (Latin and French). This has created confusion in the relationship between the sound of the words and the way they are written/spelled. GUTENBERG AND CAXTON However, if we go back to the Middle Ages, English was pronounced, more or less, as it was written. In the 15 th century the word "boat", for example, was pronounced as a native Italian or Spanish speaker not English might pronounce it today, enunciating each letter individually "b-o-a-t". But then, in 1439, Johannes Gutenberg invented the printing press in Germany. Later, in 1476 William Caxton began printing in England. As a result, written English has become fixed and "correct" spelling has been established, particularly for important legal documents, and written English has become more resistant to change. But then, over the next five hundred years, the pronunciation of the language did change. Nobody really knows why, but some sounds have changed or disappeared from some words, but not others. The spelling, however, stubbornly remained as it was. In short, today we speak with the 2021 pronunciation but part of our spelling is still in the 16 th century.

How high is "knee height for a grasshopper" ? ! Who knows? Only the grasshopper, to be honest. Yet this is an English expression used to refer to someone when, for being very young: "I've known him since he was knee-high for a grasshopper. " Why a grasshopper? And why his knee? The phrase does not make sense. In fact, English is absolutely full of weird sayings, which can be a headache for language learners. Well-known phrases. Some of these phrases are well known and can be universally understood, such as "It's like looking for a needle in a haystack" or «To cost an arm and a leg". Using these sentences, in the correct context, helps the student to feel comfortable in English. It is important, however, to make sure that the phrase is still in current use! The expression "It's raining cats and dogs" went out with Ark - which is another strange saying! The origins of the phrases can also be very old: "Adding insult to injury" dates back to Roman times! Unsurprisingly, the passage of time sometimes produces repetitions. «It's no use crying over spilt milk" and "It's all water under the bridge" basically mean the same thing: what's done is done. STRANGE BUT LOGICAL Many strange sayings really make sense. Examples include «To kill two birds with one stone" and "From the pan into the fire". Others, however, will leave the language learner totally confused. If something is exciting or good, why does it 'blow your socks off'? And what happened to your shoes? If you are satisfied with something or someone, you are "a happy camper" in the UK; and "happy as a shellfish/clam" in the US. Who wins the contest for the most illogical phrase here? MISCELLANEOUS SOURCES The sources of these strange expressions are varied. "Swallow/bite the bullet", to do something you don't want to do but know you have to do it, comes from the army. In England in the 1850 s, soldiers had to bite their head off a particular type of bullet before using it. To be able to do something, but only just, is to do it «by the skin of your teeth". Teeth with skin? This one comes from the King James Bible of 1611. Other expressions come from hunting, the navy, fables and nursery rhymes.

pag 23 Gennaio 2021 - YOU NAME IT. . . English sayings cover every topic under the sun. Food, for example: if something is easy, It’s a piece of cake, like a child's play. If a woman "cuts the mustard" at work, she is very good at her job (rispondere alle aspettative). Someone "a few sandwiches short of a picnic» (ha le rotelle fuori posto) doesn't make sense. Anatomy is a rich source: if you ignore someone, you give them the cold shoulder', while if you need their knowledge or experience, ask if you can pick their brain(s)’. Emotions are another fruitful field. Suggesting someone that they calm down, that they 'keep a cool head', gives us 'keep your shirt' from Great Britain and the wonderfully descriptive "Take chill pill" from America. Like phrasal verbs, new strange English expressions continually appear: business meetings in which everyone is asked to share data are known, controversially, as “opening the kimono”! Top 10 Weird/Strange English Sayings. This short selection of rather peculiar clichés has to do with the semantic field of food, body parts, hunting, animals, weather, emotions and even witches! 1 - The best thing since sliced bread (Il non plus ultra) When sliced bread first appeared in 1928, caused a sensation. The toaster, already invented, has since become even more popular! We use the saying to praise an invention or development. But what was best before sliced bread ? ! 2 - To wear your heart on your sleeve (essere con il cuore in mano): a great expression, albeit completely physically impossible, that describes a person who does not hide their feelings but rather is transparent about thir emotions. It can be a good thing. . . or a bad thing. 3 Being under the weather (Essere giù di corda) The English are supposed to talk about the weather as many times a day as the weather itself changes. It's better than talking about Brexit! If you are feeling under the weather, you are feeling bad. 4 Barking up the wrong tree (prendere un granchio, cioè sbagliarsi). This classic phrase comes from the world of hunting long ago, when dogs, used to chase wild animals, mistakenly thought that their prey was hiding up a particular tree. Meaning: To have the wrong idea about the reason for something or the way tdo something. .

5 - Speak of the devil (parli del diavolo e spuntano le corna) You are talking to a friend of another person and that same person suddenly and unexpectedly appears on the scene. The original, from the sixteenth century, is not pleasant: "Speak of the devil and he will appear". 6 -The elephant in the room (L’elefante nella stanza: una presenza ingombrante) A very popular phrase in recent years, actually it originated in 1950 s America. The elephant in the room is an important question or topic that people ignore because it is uncomfortable to deal with 7 - The last straw that broke the camel's back (La goccia che ha fatto traboccare il vaso). Similar to the much less common last feather (una piuma) that breaks the horse's back '', this expression, usually abbreviated, refers to the last in a series of events that finally makes impossible to endure a bad situation. 8 - To throw a pity party (Piangersi addosso): A very expressive and completely unpleasant American saying. You say this to someone when you think they are spending too much time feeling sorry for themselves, over something that just isn't worth it. 9 - To be up shit creek without paddle (Essere nel «fango» fino al collo) Scatological humor plays an important role in weird expressions in English. This phrase basically means "being in serious trouble". Another scatological American expression, totally illogical, is "it's a shit-show", a good candidate for the compound word of the year!). 10 To have a frog in the throat (avere un rospo in gola). A person uses this classic English expression, perhaps antiquated now, when they cannot clear their throats. The idea is that a hoarse (persona rauca) person sounds croaky. . and the frogs 'croak’. You would actually suffocates with a frog in his throat. The real meaning is that your voice is like that of a frog.