problems with english expression or idioms

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sheri363

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Have you ever screwed up on english expressions or idioms? I'm prone to doing that even though I read a lot. I take so many of them literally!

Just the other day I had received a text from a hearie saying 'my heart stopped and my gut dropped. I felt like I was sucker punched.' I thought she was having a heart attack or something! As it turned out she wasn't.

Anyway flubbing on the expressions sometimes make me look stupid or even better they make good fodder for my friends' laughter. I much prefer the latter! They have bowled over with laughter so many times at my expense!

Any of you ADers have problems with english expressions?
 
I dunno. But English speakers hVe no culture anyway. It's just int heir heads......they made up culture......it's not real. English doesn't even have idioms it's all lies. I read one book from one guy from one school in one topic who says so in one paragraph

Cow it
 
On my wife's side of the family, half of the deaf people are like that. I have to leave out idioms & big words and keep it simple with them, otherwise I will be repeating myself constantly. Even using idioms or big words with ASL doesn't help.

My closest deaf friends are not like that, even those that are ASL only.

It all depends on the person and his/her level of communication, sharpness, etc. Does not mean someone is smarter than others....just means some folks can't process the meaning immediately.

If hearing people use an idiom that I don't get....I will say "Sorry, but I am a bit slow...what does that expression mean?" and they will be happy to explain.
 
green427 said:
On my wife's side of the family, half of the deaf people are like that. I have to leave out idioms & big words and keep it simple with them, otherwise I will be repeating myself constantly. Even using idioms or big words with ASL doesn't help.

My closest deaf friends are not like that, even those that are ASL only.

It all depends on the person and his/her level of communication, sharpness, etc. Does not mean someone is smarter than others....just means some folks can't process the meaning immediately.

If hearing people use an idiom that I don't get....I will say "Sorry, but I am a bit slow...what does that expression mean?" and they will be happy to explain.
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I'm not saying that "just means some folks can't process the meaning immediately". I'm not referring to the speed of processing idioms. I"m referring to my lack of knowledge of many of the common idioms typically found peppered in everyday spoken English. I find that I have missed many of them simply because I didn't hear them passively in the first place.
 
sheri363 said:
I'm not saying that "just means some folks can't process the meaning immediately". I'm not referring to the speed of processing idioms. I"m referring to the lack of knowledge of many of the common idioms typically found peppered in everyday spoken English. I find that I have missed many of them simply because I didn't hear them passively in the first place.
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Understood....even my hearing boys often say things that I don't have a clue to it's meaning....:hmm:...So whenever I'm in doubt...I ask.
 
hoichi said:
I dunno. But English speakers hVe no culture anyway. It's just int heir heads......they made up culture......it's not real. English doesn't even have idioms it's all lies. I read one book from one guy from one school in one topic who says so in one paragraph

Cow it
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Untrue. Just because you don't happen to like hearing people doesn't mean they're culture is in their head...and while we're on the subject, hearing people come from a variety of ethnic backgrounds so someone from England may be difficult for a person from Kentucky in the U.S. to understand, or Australia, etc.

Laura
 
Lau2046 said:
Untrue. Just because you don't happen to like hearing people doesn't mean they're culture is in their head...and while we're on the subject, hearing people come from a variety of ethnic backgrounds so someone from England may be difficult for a person from Kentucky in the U.S. to understand, or Australia, etc.

Laura
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oh Laura, laura......
 
hoichi said:
I dunno. But English speakers hVe no culture anyway. It's just int heir heads......they made up culture......it's not real. English doesn't even have idioms it's all lies. I read one book from one guy from one school in one topic who says so in one paragraph

Cow it
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Sorry hoichi, I aint talking about culture here. FYI English is full of expressions, phrases, idioms or whatever else you want to call it. How about 'cow it'? I never heard of it. What is it? Something you made up? According to the context of your post I think cow it means 'forget about it' or 'f*ck it' or 'whatever'. Or I can take it literally and think it means a steaming whistling pile of cow sh*t.
 
sheri363 said:
Sorry hoichi, I aint talking about culture here. FYI English is full of expressions, phrases, idioms or whatever else you want to call it. How about 'cow it'? I never heard of it. What is it? Something you made up? According to the context of your post I think cow it means 'forget about it' or 'f*ck it' or 'whatever'. Or I can take it literally and think it means a steaming whistling pile of cow sh*t.
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Uh.......no I didn't make cow it up.....
Cough
Look I was trying o be funny by posting an absurd IDea from mother thread Into this one.
I apologize if my humour or attempt at humour didn't work.
Mmmm
Anyway
Back to he thread......
 
Presumably "cow it" is a "private defined idiom" which somehow referrs to "cows".
Could be a variant of : is that "bull"? Not into mind reading yet. Right_ that isn't bull either!
 
hoichi said:
Uh.......no I didn't make cow it up.....
Cough
Look I was trying o be funny by posting an absurd IDea from mother thread Into this one.
I apologize if my humour or attempt at humour didn't work.
Mmmm
Anyway
Back to he thread......
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Oh ok! You're being sarcastic about a certain ADer member's idea! I get it! Your apology is not necessary hiochi. It's me that should apologize to you. I apologize.

Carry on
 
No it is not.
Damn man learn some ASL....
Do people here really believe all, powerful hoichi made cow it up?
Really.
Really
I'm honoured
 
sheri363 said:
Oh ok! You're being sarcastic about a certain ADer member's idea! I get it! Your apology is not necessary hiochi. It's me that should apologize to you. I apologize.

Carry on
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No need to Apologieze Sheri. Yes I being sarcastic. Trying to be anyway and looking for Cross thread humour points.....
Cough
It's all cool girl
Wink.
 
drphil said:
Presumably "cow it" is a "private defined idiom" which somehow referrs to "cows".
Could be a variant of : is that "bull"? Not into mind reading yet. Right_ that isn't bull either!
Click to expand...

In your mind imagine "steaming whistling pile of cow sh*t"! Or shorten it up to 'cow it'! Aint nuthing private about it! It's not an idiom on any level.

Good cow it hoichi!
 
Cow it is an ASL idiom.
It does not mean bull.
Anyway.
How about that cockney one
It's all gone Pete tong?
Or that one from Glasgow. Up the Clyde in a bike?
 
hoichi said:
Cow it is an ASL idiom.
It does not mean bull.
Anyway.
How about that cockney one
It's all gone Pete tong?
Or that one from Glasgow. Up the Clyde in a bike?
Click to expand...

It's an ASL idiom?? Holy cow I didn't know that! What are the signs for it if you don't mind telling me?
 
sheri363 said:
It's an ASL idiom?? Holy cow I didn't know that! What are the signs for it if you don't mind telling me?
Click to expand...

Sign cow, then sign pinky letter I to other upturned palm. (It) . In one motion.
Cow it!!!

Wink
 
hoichi said:
Cow it is an ASL idiom.
It does not mean bull.
Anyway.
How about that cockney one
It's all gone Pete tong?
Or that one from Glasgow. Up the Clyde in a bike?
Click to expand...

Cockney, British or Scottish english idioms! Great! The more idioms I know, the better off I am.

Up the Clyde on a banana boat!

"Honestly, if you were any slower, you’d be going backward.” -Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets.
 
The word "until" in ASL sentances.

"You can not have them until you finish what you have."

In signing it in ASL where would you put the sign "until"?
 
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