Yellow doesn't actually have many meanings in English. It basically means that you are a coward (臆病者 - おくびょうもの) or that you lack bravery or courage (あの人は勇気がない)...
The following expressions are all a bit old fashioned and the image I get in my mind is of a cowboy yelling them in a thick accent...
Are ya yellow?
meaning
Are you a coward?
-----------------------------------
You yellow-bellied ass~! Go on and run!
meaning
You cowardly jerk~! Go on and run, I'll take care of it myself!
----------------------------------
Tom, he's got a yellow streak a mile long down his back...
meaning
Tom is a big coward he's not brave at all.
These days guys will usually say:
Are you (a) chicken?
Are you (a) pussy? (pretty vulgar)
Any questions?
Phil
Saturday, March 31, 2012
Wednesday, March 28, 2012
Color Idioms Part 2
Hey everyone, I remembered a few more idioms using green:
to be green
Recently, it also means to be environmentally friendly. In Japanese, you would say ECO.
A: What are you doing with those old newspapers?
B: I'm gonna recycle them. I'm trying to be green these days.
green
It can be used to refer to money, in the US all dollar bills are green so they are sometimes called greenbacks.
I'm gonna make me some green.
Show me the green~!
But this is only used in the US and is quite casual slang.
Today we will look at the color:
PINK
There are two pink idioms that are quite common:
To be tickled pink
This means to be really pleased or happy with something.
C: Wow, you look tickled pink~!
D: Yeah, I'm super happy - John proposed!!!
C: Congratulations!
To be in the pink
This means that something or someone is super healthy. I think it refers to a healthy newborn baby being pink.
After having a cold for a week, it's good to be in the pink again!
Another expression you might hear is: to get a pink slip.
This means you have been fired. When people were fired they used to get their last paycheck or a note on pink paper announcing that they lost their job.
Ed: What's wrong?
Frank: I got a pink slip today!
Any questions?
Phil
to be green
Recently, it also means to be environmentally friendly. In Japanese, you would say ECO.
A: What are you doing with those old newspapers?
B: I'm gonna recycle them. I'm trying to be green these days.
green
It can be used to refer to money, in the US all dollar bills are green so they are sometimes called greenbacks.
I'm gonna make me some green.
Show me the green~!
But this is only used in the US and is quite casual slang.
Today we will look at the color:
PINK
There are two pink idioms that are quite common:
To be tickled pink
This means to be really pleased or happy with something.
C: Wow, you look tickled pink~!
D: Yeah, I'm super happy - John proposed!!!
C: Congratulations!
To be in the pink
This means that something or someone is super healthy. I think it refers to a healthy newborn baby being pink.
After having a cold for a week, it's good to be in the pink again!
Another expression you might hear is: to get a pink slip.
This means you have been fired. When people were fired they used to get their last paycheck or a note on pink paper announcing that they lost their job.
Ed: What's wrong?
Frank: I got a pink slip today!
Any questions?
Phil
Sunday, March 25, 2012
Some more free iPhone Apps...
Hey everyone, here are some free apps for the iPhone I came across. I downloaded them and they look pretty good so why don't you give them a try?
Grammar App by Tap To Learn
This app has plenty of different quiz and games to help you practice your grammar. You can find it in the apple store here:
http://itunes.apple.com/app/grammar-app-by-tap-to-learn/id377188655?mt=8
Flashcard App by Tap to Learn
This app will teach you new words everyday and then you can quiz yourself on them. It is a good way to build up your vocabulary and also consolidate it by linking words with other words with similar meanings. You can check it out here:
http://itunes.apple.com/app/flashcards-app/id398984517?mt=8
Have a nice day,
Phil
Grammar App by Tap To Learn
This app has plenty of different quiz and games to help you practice your grammar. You can find it in the apple store here:
http://itunes.apple.com/app/grammar-app-by-tap-to-learn/id377188655?mt=8
Flashcard App by Tap to Learn
This app will teach you new words everyday and then you can quiz yourself on them. It is a good way to build up your vocabulary and also consolidate it by linking words with other words with similar meanings. You can check it out here:
http://itunes.apple.com/app/flashcards-app/id398984517?mt=8
Have a nice day,
Phil
Wednesday, March 21, 2012
Color Idioms Part 1
Hey everyone, I've had a list of color idioms I've wanted to talk about for awhile now and I've decided to get started~! This will be a 2 or 3 part series I think. Today we will talk about the color:
GREEN
to be green as grass
This means something is very green.
His new car's green as grass.
to be green
This means to be a rookie, to be new at something and lack experience.
Andy: What's wrong with him?
Bill: Oh, he's really green. This is his first job.
It can also mean to be nauseous, sometimes with the verb to look green.
Ed: Tom looks green is he ok?
Sally: Yeah, he'll be fine. He just got off a roller-coaster.
to be green with envy
This means to be very jealous.
I'm green with envy! Jill got a new Chanel bag!
to have a green thumb
This is a really common idiom I think most students of English should know. It means you are good with plants and good at growing things.
Alex has a real green thumb. He grows all his own vegetables.
Have a nice day,
Phil
GREEN
to be green as grass
This means something is very green.
His new car's green as grass.
to be green
This means to be a rookie, to be new at something and lack experience.
Andy: What's wrong with him?
Bill: Oh, he's really green. This is his first job.
It can also mean to be nauseous, sometimes with the verb to look green.
Ed: Tom looks green is he ok?
Sally: Yeah, he'll be fine. He just got off a roller-coaster.
to be green with envy
This means to be very jealous.
I'm green with envy! Jill got a new Chanel bag!
to have a green thumb
This is a really common idiom I think most students of English should know. It means you are good with plants and good at growing things.
Alex has a real green thumb. He grows all his own vegetables.
Have a nice day,
Phil
Tuesday, March 13, 2012
Tom's such a chicken!
Do you know what it means when someone calls you a chicken?
It means you are a coward, you get scared easily. If you saw the movie Back to the Future you will remember that Marty McFly (Michael J. Fox's character) HATED being called a chicken!
Bill: Let's go bungee jumping!
Tom: What?! No way!
Bill: Are you chicken Tom?
Tom: No, it's just I heard it's expensive...
Bill: Pock pock pock paowk (chicken noises)
Tom: Ok, I'll go bungee jumping.
-----------at the bungee jumping site------------
Tom jumps: ahahhah haha haha This is fun~!
Bill: ...I ...I can't! It's too high.
Tom: What? You make me jump and now you're chickening out???
Bill: Yeah, sorry. I guess I'm a chicken. I'm scared of heights.
Tom: Unbelievable!
As you can see, chicken can be used as a phrasal verb (to chicken out), an adjective (he's chicken) or a noun (I'm not a chicken!).
Any questions?
Phil
It means you are a coward, you get scared easily. If you saw the movie Back to the Future you will remember that Marty McFly (Michael J. Fox's character) HATED being called a chicken!
Bill: Let's go bungee jumping!
Tom: What?! No way!
Bill: Are you chicken Tom?
Tom: No, it's just I heard it's expensive...
Bill: Pock pock pock paowk (chicken noises)
Tom: Ok, I'll go bungee jumping.
-----------at the bungee jumping site------------
Tom jumps: ahahhah haha haha This is fun~!
Bill: ...I ...I can't! It's too high.
Tom: What? You make me jump and now you're chickening out???
Bill: Yeah, sorry. I guess I'm a chicken. I'm scared of heights.
Tom: Unbelievable!
As you can see, chicken can be used as a phrasal verb (to chicken out), an adjective (he's chicken) or a noun (I'm not a chicken!).
Any questions?
Phil
Sunday, March 11, 2012
The flu's popular?!?! Huh?
A few weeks ago, I heard a Japanese English speaker say:
Recently, the flu's popular.
I was like,
HUH??? What are you talking about?
Popular means 人気 (にんき), a lot of people like or want something. It this case you should use the word, common. Meaning, many people have it. Common in Japanese would be: ざらにある or ざらにいる.
So the next time you want to talk about many people having the flu these days please say:
Recently, the flu's quite common.
Or if you'd like to sound more casual you could say:
Recently, the flu's going around.
We often use the expression going around to talk about the flu or a cold that seems to be moving between lots of people. Tom has it, then Mary has it, then Bob, then Jill, etc.
Have a nice Sunday,
Phil
Recently, the flu's popular.
I was like,
HUH??? What are you talking about?
Popular means 人気 (にんき), a lot of people like or want something. It this case you should use the word, common. Meaning, many people have it. Common in Japanese would be: ざらにある or ざらにいる.
So the next time you want to talk about many people having the flu these days please say:
Recently, the flu's quite common.
Or if you'd like to sound more casual you could say:
Recently, the flu's going around.
We often use the expression going around to talk about the flu or a cold that seems to be moving between lots of people. Tom has it, then Mary has it, then Bob, then Jill, etc.
Have a nice Sunday,
Phil
Thursday, March 8, 2012
Oh no! I blew it!
To blow it
This means I missed or ruined my chance. When there is something you really want to do or get you often only get one chance. In those situations, it is important not to make a mistake and blow it!
A: How did your date with Sally go? You've wanted to go out with her for years.
B: I'm pretty sure I blew it! I was so nervous the date was a disaster!
A: Really? I'm sure your exaggerating. If you ask her out, I bet she'll give you another chance.
B: I don't think so, she said she never wanted to see me again...
A: What did you do to make her so angry?
B: Well, at the bar I tripped and spilled red wine on her white dress.
A: Ouch! Sally loves her clothes, you're right you totally blew it!
It is often used when giving a warning, especially in sports or business. Before a big game or presentation your team mates/co-workers will tell you:
Don't blow it!
Phil
This means I missed or ruined my chance. When there is something you really want to do or get you often only get one chance. In those situations, it is important not to make a mistake and blow it!
A: How did your date with Sally go? You've wanted to go out with her for years.
B: I'm pretty sure I blew it! I was so nervous the date was a disaster!
A: Really? I'm sure your exaggerating. If you ask her out, I bet she'll give you another chance.
B: I don't think so, she said she never wanted to see me again...
A: What did you do to make her so angry?
B: Well, at the bar I tripped and spilled red wine on her white dress.
A: Ouch! Sally loves her clothes, you're right you totally blew it!
It is often used when giving a warning, especially in sports or business. Before a big game or presentation your team mates/co-workers will tell you:
Don't blow it!
Phil
Monday, March 5, 2012
How long ga ya worked there?
Hey everyone, I am going to be ambitious this month and aim for at least 6 lessons but preferably 8! Wish me luck!
Today, we will go over a bit of casual English. In some of my previous lessons you might have noticed:
of ------> becomes a (with a rising intonation)
Kind of becomes kinda
a lot of becomes alodda
out of town becomes oudda town
In North American English people talk in a really casual fast and friendly way. So instead of asking someone:
What do you do?
They will ask:
Whaddayado?
This means that whenever you have an of sound in casual conversation many native speakers talking quickly with switch it with a!
polite style
How long have you worked there?
standard style
How long've (sounds like of) you worked there?
casual style
How long ga ya worked there?
Any questions? Here's an example dialogue:
A: How long ga ya lived in the US?
B: Not so long, just a few months.
A: Really? Why'd ya move to Chicago?
B: I got transferred, I work for Mistubishi.
A: How long ga ya worked there?
B: About 10 years.
A: How'd ya like it so far?
B: It's nice but speaking English is tough! Everyone here talks so fast!
Have a nice week,
Phil
Today, we will go over a bit of casual English. In some of my previous lessons you might have noticed:
of ------> becomes a (with a rising intonation)
Kind of becomes kinda
a lot of becomes alodda
out of town becomes oudda town
In North American English people talk in a really casual fast and friendly way. So instead of asking someone:
What do you do?
They will ask:
Whaddayado?
This means that whenever you have an of sound in casual conversation many native speakers talking quickly with switch it with a!
polite style
How long have you worked there?
standard style
How long've (sounds like of) you worked there?
casual style
How long ga ya worked there?
Any questions? Here's an example dialogue:
A: How long ga ya lived in the US?
B: Not so long, just a few months.
A: Really? Why'd ya move to Chicago?
B: I got transferred, I work for Mistubishi.
A: How long ga ya worked there?
B: About 10 years.
A: How'd ya like it so far?
B: It's nice but speaking English is tough! Everyone here talks so fast!
Have a nice week,
Phil
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