Close but no Cigar

Hey guys, sorry I haven't posted in awhile but I've been busy with many things since I got back from Europe. Including my other blog: Kansai Beer Lovers & it's Facebook Page. But I thought it was high time(which means the appropriate or urgent time) that I get off my lazy butt and post some English tips~!

Today we are looking at the popular saying close but no cigar. This came from the days when carnival games would give out cigars as prizes in the US during the early 20th century. It basically means you almost won. It means you came close to succeeding but no prize for you.

In terms of usage it is most often used by your opponent. This is something the carnival staff would say when you nearly won the game.

Al: I knocked down 3 glasses one more and I get the biggest prize!

(throws the ball and misses)

Carnie: Close but no cigar, better luck next time kid.

Carnie is North American slang for someone who works at a carnival.

You could also use it when talking to yourself or friends to describe nearly getting what you want or almost winning.

Glen: Did you get the promotion?

Harry: Close but no cigar, I got a raise though.

Glen: Not bad!

--------
(playing a crane claw game at an arcade)

Dan: Almost there, just a little more... now.

(misses the Nitendo DS)

Dan: Oh! Close but no cigar. Ok one more try...

In Japanese it means: もう一歩の or すれすれの. You can find more about this expression on weblio or on phrases dot org. Another good example would be when talking about online auctions on ebay or similar sites...

Tim: Did you win the auction for that new pc?

Jim: Nah, close but no cigar... I lost by just 25 cents!

Tim: That sucks dude.

Ok everyone that's it for now. I'll leave you with a song by Weird Al Yankovic called "Close but no Cigar!

When it rains it pours...

Have you guys heard this saying before? 

We use it when many bad things happen to someone all at once. It means that when it rains it isn't just a light drizzle it is a torrential downpour!  So people use it when suddenly many bad things happen to them at once and they'll just say "When it rains it pours..." meaning that is life, bad things tend to all happen at the same time.

Ah man, my bike chain popped off, I missed my train and now I'm late for work!!~! This sucks! When it rains it pours!

Any questions?

Phil

Let's get this over with...

Hey guys, here's a quick lesson for the weekend. Have you heard this expression before?

get (something) over with

This is a set phrase people use when they have to do something but DON'T want to do it. In that situation it is better to get it over with and finish it as quickly as possible.

Ugh, dinner with my in-laws? Ok, let's get this over with...

Alright, neither of us wants to be here. The faster we start the faster we finish. Let's get it over with as quickly as possible so we can both go home.

I wish my results would arrive! I want to get all this waiting over with!

Have a nice weekend,

Phil

When in Rome...

Do you know what this famous saying means?

It is the short form of:

When in Rome do as the Romans do

In Japanese, you'd say 郷に入っては、郷に従え (ごうにいってはごうにしたがえ). We use this to say that when you are in a new environment you should do what the local people are doing. It is such a common saying that it is often shortened to "When in Rome..."

The most common usage is you are travelling or somewhere new with your friend and suddenly you see some strange or different behavior and are not sure if you want to join in and try something new.

Al: What kind of meat is this?

Bill: I think it's whale meat...

Al: Whale!? I don't want to eat whale!

Bill: When in Rome...

Al: Well, ok. I'll try a bite.

----

Craig: What!?! Some kid just sprayed water on me!

Sam: Oh, I think it's Songkran the water festival. Just spray him back!   

Craig: Well, you know what they say: "When in Rome..."

Sam: "...do as the Romans do!"

Have a nice Golden Week,

Phil

  

I'm glad you like it!

Ok, Christmas is right around the corner (coming soon) and so it is a time to give and receive gifts~!

Often a gift- giving conversation might go like this:

Alice: Here, this is for you.

Betty: Oh, you shouldn't have!

(opens the gift)

Betty: Wow! The purse I wanted! It's great!

Alice: I'm glad you like it.

Betty: Thanks a lot.

I'm glad you like it is a set phrase people use when giving gifts.

Tom: Do you like it?

Bill: Of course!

Tom: Good, I'm glad (you like it can be dropped).

Be careful, when talking about EXPERIENCES or PERISHABLES (things you can use up) you must use the phrase in the PAST TENSE.

Tom: Did you enjoy the movie?

Bill: Yeah, it was great! Thanks for treating me.

Tom: I'm glad you liked it. I thought you would.

---------------------------------

Heather: Those cookies were fantastic! Did you make them yourself?

Helen: Yeah. I'm glad you liked them.

Have  a  Merry Christmas everyone!

Phil

P.S. glad you is pronounced gladju

Nothing Ventured Nothing Gained.

Have you heard this expression before?

It means that if you don't take any risks you won't get any reward. 

Basically, you need to take a chance if you want to win.

Harry: Should I ask Helen out?

Ed: Nothing ventured nothing gained Harry. Go for it!

Harry: Thanks, I'll ask her out tomorrow.

As you can see, it is a common response to someone asking for your advice  about if they should do something. If you think they should take a chance, simply answer:

Nothing ventured nothing gained

You can tell from the phrasing that this is quite an old saying and it actually goes back to the 14th century!

Weblio says that in Japanese it means:

《諺》 危険を冒さなければ何も得られない, 「虎穴(こけつ)に入らずんば虎子(こじ)を得ず」

Have a great week, 

Phil

A repost of an interesting post from bakadesuyo.com

Hey guys, I came across a great post on bakadesuyo.com a nice blog that talks about all kinds of pyschological studies. This one goes over many common sayings and ideas that people believe are true...


Check it out here or click through to the original~!


Which old sayings are true and which are false?


"Men think about sex every seven seconds"

Nope. More like an average of every 158 seconds.

"Nice guys finish last"

It depends. Over the long run, being a nice guy can lead to happiness, success and good relationships. On the other hand, they aren't as likely to end up in prestigious positions or to be chosen as leaders when times are tough. Rude people have higher credit scores and jerks make more money. And it can be hell on your love life: young women and women who most enjoy sex prefer bad boys.

"The light that burns twice as bright burns half as long"

Probably.

"Early to bed, early to rise, makes a man healthy, wealthy and wise"

Morning people are more proactive and happier. On the other hand, night owls are smarter. And male night owls do better with the ladies.

"When you smile the whole world smiles with you"

Smiling makes others more likely to smile.

"Money can't buy happiness"

As a general rule, money does not increase happiness much after our basic needs are met. However, money can increase happiness if we spend it the right way and especially if we spend it on other people. More money can make you less happy.

"Sleep on it"

Yes, sleeping on it improves decision-making.

"Sex sells"

Not in movies.

"Home cooking tastes better"

Comfort food does comfort us and grandmom's cookies do taste better than other cookies.

"Smart people lack common sense"

Possibly.

"Stocks are riskier than bonds"

Only sometimes.

"Think positive"

Only works for some people.

"If momma ain't happy, ain't nobody happy"

There's some truth to it.

"Women talk on the phone more than men"

Women make fewer phone calls but their calls last longer.

"Gaydar"

Yes.

"Attractive women make men stupid"

True. In fact, just thinking about attractive women makes men dumb.

"Flattery will get you nowhere"

Wrong.

"I need my beauty sleep"

Confirmed.

"I don't like the look of his face"

People are able to tell who is kind, trustworthy, a criminal, a psychopath and a Nobel Peace Prize winner at above chance levels just by faces. You can tell a lot about someone by their face.

"Surprise me"

On second thought, don't.

"Porn causes rape"

Actually, it reduces it: "It has been found everywhere it was scientifically investigated that as pornography has increased in availability, sex crimes have either decreased or not increased."

"Long distance relationships never work"

They're more stable.

"We need to get tough on crime"

Harsh prison conditions increase recidivism.

"I'll sleep when I'm dead"

Cheat yourself on sleep and you'll suffer the consequences, even if you don't notice.

"Kids who sit at the front of the class do better"

They do.

"Fast talking salesman"

Fast-talkers can be more persuasive.

"Blinded by jealousy"

Real.

"Play hard to get"

It works.

"Blondes have more fun"

They do make more money.

"Advertising would be better if the models weren't so thin"

Actually, there's no way to win here.

"It's funny because it's true"

If the truth resonates with the listener, yes.

"All _____ people look alike"

For all of us, whenever people are a different race it's harder to tell them apart.

"You can tell a lot about a man by his handshake"

Absolutely. "Results showed that HGS was correlated with SHRs, aggressive behavior, age at first sexual intercourse, and promiscuity in males but not in females. HGS appears to be an honest signal for genetic quality in males."

"Happy wife, happy life"

When the husband is happier than the wife, couples are more likely to divorce.

"You can tell a lot about the author by what they write"

True.

"Giving is better than receiving"

Yes.

"My generation didn't behave like that when we were young"

Wrong. Even grandmom had premarital sex.

"It's the booze talking"

No, actually, that's you talking.

"Spanking is bad for kids"

Kids who were spanked behave better as teenagers.

"Having children makes you more like your parents"

Yes.

"The music you like says a lot about you"

True.

"Men want sex more than women"

Yes.

"Count your blessings"

Absolutely. It's one of the most scientifically validated ways to increase happiness.

"When I'm turned on, I'm like a totally different person"

It's true, and you'll do things you didn't think you ever would.

"Cleanliness is next to godliness"

When your desk is messy it's harder to focus.

"The woman in red"

Women wearing red are seen as more attractive.

"Older and wiser"

Yes, older people are wiser.

"Women find men who are attached more attractive"

True.

"Pricing something at $1.99 instead of $2 doesn't fool anyone"

Yes, it does.

"My soulmate"

Our real life partners rarely resemble our ideal partners and who you end up with is more a function of who is around you than what you want.

"I love all my kids the same"

No, you don't.

"The enemy of my enemy is my friend"

True.

"Crazy in love"

There is a connection between love and delusion.

"Life speeds up as you get older"

Yes. Subjectively, once you're 20, your life is half over. "Basically, if you're older than about 30, you're almost dead."

"TGIF!"

Your mood is pretty much the same on Friday as Monday.

"Stress kills"

Those who work the hardest, live the longest.

"A dog is a man's best friend"

Maybe.

"The love of money is the root of all evil"

Loving money does make people unhappy.

"Power reveals people's true colors"

Not exactly.

"Artists are more likely to be crazy"

Yes.

"Opposites attract"

More often than not, no, they don't.

"Be yourself"

Close. Be your best self.

"The good die young"

No, they live longer.

"You only use 10% of your brain"

False but the idea is so prevalent even 6% of neuroscientists agreed with it.

"Clothes make the man/Dress for success"

Definitely.

"Six degrees of separation"

Pretty much true.

"We regret most the things we didn't do"

Absolutely.

"Women marry men like their father/Men marry women like their mother"

There's some truth to it. Looking at photos, research subjects were able to tell (at a rate above chance) who was married to whom by looking for a resemblance between the bride and the groom's mother, or between the groom and bride's father. Interestingly, women are more likely to be attracted to men who look like dad - only if they had a good relationship with their father.

"Mid-life crisis"

It may be a total myth.

"Women are more romantic than men"

False. Studies show that, in general, men are actually more romantic than women. Men also say "I love you" first, have more positive recollections of their first kiss, and are more likely to end a relationship because it lacked "magic." Saying "I love you" means the most to men and women at different times.

"Stand up straight"

The military makes soldiers stand up straight for a reason; there's an implicit connection between posture and power that has been demonstrated time and time again. Want to increase confidence? Make yourself tougher? Write a better self-evaluation? Impress others? Stand up straight.

"Don't give in to peer pressure"

Wrong. More often than not kids are pressured into good things, not bad things. Kids who felt more peer pressure got better grades and had better relationships. Kids who were more independent had lower GPA's and were more likely to smoke, drink and shoplift.

You and me both buddy~!

Have you ever heard anyone say this before? I used it last week and my wife asked me what I meant so I decided to explain it to everyone online. It is similar to ME TOO. 

We use it when we want to show we share an opinion or thought. Mostly, it is used to express shared desires or regrets ESPECIALLY when the situation is unlikely to happen, it's just a dream... so it has a kind of rough feeling implying that it will never happen.

Andy:  I wish she wasn't marrying that jerk.
Bill: You and me both!

---------


Dan: Did you see that Ferrari? I want a car like that someday...
Helen: You and me both.


---------


Pat: I want to go to Oktoberfest.
Jim: You and me both!


Have a good Sunday,


Phil

Ignorance is Bliss

Have any of you ever heard this saying? Ignorance is a lack of knowledge, it means to NOT know something.

Don't ask him about world events! Ben's a pretty ignorant guy, he never reads the paper.

Bliss means ultimate HAPPINESS. It is like achieving nirvana in Buddhism.

When I eat delicious fresh food I am in a state of bliss.

When we put the two together in the expression:

Ignorance is bliss.

It means that sometimes when you DON'T know something you are extremely happy. If you know it, your happiness will be ruined.


I thought about this saying when one of my students told me about meeting a girl and who was incredibly happy about her boyfriend. She showed her boyfriend's photo to my student... ...who had been on a date with him after they started dating!


We usually use this when talking about other people. We see them being happy but they don't know something that will definitely upset them.

A: Ed's in a good mood today.

B: Yeah, but ignorance is bliss-he doesn't know he'd getting fired.

--------

C: Sally had a great time on her vacation.

D: Well... ignorance is bliss and when the cat's away the mice will play.

C: Huh? What are you talking about??

D: I heard her husband was seen all over town last week with a younger woman!

C: Oh no! I feel sorry for Sally...

Any questions?


Phil

Time flies~!

Sorry guys, I meant to post again before now but time flies~!

Do you understand this idiom? It means time goes by quickly.

It is part of an idiom:

Time flies when you're having fun.

Whenever you are having a good time and enjoying yourself time seems to go by much more quickly. BUT when you're bored time seems to go by really slowly! Which sucks...

We use this saying when we want to explain why we lost track of time.
The short form, time flies, is used when talking about how time is moving quickly. It is neutral and doesn't mean you're having fun, just that time is passing by fast.

Wow! Time really flies! It's almost Christmas already, I really have to finish my Christmas shopping soon...

Have a nice weekend,

Phil

You snooze you lose~!

Have you heard this saying before?

Snooze is a casual word for sleep or nap:

I am going to take a snooze.

So we also use it on our alarm clock:

I hit the snooze button and woke up late~!

The snooze button is the button you push to turn off your alarm so you can sleep 5 more minutes.

So we use the saying "You snooze you lose" when someone is TOO SLOW and so they MISS OUT on something.

A: Hey, where's the last donut???

B: You snooze you lose buddy, it was delicious~!

-----------------

Tom: I can't believe you asked Sara out!! You knew I liked her!

Harry: Tom, I gave you 6 MONTHS to ask her out.

Tom: But I'm shy...

Harry: You snooze you lose, sorry now it's my turn.

Tom: ...

Enjoy using your new expression!

Phil

The carrot and the stick.

Have you heard this expression before?

In Japanese you'd say: 飴と鞭 (あめとむち). It means that if someone does well or what you want, you reward them (the carrot) and if they don't do well or don't do what you want, you punish them (the stick). Like this:

from http://www.verus-co2.com/blog/?p=836

So if the donkey moves faster it can eat the carrot (reward) but if it slows down it will get hit with the stick (punishment).

I use the carrot and the stick in class. Good students get prizes and students who misbehave get kicked out of class.

A: You should try a carrot and stick approach.

B: Huh?

A: You know, if your daughter does well in school you treat her to ice cream at Haagen-Daaz. If she does OK she gets nothing and, if she does badly she gets no dessert for a week!

B: Yeah, that might work! She loves sweets.

Enjoy your week,

Phil

There's no use beating a dead horse...

The other day, after I posted my blog I remembered this similar sounding expression:

There's no use beating a dead horse.

You might also hear someone say flogging a dead horse... have you heard this saying before? While it sounds similar to "There's no use crying over spilled milk" it has a pretty different meaning!

It means it is time to give up, if you are riding a horse and you flog it to make it run faster... once it has died from exhaustion hitting it again will not make it move~!

It comes from the idiom: to beat a dead horse. It means that something is a waste of time since the result has already been decided. If I continue doing it, it will have no result so what's the point?

A: I don't mean to beat a dead horse but you really should see Avatar.
B: I TOLD you, I hate sci-fi movies. Drop it~! You're getting on my nerves...

So do you guys understand? When you beat a dead horse you're doing something pointless, it will have no result!

Have a good week,

Phil

P.S. check out these links for more info

GoEnglish - Beat a Dead horse

Wikipedia - Flogging a dead horse

There's no use crying over spilled milk...

Have you guys heard this idiom before? It's a really common saying we use when someone is complaining or whining about something. It means that you can't change the past so there is no use crying about it. Crying about the past will not change anything...

Another way of saying it is:

What's done is done.

Meaning it happened we can't change it so we need to move on. Anyways, the reason I brought these expressions up is that I'm sorry I didn't post more often on my blog last month but I was too busy planning some trips, studying for my test(which I think went fine) and getting ready for my move... so I'm sorry but:

There's no use crying over spilled milk~!

Phil

P.S. More lessons coming soon, I'm aiming for 4-6 posts this month, wish me luck!

Let's agree to disagree...

Have you heard this saying before? Today, I am gonna teach a short lesson explaining this expression and telling you when and how to use it ^_-

Let's agree to disagree.

This means that you both have different opinions BUT you can't convince the other person to change their mind. SO, you agree to disagree. You have your opinion, I have my opinion-they are different BUT let's stop arguing about it.

You use this expression when you are arguing with someone, you have different opinions and the argument continues for a long time. Finally, you want to drop the subject (stop talking about it) and talk about something else.

A: Obama is a great president.
B: Are you crazy? He's a terrible president. George W. Bush was a much better president.
A: WHAT??? You like George W. Bush? He was a total idiot and a liar!
B: No way, he kept our country safe!
A: Huh? He stole an election! Ok, Ok, let's just agree to disagree.
B: Ok... so where do you wanna go for dinner?

So you can see the two friends are arguing, they can't agree about who is the better president. Finally, they just want to talk about something else and they agree to disagree.

Have a nice day,

Phil