In a previous blog, we shared somestrange English phrases that might have left you with some questions. The English language is full of peculiar phrases that can even confuse fluent speakers. In today's post, we'll take a look at a few more such phrases to help you expand your repertoire.
Play
This phrase is used when someone has nothing to say. Attempts to get to the bottom of this phrase have left many speechless (sorry, we couldn’t resist). One tale states that, in the times of witch-hunting, a witch – or her cat – would steal a person’s tongue to prevent them from telling others about the witch.However, this is only a tale and there are many other guesses where this phrase came from. Others have suggested that ancient kings would punish those who displeased them by cutting out their tongues and feeding them to their pet cats.
Use it: “You’re very quiet – cat got your tongue?”
It is used to warn someone against a needless action (often motivated by anger or greed) that will be self-destructive. For example, if someone plots revenge but the act ultimately results in more harm to the individual than to the focus of their anger. Legend has it that this phrase originates from when pious women would disfigure themselves in order to protect their chastity. The most famous of these was Saint Ebba, the Mother Superior of the monastery of Coldingham. In 867 Viking pirates landed in Scotland, and when this news reached Ebba, she urged her nuns to cut off their noses and upper lips so they would be unappealing to the Vikings.
Use it: “I’m angry that my colleague was promoted before me, so I might just quit.” – “But you like your job and you need the money. If you react like that you’re just cutting your nose off to spite your face.”
This is used when someone is pursuing a mistaken or misguided line of thought or course of action. Very simply, it alludes to the mistake made by dogs when they believe they have chased their prey up a tree, but it has actually escaped by leaping from one tree to another.
Use it: “If you think I want to get up at 5am tomorrow to go fishing with you, you’re barking up the wrong tree!”
This describes how a person who takes the earliest opportunity to do something will gain an advantage over others. This is first recorded in John Ray’s 1670, 1678: “The early bird catcheth the worm.”
Clearly, the title of the work indicates that this was considered proverbial even in the 17th century, and it recognizes that the first bird to spot a worm will likely grab it first.
Use it: “The sale starts tomorrow and the store opens at 8am. Arrive early to get the pick of the best stuff – the early bird catches the worm.”
The phrase is often used to describe a good attempt at something that is almost – but not – successful. It is said that this saying is of American origin – along with its variant “nice try, but no cigar” – where fairground stalls used to give out cigars as prizes. It appeared in The Lima News in November 1949 in a report about how the Lima House Cigar and Sporting Goods Store narrowly avoided being burnt down in a fire. The title of the article was: “Close But No Cigar.”
Use it: “Actually, my name is June, not Jane – close, but no cigar.”
This means to make a bad situation worse. The origin of this phrase is debatable, but one theory is that it derives from the fables of from the first century AD. The that has landed on his head and bitten him. Instead, he hits himself on the head and the fly says: “You wished to avenge an insect’s sting with death; what will you do to yourself, who have added insult to injury?”
Use it: “I went for a job interview, but they told me I was too old for the job. To add insult to injury, my car broke down on the way home – what a bad day!”
These are just a few commonly used English phrases, so next time you hear them, you'll know exactly what they mean and their origin. You also might be able to potentially impress your friends with this knowledge.
Curious about more phrases and slang? Make sure to check out9 slang terms from across the UK.
Learning English with music can enhance learning and create a more engaging and dynamic classroom environment. In a previous post, we discussed if music can help you learn a language; this post looks at how music can be incorporated into the classroom.
Using music in your classroom can help improve student motivation, focus, and retention of information. Here are some ways you can use music to enhance your classroom teaching:
Learning a new language can be daunting, requiring time, effort, and consistent practice to master. One learning tool that’s been researched and examined over the years for its effectiveness, is music and sound.
Music is sometimes overlooked or forgotten about, but it can be a beneficial tool when learning a new language. Today we will explore how music can aid language learning and what benefits it can provide. Here’s how:
Song is a powerful tool that can help us memorize new words and phrases. When listening to a song, recollecting the lyrics and melody long after it's finished can often happen. This is because our brains retain information better when associated with a melody/rhythm.
Research has found that exposure to a language's rhythm leaves a lasting impact on a person's ability to segment speech patterns[1]. Listening to songs in a foreign language can help learners memorize new words, patterns and phrases more easily.
Music can improve our pronunciation and tone. When singing along to music, listeners may mimic the singer's pronunciation and cadence when listening to a song. This can help us develop a more natural and authentic accent when speaking the language.
Additionally, it can broaden our knowledge and comprehension of diverse dialects and accents. Exposure to different accents and pronunciations can make real-world interactions with a foreign language less daunting or confusing.
Two people may speak the same language but pronounce words very differently due to accents, a great example of this is in the UK and how the English language varies throughout areas.
In the UK, someone from the north may sound completely different to someone from the south, despite speaking the same language. So if you were trying to learn English with music and listened to English songs from different parts of the country, you'd be exposing yourself to different accents. Making yourself more familiar with the varied pronunciation.
It can expose us to the culture of the language we are learning. Music can be a deep-rooted part of a culture, and hearing music in a different language can provide insight into that culture's beliefs, practices, and heritage. This can give us a deeper understanding of the language and help us communicate more effectively with fluent speakers.
Often, songs use informal language and slang words we may not otherwise know or make us aware of a culture's situation or troubles. Academics Mark Gant & Dr. Carmen Fonseca-Mora discuss how although no one type of music works the best, foreign protest songs are a good example.
They're typically motivational, clear, and repetitive and give an insight into a country's culture without causing problems for the learners. Listeners may even feel inclined to discuss or research that situation – which could be a good learning opportunity.
In addition, music can improve our listening skills. When we listen to a song in a foreign language, we’re often compelled to pay close attention to the lyrics, melody, and rhythm. This can help us develop our listening skills and train our ears to distinguish different sounds and accents in the language.
Being exposed to foreign languages in any output can be beneficial; having the added layers of music adds that little extra challenge for your ears and brain. It’s almost like immersing yourself in the language without the need for traveling.
Finally, music can make language learning more enjoyable. Learning a new language can be challenging and sometimes even frustrating. However, listening to music in a foreign language can make learning more enjoyable and engaging.
Singing along with the lyrics can be a fun way to practice the language and boost motivation and confidence. Pairing those with interesting and engaging music videos can also make it more enjoyable. Check out some examples in our post11 great English language song lyrics.
So when you find yourself taking on a new linguistic challenge, give music some 'airtime' – and watch how it helps you expand your vocabulary and improve your language skills.
What is it about music that helps boost your English skills, confidence and pronunciation? A song can provide an emotional connection between the music and the listener, providing learners with new ways to express their feelings. Music and rhythm have also been shown to benefit memorization, which is a key component of learning.
Here are some of our favorite lyrics to some of our favorite songs:
The Beatles are the best band to help you learn English. There are many Beatles songs with catchy melodies and simple lyrics, but Blackbird captures the Fab Four at their most poetic:
Blackbird singing in the dead of night
Take these broken wings and learn to fly
All your life
You were only waiting for this moment to arise
This song is a great way to help learn the days of the week (that may be obvious). Love is also a very popular English word, so this one is for all the romantics out there.
Always take a big bite
It’s such a gorgeous sight
To see you eat in the middle of the night
Another one for the lovers, Ed’s heartfelt lyrics are huge in the mainstream pop charts. Here, he tells the sweet story of long-time love in this ballad and he’s becoming one of the world’s most sought-after songwriters.
Take me into your loving arms
Kiss me under the light of a thousand stars
Place your head on my beating heart
This classic from Morrissey and co was voted runner-up in VH1’s Top Lyrics poll, for the lyrics: So you go and you stand on your own, and you leave on your own, and you go home and you cry and you want to die’ but it’s the opening lines of the song that are the most intriguing. Firstly, they’re adapted from George Eliot’s novel Middlemarch and include some rather clever double meanings – namely ‘son’ (sun) and ‘heir’ (air).
I am the son
And the heir
Of a shyness that is criminally vulgar
This was Neil Young’s only number-one hit single from 1972’s Harvest album. He uses simple lyrics and melodies to tell his story of searching for true love.
I’ve been in my mind
It’s such a fine line
That keeps me searchin’ for a heart of gold
And I’m gettin’ old
U2 is the second-best band to help you learn English and frontman Bono is the second-best male artist to help you learn (edged out by Justin Timberlake). The chorus was inspired by a moment during a performance in New York City, when Bono saw the audience lit up and shouted, “Oh, you look so beautiful tonight!”
And I miss you when you’re not around
I’m getting ready to leave the ground
Oh you look so beautiful tonight
In the city of blinding lights
These lyrics are a good use of repetition and rhyme, which is excellent for helping memorization. Most people consider this a love song, but that’s a common mistake. In 1983, Sting was interviewed for New Musical Express and explained: “I think it’s a nasty little song, really rather evil. It’s about jealousy and surveillance and ownership.”
Every move you make and every vow you break
Every smile you fake, every claim you stake, I’ll be watching you
Every move you make, every step you take, I’ll be watching you
Dylan’s whimsical, poetic lyrics might be difficult for an English language learner to interpret, but that doesn’t mean they’re not a pleasure to listen and sing along to.
Hey! Mr Tambourine Man, play a song for me
I’m not sleepy and there is no place I’m going to
Hey! Mr Tambourine Man, play a song for me
In the jingle jangle morning I’ll come followin’ you
This song takes you through the daily goings-on in a typical household in the 80s. This song has been around for a while now but is a story that most people can still connect with. This is an excellent song for understanding the concept of nostalgia!
I remember way back then when
everything was true and when
we would have such a very good time
such a fine time
Sadly, Otis Redding lost his life in a plane crash shortly after this song was recorded, and it was released after his death. His lyrics are quite reflective, provoking both contentment and sadness. You can really imagine yourself sitting on the dock with his simple yet descriptive words.
Sittin’ in the morning sun
I’ll be sittin’ when the evening comes
Watching the ships roll in
Then I watch them roll away again
No list of standout turns of phrase would be complete without Leonard Cohen, a man whose songwriting process is so painstaking he’ll often spend years on the same song. When quizzed on his process, Cohen once said it often took so long because, “After a while, if you stick with the song long enough it will yield.” It’s interesting to note then that, even for a master of the English language, the words don’t always come easily. Everybody Knows remains a firm favorite among fans, with the majority of lines starting with the words ‘Everybody knows…’ It’s a lengthy song, but for the sheer beauty of its words and phrasing, the opening lines are a highlight:
Everybody knows that the dice are loaded
Everybody rolls with their fingers crossed
Everybody knows that the war is over
Everybody knows that the good guys lost
