American idioms use sports metaphors as symbols

American idioms use sports metaphors as symbols

This baseball player is definitely keeping on his toes!

Meeting new people all the time really keeps me on my toes. Instead of just being around people I happen to know all the time, I get to meet great people and at the same time sharpen my own social skills. Keeping on my toes means I feel more stimulated and mentally alert. Generally, to keep on your toes means to watch out or be careful. For example, parents really have to keep on their toes when their children become teenagers. Maybe this expression is based in sports, like many other idioms. Such idioms use a physical posture or position as a symbol for an abstract concept such as mental stimulation. On my toes means I am ready to take action, poised and watchful. It does not necessarily mean my heels have left the ground, so the use is metaphorical.

This shows focus

When runners get ready to sprint, just before the starting gun they raise their heels and put more weight on the front of the foot, so they are actually on their toes. Basketball players have to keep on their toes all the time. Being “caught flat footed” means being caught off guard, unsuspecting. For example, “The surprise attack by the guerillas caught us flat footed. We were all asleep in the barracks.” If they had been on their toes, they would have posted guards around the camp. The guards were only flat footed metaphorically since they were lying down asleep in reality.

Besides keeping me on my toes, meeting a lot of new people makes me “think on my feet,” means adapting quickly and constantly to changing situations. Standing, walking, and running while at the same time thinking means you can respond to changing situations and modify your behavior continuously. Athletes generally have to think on their feet, and so do CEOs, politicians, and parents. In public debates when candidates must answer their opponents, they must think on their feet. Texting or other aids are not allowed under debate rules. Some questions may require candidates to think on their feet, and to express themselves spontaneously instead of according to a script. Sometimes the results are unintentional disasters, losing face for candidates who try to think on their feet. They really drop the ball when they come under pressure.

Keep your eye on the ball

Balls of various size and kinds are used in all kinds of sports. Players must constantly pay attention to the ball’s location and trajectory. They must keep focused “on the ball,” whether it is golf, tennis, baseball, or billiards. Coaches always tell their players in batting practice “Keep your eye on the ball.” More generally, a reputation for being on the ball means you are regarded as competent and efficient. For example, Democratic voters think President Obama has more on the ball than any of his Republican opponents. Naturally Republicans believe the opposite. Keeping your eye on the ball means staying very focused on your goal. When it comes to tracking my retirement investments, I really keep my eye on the ball. Keep your eyes on the prize is another way of saying keep your eyes on the ball. Since eyes rhymes with prize the former expression has a nice sound.

Baseball pitchers often put a spin on the baseball so that if actually hit, it will fly out of bounds. Putting a spin on events means selecting only certain facts and using them to justify one’s own position. This is exactly what happens in court, where prosecution and defense lawyers try to put different spins on the same set of facts and circumstances. Politicians (mostly lawyers) are masters of spin. Since the early 1900s, public relations became a profession devoted to molding public opinion. Conservative media like Fox spin the news to reflect opinions of conservative voters, while their liberal opponents work just as hard spinning the other way. Every day we are bombarded by messages trying to spin us in certain directions: buy this, believe that. We may never agree about what the world is really like, but we can agree that everyone has their own spin on what it all means.

Oops! I dropped the ball!

More American “No” idioms.

More American “No” idioms.

My previous blog on different ways of saying “no” using natural American expressions generated some great comments. One reader asked me to write about the popular expressions “no problem” and “no worries.” The reader pointed out a “pet peeve” (personal annoyance) about the phrase “no problem” used instead of the more courteous and formal response, “you’re welcome.” The traditional American response to “thank you” is “you’re welcome.” These days, though, if I thank a waiter for binging me water, he will likely respond “no problem” instead of “you’re welcome.” Traditionalists argue that my request for a glass of water does not make a problem for the waiter. When I thank the waiter, he does not need to re-assure me that I have caused “no problem.” After all, bringing customers water and food is his job.

More subtly, “no problem” does not acknowledge the courtesy of the person doing the thanking, like saying you’re welcome does. Saying you’re welcome is much more socially intelligent because you recognize that people don’t have to say thank you and that they are going out of their way to be gracious and polite. The reply should acknowledge and reciprocate the gracious gesture. Responding with “no problem” does neither of these. Instead, the phrase is self-centered and makes it sound like a big favor has been done.

If someone steps on my toe accidentally, then says “I am very sorry to step on your toe” then I might answer “no problem.” If someone says “thank you,” however, I will answer with “you’re welcome.” When the waiter brings food or water, many people don’t even say thank you since it is not a personal favor. I like to say thank you, because it acknowledges the humanity of the server. By saying “you’re welcome” the server acknowledges my humanity. But if the server says “no problem” instead, I think to myself sarcastically, “well I hope it was not too much trouble to bring me water, and I am glad to know my request did not cause you any personal problem…”

This is my personal practice but I am somewhat old fashioned, not to mention just somewhat old. In the U.S., though, “no problem” has almost completely surpassed “you’re welcome” as the most common reply to “thank you.”

Around the same time as “no problem” started taking over American conversation, we imported a similar phrase from Australia: “no worries.” To me this means the same as no problem. In other words, instead of saying “you’re welcome” the speaker is telling me not to worry about any problem or difficulty I have caused by saying “thank you.” Here in the Silicon Valley, I will guess that "no problem" is more common than "no worries," but everyone expects to hear one or the other from servers or salesclerks.

Languages constantly change, so maybe these expressions will completely replace the traditional formula “thank you—you’re welcome.”  After all the traditional expression no doubt replaced some earlier courteous form of speech. I will be slow to adopt these new phrases because they sound self-centered to me,. By saying “you’re welcome” I signal that I know the other person is not required to say thank you but does so anyway, to show courtesy.  The new expressions basically ignore the courtesy of the thankful expression. Instead they express a more selfish view of the interaction.

Secondly, simply the word “no” is so powerful, I hesitate to use it in friendly, casual speech. As the expression of negativity, the word "no" powerfully impacts our subconscious. You can prove this to yourself easily. Simply sat the words "no" and "yes" out loud a few times. Of course yes sounds positive and no sounds negative. Think about it. Do you want to sound negative or positive?  Even though “no problem” is supposed to sound positive, having the word "no" embedded in it sabotages any positive message.

Thirdly, negative expressions do not usually start with “no” in everyday life. Negation usually occurs with the verb: “Do you want some bananas?” “Thank you, I don’t want any bananas.” Starting a sentence with “no” is used for emphasis. “I really want you to take these bananas!” “No, I don’t want to take any bananas.” This sentence already includes one negative (don’t), and then we add another at the beginning to ensure there is no doubt, to emphasize the negation beyond question.

Using newer expressions like “no problem” sounds kind of hip and modern, but realize that these phrases are slang. They may include subconscious meanings that you do not intend, or is even contrary to your intention. “You’re welcome” is tried and true, and works for everyone, from our family to the queen of England. If you feel especially enthusiastic, you can say “you’re very welcome!”

What is the best way to learn American idioms?

What is the best way to learn American idioms?

The best way to learn American idioms… is to grow up in the U.S.!

Ok, that was a trick question. If you did not grow up here what is the best way? Please let me know your suggestions! Since everybody learns differently, one solution does not fit all. Some people like to study American idioms from books or websites. These resources explain the meaning of the idiom and provide an example. Often idioms are presented in groups of related expressions. Learning this way is very systematic. However, learning the knowledge outside of a greater context can leave doubt about appropriate usage, leaving you less likely to actually use the expression yourself.

Another way to learn American idioms is to encounter them in general usage. Popular national magazines, like Time and Newsweek, have writing geared to 8^th grade level reading skills. In other words, if you grow up in the U.S., you completely understand all the articles, including the idioms. These publications, as well as local daily newspapers, do not use sophisticated vocabulary or grammar. But they do use the unofficial language of slang or idiom a great deal. My unscientific survey suggests that idiomatic expressions occur in almost every paragraph.

The current issue of Time magazine starts an article about the transition in North Korea with the sentence, “What happens in Pyongyang doesn’t stay in Pyongyang.” Though the meaning may be clear enough, this sentence paraphrases and negates the very successful advertising campaign that Las Vegas conducted years ago. Their motto was, “What happens in Vegas stays in Vegas.” The attitude was that naughty behavior would be tolerated, if not encouraged. Afterwards, the formula “what happens in xyz stays/does not stay in xyz” became a staple of comedy and is now used in an ironic manner. By using this expression, the author gives a wink and nod to the ubiquitous phrase.

Idioms and expressions go in and out of fashion. The trendy slang of our parents sounds quaint and dated to us. New expressions sometimes become quickly dated, while others stand the test of time. The article about North Korea suggested other governments had “tried carrot-and-stick policies.” What kind of policy is that? The author could have used different words, such as “policies combining incentives and sanctions.” Does your native language have an expression like this? In the old days, when the donkey did would not pull the wagon, the driver used a stick to dangle a carrot (donkey treat) in front of the animal’s face and it would move forward. A darker inference is the threat of the stick as a weapon of violence to assert the driver’s will.

Though we share the same formal language as our cousins in the U.K, Australia, and elsewhere, each nation has its own expressions. Many expressions are common to all, but each nation has its own homegrown expressions not understandable by outsiders.

The biggest challenge in learning idioms is to stop skipping over them when you read or hear them. Instead, write them down and research their meaning from a native speaker. Sometimes even an Internet search does not adequately explain expressions or their origins. Idioms are rarely included in academic study of English because such expressions are so deeply embedded in popular culture. Maybe some easy way of learning American idioms can work magic, but more likely a gradual, sustainable, long-term study will yield the best results.

American idioms for financial and social transactions

The word behind the copyright notice in this cartoon is "Belated," which means "late."

American idioms for social and financial transactions
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When I was growing up, my friend owed me five dollars. He offered to pay me the following Tuesday. However, he did not actually pay me until Wednesday—a day late. To make matters worse, he only paid back four dollars, so he was a dollar short. Naturally I felt angry towards my friend and resented that he had taken advantage of me. Even though he made some effort to pay me back, the effort was overdue and fell short of the goal as well. In the U.S. (and maybe elsewhere), “a day late and a dollar short” is a common expression that expresses our disappointment and frustration with the actions of others.

In the workplace, some people do not get favorable reviews or get passed over for promotions and raises. Often after complaining about their stagnant career, they receive a small raise. Company morale probably suffers when employees feel they are receiving recognition a day late (after having to complain) and a dollar short (only a small raise, not a substantial one). Whenever someone’s reward is delayed for a long time and at last turns out to be smaller than hoped or expected, they know the feeling of “a day late and a dollar short.” Almost everyone experiences this growing up. Maybe you had to wait a long time for something that turned out less than what you expected.

Too often we are not rewarded for our positive efforts at all. In many cases, people’s greatness is recognized only after they die. Some of the greatest artists and composers died in poverty and obscurity. Only after their death did recognition and reward come for them. In those sad cases, we can say these creative geniuses got their reward a day late and a dollar short.

Even if someone pays on time, they might try to pay less than they owe. They might try to “short-change” you. When this happens in the store it is usually a mistake. Most clerks very carefully count out the money for your inspection and welcome you to count it for yourself. Likewise, bank tellers have special training for handling the large amounts of cash that pass through their hands daily. Honest people naturally do not try to deceive others, so getting short-changed is not common with cash.

Just as with the previous expression, “short-change” has literal and symbolic meanings. In social groups, anyone who does not share and participate equally with others is getting “short-changed.” In the U.S., many people feel like the richest 1% is getting richer, while the other 99% is getting short-changed. While everyone in the U.S. is supposed to be equal, the fact is that lower and middle class people, the majority of the population, are getting short-changed. Our political leaders keep debating what to do. If any help actually comes from our leaders, most likely it will be a day late and a dollar short.

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Slang, idiom, expression, argot, jargon, colloquialism: what is it?

To improve your knowledge of U.S. slang, this website is really good. Another good reference is the Urban Dictionary.

Slang, idiom, expression, argot, jargon, colloquialism:
Either a printed or online dictionary will tell you what each of these words mean. Some definitions may differ, but these words all generally refer to language as it is normally used by native speakers. This everyday language differs from academic language in important ways. The vocabulary of formal, academic English language is quite fixed and slow to change. Words have well-defined meanings that change little over time. However, everyday English changes constantly. Words used today were unknown yesterday. Yesterday's slang sounds archaic today. Some idioms are completely arbitrary, like "P,U." Every American pre-schooler knows this means something stinks! What do the initial letter stand for? No one knows for sure.

One function of colloquialisms is to establish and maintain a community. The community is people who understand and use certain slang expressions, Insiders know the what it means to "pay lip service." If you are an insider, you can understand the intended meaning of the expression that lies beneath the meaning of the individual words. If you are outside the community, you may understand the words but not understand the underlying meaning they way insiders do. For example, the community of people born or growing up in the U.S. constantly use slang, idioms, and similar expressions which exclude non-native speakers. People outside the community cannot usually penetrate colloquial expressions very easily.

Another function of slang is to provide a platform for humor. Since the actual meaning of the expression may be the opposite of the literal meaning of the individual words, people using these kinds of phrases often have an ironic intent. To understand humor in English, non-native speakers need a broad understanding of the most common expressions. These expressions are known since childhood by native speakers but continue to baffle non-native adults.

One good way to discover these expression is to read a U.S. general interest magazine, such as Time magazine, Readers Digest, or National Geographic. If you have not lived all or most of your life in the U.S., though you understand the individual words and grammar, the overall meaning of the magazine articles remains elusive. That is because vital parts of the meaning are contained in the slang, idiom, expression, argot, jargon, or colloquialism used in speech and writing.

Please let me know your own experiences with English slang. How have you tried to learn common expressions and idioms? You can email me directly by clicking here. Also, please give me any feedback you can so I can keep improving. Thanks!