Dave's ESL Cafe's Student Discussion Forums

[kerstin]

1"Tiny man,huge ego."=Does it refer to a man who is physically short or an average person?

2It's a tough call.=it's a hard decision to make?

3 "What a pile of bollocks! "=what you said was nonsence?
is it rude to use the expression?

4." R.S.V.P. "=please reply
can I put it in the end of my letter or message,as to tell people to reply me?

5 a man is trying to tell his girlfriend that she looks beautiful all the time,she replied:"you are full of it."=you are a liar?or you are right?

thanks a lot

[cgage2]

1. It can mean a physically small man with an exaggerated opinion of his worth
or
an inferior man with an exaggerated opinion of his worth
2. this is correct
3. I've never heard this expression. Is it British? Generally speaking, a phrase like this would mean "what you said was nonsense". Is it rude?
That would depend on what a bollack is.
In general, it is an impolite statement.
Better:
"I respectfully disagree with what you said"
4. RSVP is used for invitations
5. This is a rude expression and implies something rude in colloquial modern American English. However, in more civilized times people might have said, "You're full of baloney" (Baloney is a very cheap kind of pork)
I would avoid this type of expression.
The meaning implies that one is not being honest or that one is exaggerating. It could also be an insult to one's character.

[CP]

3. "Bollocks!" is what some BE speakers use as the equivalent of "B u l l s h i t!" in AE. I would avoid it. If you must say something like that, say, "Rubbish!" or "Nonsense!"

4. RSVP stands for "Repondez, s'il vous plait," French for "Respond, please." As cgage2 said, it is used for invitations, so that the host can know ahead of time how many people are coming. You wouldn't put it at the end of a letter.

5. Really just short for, "You're full of s h i t" or "You're full of b u l l s h i t," neither of which is a very charming thing to say. Unless the other person is really full of it, I guess.
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