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missdaredevil
Joined: 08 Dec 2004
Posts: 1670
Location: Ask me
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 Posted: Sat Jun 30, 2007 6:41 am Post subject: three questions |
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What is the term for *the ways people use phrases", instead of *to make homework* it is *to do homework*?
What do you call it when a person goes *woohoo* or *heehow*when doing something exciting?
Is it *pardon my English* or *excuse my Englihs* when not expressing well in English?
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CP
Joined: 12 Jun 2006
Posts: 2875
Location: California
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| Posted: Sat Jun 30, 2007 7:15 am Post subject: |
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1. We say "do homework" not "make homework."
2. I would say that is whooping, or shouting for joy. When people are whooping it up, they tend to shout out joyfully. Aren't humans funny?
Your "heehow" is actually "yee-haw" or "yahoo," the kind of shouting made popular by American cowboys in the Old West. When you drive a team of horses or mules, you say "gee" to mean "left" and "haw" to mean "right." Gee-haw became yee-haw somehow.
3. Well, I'd probably stick with "Excuse my English" if I had to apologize for it. But a little of that goes a long way. Native speakers hear non-native speakers using English more and more. You don't have to apologize. Just speak, and if someone has trouble understanding you, he or she will ask.
In America, if we use a naughty word in polite company, we might say "Pardon my French," a way to ask forgiveness for the breach of etiquette, pretending that the naughty word was French, a slip of the tongue. So I wouldn't say, "Pardon my English" to Americans if I were you. But you will get a laugh if you slip in a naughty word and follow it with, "Pardon my French."
"I hated that movie. It was s h i t. Pardon my French."
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You live a new life for every new language you speak. -Czech proverb |
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cgage2
Joined: 11 Jun 2007
Posts: 192
Location: US
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| Posted: Sat Jun 30, 2007 7:16 am Post subject: |
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both " the way" and "the ways" are correct and depend on the context. "Way is the one, general way. "Ways" are the several or many ways
to do homework
yee-ha etc. are interjections. They could also be termed as exclamations
pardon and excuse are interchangeable |
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missdaredevil
Joined: 08 Dec 2004
Posts: 1670
Location: Ask me
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| Posted: Tue Jul 03, 2007 4:27 pm Post subject: |
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1. We say "do homework" not "make homework."
Sorry I wasn't being clear enough. I believe the term is something like *colloquiasm* or something. So it's "do homework" not "make homework", there's no explanation to explain why that is not "make homework'. Hope I am more clear this time...
2.In America, if we use a naughty word in polite *company*
By the way, what does that mean?
Thanks, CP |
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CP
Joined: 12 Jun 2006
Posts: 2875
Location: California
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| Posted: Tue Jul 03, 2007 8:50 pm Post subject: |
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| missdaredevil wrote: |
1. We say "do homework" not "make homework."
Sorry I wasn't being clear enough. I believe the term is something like *colloquiasm* or something. So it's "do homework" not "make homework", there's no explanation to explain why that is not "make homework'. Hope I am more clear this time...
2.In America, if we use a naughty word in polite *company*
By the way, what does that mean?
Thanks, CP |
1. Do you mean "colloquialism" / "colloquial term"? The colloquialism / term / phrase for finishing one's school assignments outside of class is to do one's homework.
2. When you are with other people, you are in company. If you are with a bunch of loudmouthed, rude, American louts, you can say anything without worrying. But if you are with more refined people, maybe church-going folks, older people, educated people, your co-workers and superiors, you want to avoid crude, rude, rough language.
Suppose you have a new sweetheart, and you are meeting his / her parents for the first time; you are with your auntie's church friends; you are at a staff luncheon with your co-workers and boss; you are making a presentation to potential new clients. You are on your best behavior, and you are in polite company. You don't want to say naughty words around them and give them a bad impression. That's what I meant.
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You live a new life for every new language you speak. -Czech proverb |
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kerstin
Joined: 30 May 2006
Posts: 241
Location: Taiwan
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| Posted: Mon Aug 06, 2007 4:23 pm Post subject: |
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You are in polite company= You are on your best behavior=You are with polite people?
Sorry I am a little confused |
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CP
Joined: 12 Jun 2006
Posts: 2875
Location: California
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| Posted: Mon Aug 06, 2007 4:36 pm Post subject: |
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| kerstin wrote: |
You are in polite company= You are on your best behavior=You are with polite people?
Sorry I am a little confused |
I was saying, suppose you are in a particular social situation. In that situation, you are on your best behavior = you are trying to behave correctly and not do anything wrong, so as to make a good impression.
You are in polite company = you are with people who are behaving in the most civilized, correct way. You are not with your college friends, who would laugh at your crude jokes and rude gestures and uncivilized or antisocial behavior, so you can expect that people will be shocked and disapproving if you do anything too outlandish.
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You live a new life for every new language you speak. -Czech proverb |
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