Dave's ESL Cafe's Student Discussion Forums

[whatdaheck]

Hi!
I need help regarding the following,
1. What is the person entrusted called? Any word for it? Must be!!
2. What's meant by "flash in the pan"?
3. Does back tracking or back-tracking mean thinking back?
Thanks
Maham

[cgage2]

Salaam Maham. How are things in Qatar? You say it's hot?
In legal terms, a "trustee" is someone that is given some responsibility.
However this is never used in personal terms. A friend with whom you share some private information with would be a "confidant"
I don't have time to look this up, but I think that "flash in th pan" refers to old style pistols and rifles that had an explosion on a small pan which ignited gunpowder in a barrel, thus firing a bullet. "A "flash in the pan" means only the pan flashes. The bullet is not fired. In other words, it refers to a half-completed action (I think). It sounds as though it could be a slightly contemptuous term. I beleive that you could use it for an event or a person. "The crisis was just a flash in the pan. He's just a flash in the pan (ineffective person).
"Back-tracking" was probably originally a hunting term. In colloquial English, it could mean a lot of things. I've never heard it used like your example but people make up new stuff all the time. If a movie star says something, then everyone will start saying it. Maybe Paris Hilton said it.
If you want to use it that way, you can probably get away with it.
English is becoming so colloquial!

[whatdaheck]

Walaikum Assalam!!
You seem to know Qatar. Where are you from by the way? Yeah, it's very hot here, typical of Qatar!
Well, I took a wild guess regarding the meaning of ''back-tracking" cuz I heard it in a song, "back-tracking on these few years"...I had a feeling it means looking back or something!
Well, about confidant...Yeah, I knew that but for example I want to say some person is very close to my heart and of course I confide in him/her...What should I say, you are my trustee, lolz...or what? Gosh, I'm confused! Like I want to say you belonged to me...you are my possession...and at the same time want to show I confide in him/her. I hope you get me!
Maham

[cgage2]

Al salaam a'alaykum. I am an English teacher from the southern part of the US and it is also very hot here. It gets to be near 100* or over 40*C.
However, everyone has air conditioning. It's good to hear from our Moslem friends. My best friend is from Iran.
To answer your question:
"You are my trusted friend and companion."
"Trustee" is only used officially.

P.S. The word "cuz" does not exist. Use "because".

Charles

[whatdaheck]

Walaikum Assalam!
Yeah, I know the word cuz doesnt exist but I'm so used to this short sms language that I really don't know sometimes I end up writing the same stuff in proper and formal places, just like today!
Anyways, I'm impressed that you guessed I'm a Moslem, just from my name
Maham

[wintersweet]

A flash in the pan is something that seems like it is going to be great, but then fails (or something that only succeeds briefly, then fails).

"His musical career was just a flash in the pan."
"Some people said the Toyota Prius hybrid car would be a flash in the pan, but actually, it's been a great success."

"Back-tracking on these few years" would mean "undoing what you said or did then." Let me guess--it's an unhappy love song.

"At the interview, he said the salary was $25 an hour, but later he back-tracked and said he could only pay $12 per hour."
"Don't back-track on your argument and say you didn't mean it. Stick to your principles."

Do those examples make sense?
_________________
wintersweet

http://www.readableblog.com/
* Free resources for English language learners *

[whatdaheck]

Hi!
Yeah, thanks. The examples helped!