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luciaC
Joined: 26 Feb 2004 Posts: 90
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Posted: Sat May 07, 2005 6:32 pm Post subject: Questions |
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1. What does mothering mean?
2. What does this sentence mean? Don't put off living. Can you give me a context?
3. I am curious to know that why Americans don't put their slippers outside the house since there is always carpet inside.
4. Can you bargain in a yard sale? How can I say?
Thanks in advamce. _________________ Mimi |
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helen1
Joined: 24 Nov 2004 Posts: 115
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Posted: Sun May 08, 2005 6:19 am Post subject: |
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Hi Lucia
1. We usually use the term 'mothering' to say a person (usually a woman) is treating someone like a child or an older child like a young child - so for example if a woman does everything for her husband - we might say she's mothering him. - In other words it's behaving like a mother.
2. 'Don't put off living' - would be said to someone who seems to be bored with their life but doesn't do anything about it (perhaps a little scared of doing something different)
It means go out and have some fun.... or do something you want to do...
An extreme example:
So if I have a friend who does nothing except work, and watch television -but has always wanted to climb a mountain - I'd say don't put off life - go and do it.
3. I'm not American but I guess it's a cultural thing - and slippers are meant to be worn inside the house whereas shoes are worn outside.
4. If American yardsales are anything like British Car Boot sales - yes you can. - We'd call it bartering not bargaining. You can say for example:
I bought these fantastic rollerblades at the boot sale - he wanted �20 but I bartered with him and got them for �7.00 |
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bud
Joined: 09 Mar 2003 Posts: 2111 Location: New Jersey, US
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Posted: Sun May 08, 2005 12:36 pm Post subject: |
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at the boot sale - I like it, but in the US it would sound like a special sale at the shoe store.
In the US, I think we're much more likely to use "to bargain" than "to barter."
Also in the US, I think we're afraid to leave our shoes outside because someone will steal them... just kidding... sort of. |
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helen1
Joined: 24 Nov 2004 Posts: 115
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Posted: Sun May 08, 2005 11:45 pm Post subject: |
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We definitely wouldn't use bargaining - or at least in my neck of the woods you wouldn't - it's not a verb here - you can have a bargain but you can't bargain -
We would also use haggling - which I really like - I haggled with him & got them for �7.00 |
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bud
Joined: 09 Mar 2003 Posts: 2111 Location: New Jersey, US
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Posted: Mon May 09, 2005 9:40 am Post subject: |
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Ah, yes. We also haggle. |
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