The Curve Zone has had page views from Denmark, Slovenia, the Philippines, Russia, etc. I know when I write I often use American Slang and expressions. I talk like an American from the Midwest, which can be difficult to understand even if your native language is English.
If you find a phrase, word, or name that you don't recognize, please do not be shy about commenting, or you can email me at amandamercutio@gmail.com .
Please note that I mean no offense if I point out an obvious phrase- I am unsure which American expressions are well known in other countries and which are not. I was always surprised how much slang my roommate from Seoul knew. However, I know whenever I watch British comedies that sometimes I don't understand some of the words and expressions used.
So here is round one of some expressions, names, etc that I and other Americans might use:
Slang- This word refers to words and expressions that aren't part proper grammar and often do not have a literal meaning.
"Hit the Roof"- It means a person is so angry or excited that they might explode with emotion. For example, if someone says "My Husband will hit the roof when he sees the mess the kids made" they are saying their husband will be very angry.
"Piece of Cake"- It means something is easy, unless the phrase is used in a context in which a baked good makes more sense. Example- "That test was a piece of cake"- most likely means that test was easy versus "At the birthday party I was offered a piece of cake" means a person was offered an actual piece of cake.
"Paint the Town Red"- It means to have a great deal of fun, and perhaps get into a bit of trouble. It is almost always used when talking about a night out with friends, or a date. "We're going to paint the town red" is a way of saying that you are going to have a very exciting night out in the city, or some other lively spot. This is expression is not used for stay-at-home fun.
"Get the Party Started" or "Get the Ball Rolling"- these expressions have similar meanings. They mean that you are starting something, not necessarily a party or rolling a ball. "Get the Party Started" usually is said before starting a social event- or used sarcastically to refer to something dull in nature. "Get the Ball Rolling" is usually used before starting a project, meeting, or something else of a productive nature.
"Chilling" This term bounces in and out of popularity. It isn't recent- but you still hear it in songs now and then. When you refer to a person or people chilling, it usually means they are relaxing, being trendy and laid back. If used to describe an object, then the meaning is most likely literal. "The Wine is Chilling" means the wine is cooling in temperature, "we were chilling" usually means that you and your companions were relaxing/socializing but not doing much.
"Up to"- I use this expression a lot. "Up to" means what you are doing. "What are you up to" = "What are you doing?"
"Shotgun Wedding"- There is a funny story about this expression. I was trying on wedding dresses at a shop and the owner is from Taiwan. One of the dresses fit snug around my midsection- so it made me look like I was pregnant. I joked that if I wore that dress people would think it was a "shotgun wedding". The owner didn't know the phrase, so I had to explain. A "Shotgun Wedding" is a term used in the US whenever a bride is pregnant. The expression is a joke that because the bride was pregnant the bride's father got angry and threatened the groom with a shotgun to marry his daughter so she would not be dishonored.
Please let me know any expressions you are unfamiliar with, please comment below. Thank you for reading, I hope this has been helpful.
No comments:
Post a Comment