biro = golyóstoll

From László Bíró, the Hungarian inventor of the ballpoint pen.

coach  = kocsi

From kocsi, a horse‐drawn wagon with springs above the axles. Named after the village of Kocs in which this type of vehicle was invented. The verb ‘to coach’ is also derived from this root.

czardas = csárdás

From csárdás, a Hungarian folk dance. Csárda also means ‘tavern’.

Dobos torte or Dobosh = dobostorta

From Dobos torta, “Dobos cake”. After confectioner József C. Dobos.

friska = a csárdás gyors része

From friss, a fast section of music, often associated with czardas dances.

goulash = gulyás

From gulyás, a type of stew known in Hungarian as gulyás. Gulyás also means ‘herdsman’ dealing with cattle, as the noun gulya is the Hungarian word for cattle herd.

hajduk = bandita

From hajdúk, “bandits”. Outlaw, guerilla fighter. The original Hungarian meaning was “cattle drover“. A hajduk is a type of peasant irregular infantry found in Central and Southeast Europe from the early 17th to mid 19th centuries. They have reputations ranging from bandits to freedom fighters depending on time, place, and their enemies.

halászlé

,or Fisherman’s Soup, a very hot and spicy river fish soup with a lot of paprika. (The actual Hungarian halászlé is not always made with hot paprika, unlike the internationally-known soup.)

hussar = huszár

From Hungarian huszár, a light cavalry soldier. The Hungarian word originally meant “freebooter” and was further derived via Old Serbian husar, gusar, gursar (“pirate“) from Italian corsaro (“pirate”), i.e. the same root as that of English corsair.

Itsy-bitsy = icipici

is sometimes linked to Hungarian ici-pici (“tiny”) but is regarded as an unrelated English formation by English dictionaries.

komondor

A big Hungarian breed of livestock guardian dog, looking like big mop, always white.

kuvasz

A big Hungarian breed of shepherd dog, always white.

lassan

From lassú, “slowly”. a slow section of music, often associated with czardas dances.

palacsinta

a form of pancake popular throughout central Europe

paprika

a spice produced from the ground, dried fruits of Capsicum annuum, a red pepper

puli

A small Hungarian breed of shepherd dog, also looking like a mop, usually black or white.

pusta

From puszta, a kind of Hungarian steppe.

sabre (UK) or saber (US) = szablya, kard

From French (sabre, sable), ultimately from an unknown source in a language of Eastern origin, possibly through Hungarian szablya.

shako or tsako = csákó

From csákó süveg, ‘peaked cap’, a stiff military hat with a high crown and plume.

tokaji or tokay

From tokaji aszú, the name of the wine from Tokaj, the centre of the local wine-growing district Tokaj-Hegyalja.

verbunkos

a Hungarian men’s folk dance and musical style (itself coming from German Werbung – meaning “military recruitment” here).

vizsla or vizla

From vizsla, a Hungarian breed of hunting dog.

source: wikipedia

A bully is a blustering, quarrelsome and overbearing sort. They never grew out of it; they acted that way in elementary school, and it carried through to present day. They are often physically dominant, which makes up for their insecurities and deficiencies in other areas. (Like, say, brain power.) Every office has one. The trick is to know their buttons so you can discreetly and strategically push them to the delight of your co-workers.

Manipulative

We define the word manipulative as “influencing or attempting to influence the behavior or emotions of others for one’s own purposes: a manipulative boss.” Machiavellian also works well in this case. These people were born sneaky. If it’s possible to have sneaky DNA—they do.

Screwup

A screwup is “a habitual blunderer.” The word is a late 1950s Americanism. If the boss assigns you to work with a screwup, either the assigned project isn’t that important, or he/she has it in for you with the expectation of failure. Make sure to update your LinkedIn profile before you start working with them. Just in case.

Weasel

Weaselsare cuddly guys, but not here. In the office context, you’re a “cunning, sneaky person.” Totally amoral, weasels are known to inhabit the sales department, though in fairness it must be stated for the record that not all salespeople are weasels. Classic example: a weasel swipes your sandwich from the break room refrigerator and leaves a note saying “more mayo next time, please.”

Backstabber

There is no way backstabber can be misinterpreted. If you backstab, that’s an “attempt to discredit (a person) by underhanded means.” If you engage in this type of behavior, you’re one to be avoided. The word is used quite a bit in an office setting, as in: “The new CFO has a rep for being a backstabber, so watch yourself.”

Psycho

Dictionary.com’s practical definition says a psycho is a mentally unstable person, and it must be noted that true mental illness is a serious problem and shouldn’t be a source of humor. In the office, however, it could be apt in non-literal usage. You know that guy who sits in the corner with the 30 watt light bulb above him? Who spends all day counting the number of Taco Bell sauce packets in the top drawer? With the plant that was last watered during the Carter administration? That’s him. He’s a distant relative to a board member, which is why he’s still got the gig. In the business world, it is usually always who you know.

Snake in the grass

Snake in the grass has little ambiguity. If someone tagged you as a snake, you are a watercooler pariah and a “treacherous person, one who feigns friendship.” The Grinch is a prime example of a snake in the grass. That is, until he brings back all the presents to Whoville.

Gossip

Every office has a gossip. Typically, your office gossip is close to the seat of power. They know what’s going on, who’s in and who’s out. Be careful making an alliance with the office gossip, since it’s likely a house of cards. Fun concept: planting misinformation with the gossip is a great way to combat them on a pseudo-cerebral mind game level. Just a thought.

Deceitful

This person wakes up in the morning and makes it their mission to, as Dictionary.com’s definition succinctly states, “deceive or be misleading.” When they say “the report will be ready on Friday morning,” they are not being entirely truthful. After all, they didn’t say which Friday it would be ready, did they. It is worth staying on your toes when being around these folks.

Arrogant

In the office, the people that are the most arrogant usually are the ones with the biggest compensation package—definite C-level synergy. Your friendly IT department has been known to flaunt this behavior, usually late on a Friday afternoon when your hard drive has collapsed and your report isn’t finished. Then again, that person in the office that has 10 words for everything could be called arrogant. Let’s all be careful.

source: dictionary.com

Match the words with the definitions

Key:

I. 1-d, 2-e, 3-f, 4-c, 5-a, 6-b, 7-h, 8-j, 9-i, 10-g

Macaron vs. Macaroon

Do you like macaroons? You might think you know the answer to this question, but you might be wrong! Macaroons are often confused with another dessert. Let’s find out which is which and straighten out some other food mix-ups while we’re at it.

Macaron Vs. Macaroon

Besides the spelling, there are two main differences between macarons and macaroons. First, macarons are pronounced mah-kah-ROHN and macaroons are pronounced mah-kah-ROON. The treats themselves are quite different. Macarons are colored almond cookie sandwiches with a buttercream or ganache filling. Macaroons are drop cookies, usually made of shredded coconut and sometimes dipped in chocolate.

Ragout vs. Ragu

In French, the verb ragouter means to stimulate the appetite. Ragout and ragu both derive from this verb, but they are totally different dishes. Ragout is a thick meat or fish stew served as a main dish. Ragu is a meat sauce usually served with pasta. Yes, the popular pasta sauce company’s product name simply means meat sauce!

Cacao vs. Cocoa

Cacao are dried seeds (beans) that come from the fruit of a cacao tree. They are roasted and ground into a powder called cocoa. This powder is often an ingredient in cakes, brownies, or a drink by the same name made by mixing cocoa powder with hot milk or water. For chocolate, cacao beans are fermented, roasted, and ground.

Remoulade vs. Roulade

The French language lends us both remoulade and roulade. To remember what a roulade is, just think of the verb roll. A piece of meat, such as a pounded chicken breast, may be rolled around a filling such as cheese or vegetables. Or if you prefer dessert, you can roll a thin cake around a sweet filling. A remoulade is an oil- or mayonnaise-based sauce flavored with mustard, capers, or various seasonings.

Desert vs. Dessert

You definitely don’t want to eat a desert. A desert is a place where rain does not often fall and little if anything grows. A dessert is a sweet treat, usually served at the end of a meal. What’s your favorite desert? Your answer should be geographical—Sahara, Gobi, etc. What’s your favorite dessert? You might answer with a cake, pie, or pudding.

Baking Soda vs. Baking Powder

If you don’t want to ruin your recipes, you should learn the difference between these two food terms. They are both leaveners. Baking soda is sodium bicarbonate. Baking powder combines baking soda with cream of tartar and corn starch. So baking powder contains baking soda, but baking soda doesn’t contain baking powder. By the way, mixing baking soda with the other ingredients of baking powder changes its chemical makeup, so you can’t substitute one for the other.

Patty vs. Pâté

A patty is any minced food that is shaped by hand into a flat disk. One of the most common patties is the hamburger patty. Though it is also made of meat, pâté is quite dissimilar to a patty. Pâté is a soft, spreadable paste made of cooked meat and fat, which has been blended smooth.

So do you like macaroons? Or is it macarons that you prefer? If you keep these food names straight, you will avoid having any mix-ups at your next visit to a restaurant.

source: grammarly.com

Which is which?

1. colored almond cookie sandwiches: ……

drop cookies: ……

2. a meat sauce usually served with pasta: ……

a thick meat or fish stew served as a main dish: ……

3. dried seeds roasted and ground into a powder: ……

dried seeds (beans) from the fruit of a tree: ……

4. a piece of rolled meat: ……

an oil- or mayonnaise-based sauce: ……

5. a place where rain does not often fall: ……

a sweet treat, usually served at the end of a meal: ……

6. combines baking soda with cream of tartar and corn starch: ……

sodiun bicarbonate: ……

7. any minced food shaped by hand into a flat disk: ……

a soft, spreadable paste made of cooked meat and fat: ……

Key

1. macarons, macaroons

2. ragu, ragout

3. cocoa, cacao

4. roulad, remoulade

5. desert, dessert

6. baking powder, baking soda

7. patty, pâté

Let’s explore just a few of the uses of this versatile letter.

The story behind the X in Xbox isn’t as mysterious as you might think. The original name was the DirectX box, which came from a group of Microsoft DirectX developers. Microsoft DirectX is a collection of application programming interfaces.

Generation X, or Gen X, refers to the generation born after the Baby Boom ended; its last members graduated from high school in 1999. The photographer Robert Capa coined the term. But Douglas Copeland popularized it with a successful novel published in 1991. “Generation X” tells the story of members of an uncertain and lost generation.

There are a few theories regarding where and when X was first used to signify the unknown. One probable thought is that Descartes used the last three letters of the alphabet as unknowns to correspond with the first three letters, which were used for known quantities. X, of course, was part of this group.

X is often found in friendly and amorous correspondence next to O. In XOXO, X represents a kiss and O represents a hug. The first recorded use of this term for affection was in 1765.

Great Britain was the first country to designate films with raunchy content with X, and the U.S. soon followed suit.

In the same vein, XX on malt liquor stands for “double quality” and XXX stands for “strongest quality.” This designation dates back to 1827.

It is also used in Xmas. You won’t find Xmas in church songbooks or even on many greeting cards. Xmas is popularly associated with a trend towards materialism, and sometimes the target of people who decry the emergence of general “holiday” observance instead of particular cultural and religious ritual.

But the history of the word “Xmas” is actually more respectable — and fascinating — than you might suspect. First of all, the abbreviation predates by centuries its use in gaudy advertisements. It was first used in the mid 1500s. X is the Greek letter “chi,” the initial letter in the word Χριστός. And here’s the kicker: Χριστός means “Christ.” X has been an acceptable representation of the word “Christ” for hundreds of years. This device is known as a Christogram. The mas in Xmas is the Old English word for “mass.” In the same vein, the dignified terms Xpian and Xtian have been used in place of the word “Christian.”

source: dictionary.com

Other words with the letter X. Can you match the word to its definition?

Key: 

1. e.

2. d.

3. a.

4. b.

5. c.

“Ditto” as a response meant as “same here” or “what you said” has a modern, almost slangy feel to it, so many people assume that it was taken from the copy machine use. The reading is that a ditto machine makes copies, so saying ditto creates a “copy” of something that was just said. But the “what you said” use is centuries older than the machine.

It comes from Italian ditto, a dialect variation on detto, meaning “said,” the past participle of dice, “to say.” It was used in Italian as in “il ditto libro”, “the aforesaid book.” In English, it came to be used in the 17th century to avoid having to repeat words and phrases in accounting and commercial language. Instead of repeating something like January 29 or Newcastle upon Tyne in a list, one could just put ditto in after the first occurrence.

Ditto gradually drifted from a noun meaning “the aforesaid” or “the same” (as in a 1759 cookbook: “Parsley roots, and leaves of ditto”) to an adverb meaning “I agree with what you just said.”

The force of ditto goes beyond mere agreement though. If the Patrick Swayze character in Ghost said “I love you” and Demi Moore said “Agreed” or “I concur,” it would sound like she was agreeing only with the proposition he expressed: that he loved her. Kind of rude. What she means is not just “I agree,” but “I hereby say the same.” Ditto still carries the concept of actual saying with it. It performs an act of saying by merely pointing back to already said words.

source: Mentalfloss

A wordplay or play-on-words is defined as a literary technique and a form of wit in which the words that are used become the main subject of the work, primarily for the purpose of an intended effect or amusement.

The following Hungarian wordplays might cause some confusion due to the fact that they have several meanings.

1.  “Tiszta víz a ruhám, és ez a te lelkeden szárad” literally means “My clothes are soaking wet and this dries on your soul”. The expression “to dry on your soul” (te lelkeden szárad) means that something is your fault in Hungarian. So this way, the wordplay contrasts wet and dry.

2. “Mostanában a szép dús haj olyan ritka…” means “Nowadays nice, thick hair is so rare… . The word “ritka” has two meanings: rare and thin, so this wordplay contrasts thick and thin.

3.  “Az üzleti találkozómat egy evőeszközboltnál beszéltem meg. Kések” means “I’ve arranged my business meeting at a cutlery shop. I’m going to be late.” The Hungarian noun “kés” means knife, while the verb “késni” means to be late. So by saying “kések” I mean that I’m going to be late, but it literally means “knives” which goes perfectly well with a cutlery shop.

4. “A hóhért grimaszversenyre küldték. Eszméletlen fejeket tud vágni” literally means “The hangman was sent to a grimace competition. He can cut incredible heads” but it figuratively means that “he can pull incredible faces”. The Hungarian compound “fejet vág” has two meanings: to behead and to pull faces/grimace. This is why it is connected to a hangman in a quite bizarre way.

5. “Hogyan lehet egyszerűen repülőt hajtogatni? – Repülő, repülő, repülő…” could be literally translated to “How can you easily fold an airplane? – Airplane, airplane, airplane” but the trick here is the Hungarian verb “hajtogatni”. It means to fold and also to repeat, this is why the answer is “airplane, airplane, airplane…”.

6.  “Kannibál harcosok kínálják egymást: Kérsz egy katonát?” literally means “Cannibal warriors offering each other: Would you like a soldier?”, but the Hungarian noun “katona” has two meanings: soldier and a bite (of food). So they are actually offering food bites to each other.

7. “Egy tudóscsoport lázasan kutatja a malária ellenszerét” can literally be translated to “A research group is feverishly searching for the antidote of malaria”. However, the Hungarian adverb “lázasan” can also mean keenly, zealously besides feverishly which is, again, a bit bizarre connection to malaria.

8. “A magyar katonák a csatában hadilábon álltak” means “The Hungarian soldiers were at odds in the fight”. The literal translation of “hadiláb” would be something like “war-leg” which makes no sense in English, but it goes well with soldiers and fight. Otherwise, it means to be at daggers drawn with somebody.

9. “A focisták a 90. percben az utolsókat rúgták”  literally means “The football players were performing their last kicks in the 90th minute”, but it figuratively means “The football players were on their last legs in the 90th minute”. So the expression “utolsókat rúgja” (last kicks) means to be on one’s last legs in English.

source: dailynewshungary.com

Did you have fun? To make the most use of the expressions let’s contrast the different meanings of the Hungarian words in a table.

I.e. is an abbreviation for the Latin phrase id est meaning “that is,” or “in other words.” The term introduces an explanation of a previous paraphrase, as in: “Dr. Doolittle, reported that he had only ‘a few’ pets, i.e., he had more animals on his property than the London Zoo.” I.e. is only capitalized at the beginning of a sentence. The periods and closing comma are used in American English, though they’re unnecessary in English speaking-countries outside of North America, i.e., the UK, Australia, and Ireland.

2. E.g.

E.g. is an acronym for the Latin phrase exempli gratia meaning “for example” or literally translated, “for the sake of example.” The phrase introduces an example of a reference made earlier in the sentence, as in: “She felt that large lizards were widely misunderstood (e.g. the delicate gila monster).” E.g. is only capitalized at the beginning of a sentence and can be flanked by commas or parenthesis. If you’re worried about confusing e.g. and i.e., remember: use e.g. to provide an example and i.e. to explain one.

3. Ibid.

Ibid. is an abbreviation for the Latin word ibidem meaning “in the same place.” The phrase is useful for citations and bibliographies to refer to a source cited in a previous entry, possibly appearing in a citations page.

Ibid. is always followed by a period, is capitalized only at the beginning of a sentence or citation, and may or may not be italicized depending on the writer’s preference.

4. Et al. 

Et al. is an abbreviation of the Latin phrase et alii meaning “and others.” The term references groups of people (not things). Et al. is useful for citations and referring to a group by a few of its members, as in: “The city often relied on superheroes: Captain Planet, Wonder Woman, Batman et al.” The term is only capitalized at the beginning of a sentence, and it always takes a period. However you can decide whether or not to put a comma before it.

5. Etc. 

This common abbreviation etc. represents the Latin phrase et cetera meaning “and so forth” or literally “and the rest.” Etc. abbreviates lists of things (not people) in which unlisted items can be deduced from the existing list and listing them would be truly unnecessary. For example: “He could see dragons in every type of cloud (stratus, nimbus, cumulous, etc.).” Etc. is always followed by a period. At the end of a list, it is preceded by a comma, as though it were simply the next term in line.

6. Viz.

Viz. is an abbreviated contraction of the Latin term videre licit which became videlicet meaning “namely” or “that is to say.” The term introduces a description or clarification of an idea stated earlier. Viz. has a fascinating etymology in that the addition of the “z” was not originally a letter but a twirl, representing the Medieval Latin shorthand symbol for the suffix “-et,” as in videlicet.

7. Sic 

Sic is the first term on our list that is not an abbreviation or acronym. The Latin word sic means “so” or “thus” and most often appears bracketed within quoted passages. [Sic] indicates that the quoted text has been transcribed exactly, thus accounting for any grammatical or spelling errors that may appear: “Cusack tweeted often during the show, stating that it “was a privilege to honor a great artist–bit of fun at the masters [sic] request.” (From the LA Times)

8. Q.E.D.

Q.E.D. is an acronym for the Latin phrase quod erat demonstrandum meaning “which was to be demonstrated.” The term is most often used at the end of a mathematical or philosophical proof when that which was hypothesized has been proved, e.g., Rene Descartes’ cogito ergo sum, “I think, therefore I am–insert countless volumes of philosophical inquiry–Q.E.D. I think, therefore I am.”

9. Ipso facto 

Ipso facto was adopted into English directly from the Latin. The phrase means “by the fact itself” or “by the very nature of the deed.” In a sentence, ipso facto indicates that the event that follows it is a direct consequence of the event that precedes it. For example: “I’m forswearing all technology. Ipso facto you can have my stereo.” Like many deeply integrated loanwords, there is no need to italicize ipso facto in common usage.

10. Quid pro quo 

This phrase is on loan to English directly from the Latin meaning “one thing in return for another.” Quid pro quo functions as a noun referring to a fair trade or reciprocal exchange. The phrase often appears in diplomacy. For example, let’s look at this imagined quotation by the director of the Central Park Zoo. “The Bronx Zoo has finally agreed to give us a polar bear, but they’re asking for a quid pro quo. How many grizzlies should we give them?”

11. Ad nauseam 

This Latin adverb literally translates as “to the point of seasickness.” In English, when something happens ad nauseam, it goes on endlessly, to a sickening or nauseating extent. For example, “Recently, the acronym ‘YOLO’ has been used ad nauseam. Many English speakers expect to experience an unpleasant physical reaction if they hear it one more time.”

12. Ad hominem 

Ad hominem is an abbreviation for the Latin phrase argumentum ad hominem literally translated as “argument to the person.” This dirty debate style attacks the opponent’s character instead of the points raised in his argument. For example, “The Scarecrow only accepted ad hominem arguments because, as he said, he didn’t have a brain.” Or in another context, “negotiations over the fiscal cliff looked particularly bleak when representatives resorted to ad hominem attacks like, ‘Yeah, well, that’s a terrible tie.'”

13. Deus ex machina

Literally “a god from the machine,” deus ex machina is a literary device that dates back to Greek and Roman drama. In classical theater, a deus ex machina refers to a god that enters the action just in time to resolve the characters’ entanglements. Today the phrase can represent any improbable plot device that saves the day, as well as many cameos by Academy Award Winner Morgan Freeman. In the late Renaissance, a deus ex machina was the device by which actors playing gods were suspended over the stage as though in flight.

source: dictionary.com

Which is which? Can you match the Latin phrases and their meanings?

Key

1. e.

2. a.

3. d.

4. c.

5. b.

6. j.

7. f.

8. i.

9. g.

10. h.

11. m.

12. k.

13. l. 

Narrator

It’s October 1599. Shakespeare has finished writing his history play Julius Caesar and is visiting a fair in his home town of Stratford, with his daughter. She has just had her fortune told…

Will

Now, dear daughter, what did Old Mother Howard say? What does the future hold for us, I wonder?

Daughter

Oh father, Mother Howard talked a lot, but she had such a strange accent – I couldn’t understand a word she said!

Will

You’re just like Casca in my play Julius Caesar.

Daughter

Casca? He’s one of the men that kills Caesar, the Roman general! How can you say that, father – I’m not a murderer!!!

Will

Dear daughter, Casca was in a group of people who were listening to the great Roman speaker Cicero. But Cicero was speaking Greek, so Casca couldn’t understand him.

Daughter

Oh… why was Cicero speaking Greek?

Will

That’s what educated people spoke in Roman times. Casca says that some of the people listening to Cicero could actually understand him. Here are the lines: …those that understood him smiled at one another…

Thomas Swann as Casca

… those that understood him smiled at

one another and shook their heads; but, for mine own

part, it was Greek to me.

Daughter

So Casca had no idea what Cicero was talking about. Just like me and Mother Howard!

Narrator

We’ll leave them there for now. Fortune tellers were common in Shakespeare’s day, and they appear in many of his plays including Macbeth, the Comedy of Errors and Julius Caesar, in which the fortune teller warns Caesar to “beware the Ides of March” – the day on which Caesar was eventually assassinated by his closest friends. The phrase It was Greek to me has become It’s all Greek to me in modern English, and it’s used when something – not just a foreign language – is difficult to understand. For example, in a report about the 2015 Greek debt crisis, UK newspaper The Daily Telegraph carried the headline:

Clip 1

It’s all Greek to me: a glossary of Eurozone crisis jargon

Clip 2

I’ll never understand the rules of cricket: out for a duck, silly mid-off, googlies… It’s all Greek to me!

Will

Now tell me, daughter, did you understand anything Old Mother Howard said?

Daughter

Yes! She talked about you, father. She said that you’re going to be the most famous Englishman of all time! …but I think she was making it up.

Will

Oh no, no, no… I’m sure she’s absolutely right about that … She’s obviously a very gifted woman. What shall we look at now, daughter?

Daughter

Can we go to the gold stall father? Pleeeeeease???

Will

I didn’t need a fortune teller to predict that! To gold, or not to gold: that is the question.

source: bbclearningenglish

Trying to understand a language you know next to nothing about is tough. Imagine someone trying to explain something to you in an unfamiliar language; you’re not going to grasp much of anything that’s being said, it’d be unintelligible. The idea for this phrase is that, basically, the extreme difficulty involved with comprehending another language is being applied to anything that’s considered challenging to grasp. For instance, upon seeing a complex algebra equation, someone lacking in experience with such math problems might describe the equation as being “Greek” to them. In other words, they don’t understand it; it’s like another language to them.

The phrase goes back to at least the early 17th century, as it’s used by two different playwrights from this time period; their names being Thomas Dekkar and William Shakespeare.

Megpróbálni megérteni egy nyelvet, ami szinte teljesen ismeretlen a számunkra, nehéz ügy. Képzeld el, hogy valaki megpróbál elmagyarázni valamit neked egy számodra idegen nyelven. Nem fogsz szinte semmit érteni abból, amit mond, érthetetlen lesz a mondandója. Ebben az idiómában az ismeretlen nyelvek megértésének nehézségét más kihívással teli helyzetre is alkalmazzák, valamire, amit nehezünkre esik felfogni. Például egy összetett matematikai egyenletre is mondhatjuk, ha nem vagyunk otthon a matematika nyelvében, és nem tudjuk megoldani. „Ez nekem kínai” – vagyis nem értem, olyan, mintha egy általam nem beszélt idegen nyelven szólnának hozzám.

Az idióma eredete a 17. század körülre nyúlik vissza, Thomas Dekkar és Shakespeare is használta drámáiban.

definition (UK): This idiom is used as a way of apologising for swearing
magyarul: szó szerint: bocsásd meg a franciámat. Jelentése: elnézést kérek, hogy káromkodtam/csúnyán beszéltem.

There are quite a lot of expressions (not idioms or proverbs) including the word ’French’. They mostly refer to special kinds of food of French origin. Let’s have a quick look at them, too! 

French beans	French bread	French fries
zöldbab	franciakenyér	sültkrumpli
French horn	French kiss	French toast
(vadász) kürt	csókolózás	édes bundáskenyér

Indian file

definition: If people walk in Indian file, they walk in a line one behind the other.
magyarul: szó szerint “indián sorban”, azt jelenti, hogy egymás után (mögött), egy sorban menni, libasorban menni

Indian giver

definition: An Indian giver gives something, then tries to take it back.
magyarul: szó szerint “indián adakozó”, olyan emberre vonatkozik, aki ad valamit, aztán megpróbálja azt visszaszerezni.

Indian summer

definition: If there is a period of warmer weather in late autumn, it is an Indian summer.
magyarul: szó szerint “indián nyár”, ugyanazt jelenti, mint magyarul: ősz eleji meleg idő, vénasszonyok nyara

Greek to me

definition: If you don’t understand something, it’s all Greek to you.
magyarul: szó szerint “ez nekem görög”, magyarul azt mondjuk, hogy ez nekem “kínai” 

Young Turk

definition: A Young Turk is a young person who is rebellious and difficult to control in a company, team or organisation.
magyarul: szó szerint “fiatal török”, olyan személyre értjük, aki lázadó szellemű, és nehéz kontroll alatt tartani egy cégnél, szervezetnél, társaságban.

“No use crying over spilled milk”

Bad things are going to happen, and that’s the way the cookie crumbles. But while dwelling on past losses can prolong your pain, suppressing your emotions can be even worse. As reported in The Antidote: Happiness for People Who Can’t Stand Positive Thinking, “Bereaved people who make the most effort to avoid feeling grief take the longest to recover from their loss.” Or, to put it in more lactose-tolerant terms, “Sometimes we should cry over spilled milk,” philosopher Aaron Ben-Zeév writes, “otherwise how will we learn to value milk and how will we avoid spilling it again?”

“Money can’t buy happiness”

Long-term happiness is fleeting no matter what your bank account looks like, but research shows that money can, in fact, buy you short-term bursts of joy—if you spend wisely. Buying yourself experiences like concerts or vacations has been linked to greater happiness than material purchases, and even the anticipation of a fun event can cause substantial enjoyment, regardless of whether the experience delivers. But maybe most importantly, people who spend money on others are proven to be measurably happier than those who spend on themselves. So do yourself a favor: buy happiness for someone else. You might also be falling for these other happiness myths.

“Pick the low-hanging fruit first”

 In business, going for the easiest win first can mean a quick payoff, even if the fruits of your labor are, well, a bit misshapen. But according to 30-year apple-picking veteran Henry Rueda, starting with “low-hanging fruit” is a load of horse apples. Rueda says its common practice to pick trees from top to bottom, so that the sacks of apples that pickers carry around their necks grow heavier as they work downward. To pick the low-hanging fruit first would mean climbing against gravity with an increasingly heavy load—and also preventing heavily-shaded fruit from ripening. “Fruit that is high up, exposed to the sun, ripens the fastest,” adds USDA plant breeder Gennaro Fazio. “You want to pick the low-hanging fruit last, so it has more time to develop.”

“As pure as the driven snow”

If snow is “driven,” it has been blown into drifts and untrodden-upon by filthy human heels. Sounds pure, indeed, but whoever coined the phrase didn’t have pollution to worry about. According to Canadian researchers, pure white snow is a magnet for car exhaust pollution, absorbing enough toxins after one hour to make it dangerously inedible. So there you go, dads who make “yellow snow” jokes: Don’t trust the driven snow, either.

“It’s darkest just before dawn”

Assuming there’s little to no visible moonlight out, the darkest part of night is midnight—literally, the middle of the night when the sun is exactly opposite the face of Earth you’re standing on. The closer you get to dawn, the brighter the sky gets, so this expression depends highly on your definition of “just before.” It is, however, often coldest just before dawn.

“It takes more muscles to frown than to smile”

A small smile takes about 10 muscles to raise the upper lip and corners of the mouth, while a small frown takes only three muscles to drop the lower lip and corners of the mouth. So, sorry, a smile does not save you energy. One uplifting adage that is true though: “When you’re smiling, the world smiles with you.” Research shows that people are more likely to greet a smile with a smile than a frown with a frown, and that smiling can actually release endorphins and the brain chemical serotonin to make you happier (and healthier).

“Low man on the totem pole“

Anyone who describes themselves this way is probably bemoaning their lowly station in an organization, being the jerk who has to carry the rest of the tribe on their rickety shoulders. What they don’t grasp is that the lowest figure on a given totem pole is generally the most respected. Because totem poles are thicker toward the base, the bottom-most figure is typically the largest, most prominent, and most detailed of the bunch. “Totem poles are carved not by one carver, but by a head carver and a number of apprentice-carvers,” one expert writes. “The head carver has a reputation to uphold. Therefore he or she personally carves or seriously supervises the bottom ten feet of the pole. Inexperienced apprentices are allowed more freedom to carve the higher regions.”

“Shoot for the moon. Even if you miss, you’ll land among the stars“

…And die in the cold nothing of space. On average, the moon orbits 238,800 miles away from Earth. Here are spooky facts about the moon you never knew. Assuming you time your botched moonshot with a solar eclipse so that the moon is perfectly aligned with Sol, our nearest star, you only have another 93 million miles or so of floating to go before you reach it. Unfortunately, you’d die of cosmic radiation about halfway there. The good news is, you needn’t leave your living room to be “among” the stars. As a resident of the universe, you already are!

“When life gives you lemons, make lemonade”

This is assuming life also gave you sugar at some point, and you didn’t immediately add it to your coffee. Chances are, the best you can make of the lemons life gives you is lemon juice. Add it to a Cosmopolitan and you’re in business. Or try one of these household uses for lemons.

source: rd.com

What’s missing from the adages? Can you fill in the gaps?

1. No use crying over …… milk.

2. That’s the way the …… crumbles.

3. Money can’t buy …… .

4. Pick the …… fruit first.

5. As …… as the driven snow.

6. It’s darkest just before …… .

7. …… man on the totem pole.

8. Shoot for the …… . Even if you miss, you’ll land among the …… .

9. When life gives you lemons, make …… .

Key

1. spilled

2. cookie

3. happiness

4. low-hanging

5. pure

6. dawn

7. Low

8. moon, stars

9. lemonade

You must have felt a right Charlie when you found out it was all a joke. –  Biztos ostobának érezted magad, amikor kiderült, hogy csak tréfa volt a dolog.

2. Horses for courses. –  It basically means you should choose the right person for the right job. – a suszter maradjon a kaptafánál

It stems from horse racing, as in a horse will perform best on a racecourse that it is well suited for.

Ah well, horses for courses. Just because a plumber can mend your washing machine, it doesn’t follow that he can mend your car as well. – Hát, a suszter maradjon csak a kaptafánál. Attól, hogy egy vízvezetékszerelő meg tudja javítani a mosógépet, még nem következik, hogy az autószereléshez is ért.

3. Bob’s your uncle and Fanny’s your aunt. – It basically means “and that’s it, all done, all is right.” Similar to saying “voila!” in French. – Na ugye! Na látod!

She slipped the officer £100 and, Bob’s your uncle’, she was off the charge. – Odacsúsztatott a rendőrnek egy 100 fontost, és pikk–pakk, már el is engedték.

4. Right as rain. – It’s typically used when something is now perfectly fine. – tökéletes, nagyon jó

I had a cold for a few days, but now I’m right as rain. – Pár napig meg voltam fázva, de most már jobban nem is lehetnék.

5. Bits and bobs. – Bits and bobs usually means an assortment of things. – ez meg az

Neil says he has a lot of ‘bits and bobs’ to sort out. – Neil azt mondja, hogy sok ezt meg azt kell megoldania.

I’m almost finished, I just have a few bits and bobs to do around the house before we leave. – Majdnem kész vagyok, csak egy-két apróságot kell megcsinálnom a ház körül mielőtt elindulunk.

6. No sweat. – A task that is easy or simple – könnyű, nem okoz nehézséget, megy, mint a karikacsapás

Beating the other team was no sweat at all. – A másik csapat legyőzése egyáltalán nem volt nehéz.

7. Chalk and cheese. – to be completely different – tűz és víz, nem hasonlít egymásra

I don’t have anything in common with my brother. We’re like chalk and cheese. – Semmi közös nincs bennünk a bátyámmal. Tűz és víz vagyunk.

Do you remember the expressions? Can you finish them?

1. A right …….

2. Horses for ……

3. Bob’s your ……

4. Fanny’s your ……

5. Right as ……

6. Bits and ……

7. sweat

8. Chalk and ……

Key

1. Charlie

2. courses

3. uncle

4. aunt

5. rain

6. bobs

7. sweat

8. cheese

Let’s have a look at some Canadian slang words.

1. Loonie: A common word for the Canadian one-dollar coin.

2. Double-double: A coffee with two cream and two sugar.

3. Homo Milk: Homogenized whole milk (3.25%)

4. Two-Four: A case of twenty-four beers.

5. Mickey: A flask-sized bottle of hard liquor.

6. Toque (pronounced “tuke”): A knit cap usually worn in winter. Known as a “ski cap” in the USA.

7. Klick: “Kilometer”

8. Washroom: The place where one would find the toilet, sink, and bathtub.

9. Pop: Sweet carbonated beverages. Known as “soda” in the States.

10. Rattled: When someone is shaken up by an incident, usually resulting in embarrassment or anger.

11. Chinook (pronounced “shin-uk”): A warm, dry wind blowing down the Eastern slopes of the Rockies across Alberta and the Prairies. These winds can cause the temperature to rise by 20° Fahrenheit (11° Celsius) within 15 minutes.

12. Beaver Tail: A flat, flaky, fried pastry in the shape of a beaver’s tail. Often served with a variety of toppings: ice-cream, maple syrup, powdered sugar, and fruit.

13. Canuck: A Canadian.

14. Hog Town or The Big Smoke: Toronto

15. Bunnyhug: A hooded pullover, also known as a ‘hoodie.’ Used mainly in Saskatchewan.

16. The Hammer: Hamilton, Ontario.

17. Whadda’yat?: Newfoundland term, meaning “What are you doing?”

18. Hammered: Very drunk.

19. Rink rat: someone who spends a lot of time on an ice rink.

20. Give’er: Go for it.

www.knowable.com

Here is a short text for you using Canadian slang words. Can you “translate” the highlighted words into English?

Last year I travelled to Canada and my destination was first The Big Smoke and then The Hammer. I travelled plenty of klicks in the country and met a lot of nice Canucks. They often invited me for a double-double or a Mickey. Once I got invited for a Two-Four. I drank so much of it that I fell asleep hammered in the washroom of my Canadian friend. I was so rattled when I woke up that from then on I only drank pop and Homo milk. I bought presents for my kids:a toque and a bunnyhug. I so enjoyed my stay in Canada that I keep a loonie on my desk to remind me of Canada. If you are planning to travel to Canada but you’re still hesitating, my advice is: Give’er.

Key

Toronto, Hamilton Ontario, kilometres, Canadians, coffee with two cream and two sugar, a flask-sized bottle of hard liquor, a case of twenty-four beer, very drunk, bathroom, shaken up by an incident, sweet carbonated beverage, homogenized whole milk, ski cap, hoodie,  Canadian one-dollar coin, go for it