English Idioms

I envy the many people in Ottawa who speak English and French equally well. I know how hard it is to develop that kind of fluency.

Problem areas (if any) occur in the realm of idioms or expressions. Not only do they have to be accurate, they must be used in the right circumstances...














When one of my sons gave me this book on the origins of English expressions, the cover (Flying by the Seat of Your Pants) reminded me of a man I once worked with in a government office, during one of my non-teaching stints.

He was a very pleasant middle-aged manager whose first language was French, though he spoke English impeccably. A stickler for details, he would often prowl around, looking over secretaries' shoulders, checking that everything was just right.

I don't want to get caught with my pants down, he'd explain... and those of us whose first language was English tried hard not to laugh. Once one of the English secretaries replied: We really don't want that to happen either... (While the rest of us suppressed a giggle. )

Certain expressions may not be wrong - they just conjure up the wrong image for the circumstance!

No wonder it is hard to really master a new language!