Chuyên đề idioms and speaking

The reason for these problems are: we don’t understand slangs and idioms, their cultures, their ways of using body language and facial expressions.. Therefore, the focus of this paper is

3 How to learn idioms

4 Some Common Idiomatic Expressions

♦ Commonly Used American slang Expressions in Daily Life vs British English

IV Body Language

e How to read faces and facial expressions

V How to speak confidently in public

♦ How to speak confidently in public

♦ Some small tips - Conclusion

It is the fact that speaking is an important language skill However, in reality, learning English speaking is still far from satisfactory The reason for these problems are: we don’t understand slangs and idioms, their cultures, their ways of using body language and facial expressions Sometimes, we are so shy and afraid when it’s time for speaking in class

Demands on our time have increased because of this upsurge in talking, and so we shorted words, and we shorten sentences We talk so much that we seem to be running out of time to do just that… It all seems so impersonal when we have to rush away to get

to the next conversation We become inconvenienced by how much talking we want, and need, to do And so we use Slang, or “Slanguage” Sharing cultural and historical information, idioms broadens people’s understanding and manipulation of a language

In addition, it is important to note that body language has different meanings in different cultures How we can interpret body language depends on the situation, the culture, the relationship we have with the person as well as the gender of the other.

Therefore, the focus of this paper is to share the importance of slangs, idioms and body language for non-native speakers as part of their mastery of the English language

Idioms

1.Definition:

- An idiom is a combination of words that has a figurative meaning owing to its common usage

- An idiom's figurative meaning is separate from the literal meaning

- There are thousands of idioms and they occur frequently in all languages

Idiomatic expressions are extremely common and are found in all kinds of English, both formal

and particularly informal But do not make a special effort to learn them There are too many.You will learn the most common naturally through the learning material that you are using And

it is much better to be accurate when using non-idiomatic English than inappropriate when using

an idiom

2.Usage:

We use idioms to express something that other words do not express as clearly or as cleverly

We often use an image or symbol to describe something as clearly as possible and thus make our

point as effectively as possible For example, "in a nutshell" suggests the idea of having all the

information contained within very few words Idioms tend to be informal and are best used inspoken rather than written English

3 How to learn idioms?

Sometimes idioms are very easy for learners to understand because there are similar expressions

in the speakers' mother tongue For example: Let's call it a day I am very tired and we have

covered the main points of the meeting I think.Let’s finish I am very tired and we have covered the main points of the meeting I think.

However, idioms can often be very difficult to understand You may be able to guess the

meaning from context but if not, it is not easy to know the meaning Many idioms, for instance,come from favourite traditional British activities such as fighting, sailing, hunting and playinggames As well as being quite specialist in meaning, some of the words in idioms were used two

or three hundred years ago, or longer, and can be a little obscure For example: They took her

ideas on board and decided to increase the budget. They accept and include her ideasand

decided to increase the budget.

It is best to learn idioms as you do vocabulary In other words, select and actively learn idiomswhich will be useful to you We suggest the following sequence of learning English idioms (5-

10 idioms per lesson):

1 Read clear precise meanings of idioms with usage examples in several realisticsentences in a good thematic dictionary of English idioms.

2 Make up your own sentences for using idioms in real life situations

3 Do ready-made exercises from text books in idioms practice Exercises in idiomspractice can include dialogues, narrations (telling stories), thematic texts, questionsand answers with idioms in various situations, discussions, talking points andexpressing opinions and views on real life topics and issues

The most comprehensive aids for learning English idioms are dictionaries of English idioms thatcontain thematic arrangement of idioms Below is the list of the most important dictionaries ofEnglish idioms:

1 Longman Idioms Dictionary (over 6,000 idioms; choose the right idiom with the unique

Idiom Activator)

2 Longman American Idioms Dictionary (over 4,000 idioms).

3 Cambridge International Dictionary of Idioms (7,000 idioms ; with 15 topic

classification of idioms)

4 Collins Cobuild Dictionary of Idioms (6,000 idiom expressions, has a thematic index of

idioms)

5 Oxford Dictionary of Idioms (over 5,000 idioms, with a thematic index of idioms).

6 Oxford Dictionary of English Idioms (volumes 1, 2).

7 Oxford Idioms Dictionary for Learners of English (10,000 idioms).

8 NTC's Dictionary of Everyday American English Expressions (over 7,000

expressions presented according to topic and situation)

9 NTC's Thematic Dictionary of American Idioms (900 thematic headings).

The English language is rich in idioms, and although it is possible to converse correctly in idiomatic English, a student with only a superficial knowledge of English idioms will findhimself (or herself) at a serious disadvantage in his (her) reading, and even more so when he(she) takes part in discussions and debates Ready-made copious usage sentences of Englishidioms taken from real life offer guidance on the most effective way to use them The EnglishIdiom Dictionaries listed by me in this post provide clear idiom usage explanations and severalrealistic idiom usage sentences Many native English speakers, especially when they converseamong themselves use idioms, informal colloquial expressions and slang

non-Some Common Idiomatic Expressions

Education – School

• cut class and cut school: to skip a school class or a day of school without an

excuse

EX:

As a joke, one day all the students cut their math class and went to lunch

Jane was grounded after she cut school last Friday.

• How do you like school?: a phrase used to start a conversation with a

school-age person

EX:

Bob: Well, Billy, how do you like school?

Billy: I hate it

Bob: Too bad.

Mary: How do you like school?

Bob: It’s okay Almost everything else is better, though.

• Never tell tales out of school.: Prov Do not tell secrets; do not gossip

EX:

Fred: I just learned something really scandalous about the president of our company

Ellen: Well, I don’t want to hear it You shouldn’t tell tales out of school.

• Tell tales out of school: to tell secrets or spread rumors.

EX:

I wish that John would keep quiet He’s telling tales out of school again.

If you tell tales out of school a lot, people won’t know when to believe you.

• School someone in something: to train, discipline, or coach someone in

something

EX:

The voice coach schooled the singer in excellent breathing techniques

We were schooled in oratory and debate

She schooled herself in patience.

• School of hard knocks: Fig the school of life’s experiences, as opposed to a

formal, classroom education

Oneschool of thought holds that cats cause allergic reactions.

I come from the school of thought that believes people should always be polite.

• A for effort: the recognition that someone has tried hard to do something even

though he or she may not be successful

EX:

The students received an A for effort for their work on the class project.

• Above average: better or higher than average

EX:

The boy’s marks were above average in all subjects except history

• Below average: worse or lower than average

EX:

Most members of the class were below average in the math test

• As easy as ABC: very easy

EX

:

Learning how to use a computer is as easy as ABC for the children

• Back to basics: an approach in education that uses traditional ideas or methods

that have been successful in the past

My sister is a bookworm and is always reading a book

• Brainstorm (something): to try to develop an idea or think of new ideas

EX:

The students got into groups to brainstorm ideas for the school play

• Call the roll: to call the names of students on a roll and expect them to answer if

they are there

EX:

Every morning when the class starts the teacher calls the roll

• Cap and gown: the special cap called a mortarboard and the robe that is worn

during academic ceremonies such as graduation

EX:

All of the students wore a cap and gown to the graduation ceremony

• Catch up to (someone or something): to move fast or work hard to reach

someone or something that is ahead of you

EX:

After my illness, I had to study very hard to catch up to the rest of the class

• Copycat: someone who copies the work of another

The teacher stopped to count noses several times during the field trip

• Cover a lot of ground: to complete a lot of material in a class or course

EX:

We covered a lot of ground during the first month of the science class

• Cow college: a school where farming or agriculture is studied

EX:

My cousin will go to a cow college when he finishes high school

• Crack a book: to open a book to study (usually used in the negative)

I had to crank out a paper almost every week to pass the course

• Cut class: to not go to class

EX:

I decided to cut class in order to study for my geography test

• Draw a blank: to get no response from someone when you ask him or her a

My friend dropped out of school and began to drive a truck

• Eager beaver: someone who works very hard and is very enthusiastic

We had to fill in the blanks for the questions on the test

• Flunk out: to fail a course, to fail and then leave school

EX:

The boy was very smart but he flunked out of his language class

• From the old school: ideas that were popular in the past but which are no longer

I was able to get credit for the course which I took in the summer

• Get through (a course or a set of materials): to finish a course or a set of

materials

EX:

The boy was a very good student and got through every course that he took

• Goof off: to waste time

EX:

My sister spent most of the week goofing off and was not prepared for her test

• Have one’s nose in a book: to be reading a book

EX:

The boy loves to read and always has his nose in a book

• Higher education: education after graduating from high school (usually college

or university)

The government has recently invested a lot of money in higher education.

• Hit the books: to begin to study hard

EX:

After relaxing all weekend I hit the books on Sunday evening

• Make the grade: to be satisfactory and of an expected level

EX:

My final assignment did not make the grade and I had to do it again

• Off campus: at a different location than the grounds of a college or university

EX:

Many of the students liked to go to a restaurant off campus

• Old boy network: the situation where people (usually men) who went to the

same school help each other get good jobs

EX:

It was necessary to be part of an old boy network to get a job at the law firm

• On campus: located on the grounds of a college or university

EX:

There was a bank on campus which many of the students used

Business – Work

• Ace up your sleeve : If you have an ace up your sleeve, you have something in

reserve with which youcan gain an advantage

EX:

Our new product is an ace up our sleeve.

• Hold all the aces : A person who holds all the aces is in a very strong position

because they have more advantages than anyone else

EX:

Given the high unemployment rates today, employers hold all the aces.

• Ambulance chaser : A lawyer who finds work by persuading people injured in

accidents to claim money from the person who caused the accident is called

an'ambulance chaser'.

EX:

Peterson and Scott are well-known ambulance chasers - that's how they make their money!

• Back to the salt mines : Saying that you have to go back to the sale mines is a

humorous way of talking about returning to work, usually with some reluctance

EX:

We get two days off at Christmas and then it's back to the salt mines!

• Bait and switch : This term refers to a deceptive commercial practice of advertising

a low-priced item to attract customers, then telling them that the product is out of stock and persuading them to buy a more expensive article

EX:

This store is famous for its bait and switch tactics.

• In the black : To say that a person or organization is in the black means that they are

financially sound, have a positive balance on their account and that they owe no money

• Black market : The black market refers to the illegal buying and selling of goods or

currencies

EX:

Be careful of what you buy on the black market - it's not always good quality.

• blamestorming : A discussion among a group of people who try to determine who

or what is to blame for a particular mistake, failure or wrongdoing, is

called 'blamestorming'.

EX:

A blamestorming session took place following the unfavourable reviews in the press.

• Blank cheque : If you give someone a blank cheque, you authorize them to do what

they think is best in a difficult situation

EX:

Tom was given a blank cheque and told to negotiate the best deal possible.

• Blue chip company : This term refers to a company with a solid reputation for the quality of its products and the stability of its growth and earnings

EX:

It's usually safe to invest in a blue chip company.

• Above board : If a situation or business is described as above board, it is open,

honest and legal

EX:

There are not secret negotiations Our dealings have always been above board.

• Get down to brasstacks: When people get down to brass tacks, they start to

discuss the essential aspects of a problem or situation

EX:

The situation was so serious that after a few polite exchanges they quickly got down to brass tacks

• Break your back : If you work extremely hard, or put a lot of effort into achieving

something, you break your back to do it.

It was business as usual at the supermarket the day after the hold-up.

• Business before pleasure : This expression means that it is considered preferable

to finish one's work before going to relax and enjoy oneself

I'll hire your brother only if he is the best candidate I'm sorry but business is business!

• Carve out a niche : A person or company who carves out a niche concentrates on a

particular segment of the market, to which they supply a product or service, and develop their expertise in that area

EX:

In today's competitive market it is better to carve out a niche and try to become the best in that area.

• Cash cow : A product or service which is a regular source of income for a company

is called a cash cow.

EX:

His latest invention turned out to be a real cash cow.

• Clinch a deal : In a business relationship, if you clinch a deal, you reach agreement

on a proposal or offer

EX:

Paul's final argument enabled us to clinch the deal.

• Make cold calls : If you make cold calls, you telephone potential customers from a

list of people you do not know

EX:

In my first job I had to make cold calls using the telephone directory.

• Dog eat dog : This expression refers to intense competition and rivalry in pursuit of one's own interests, with no concern for morality

EX:

The business world is tough today There's a general dog-eat-dog attitude.

• Dream ticket : If you refer to two people as a dream ticket, you think they would

work well together and be successful

EX:

Clinton and Obama teaming up for the elections would be a dream ticket for many Democrats.

Beauty – Appearance

• Dressed to kill: When someone, especially a woman, is dressed to kill, they are

wearing very fashionable or glamorous clothes intended to attract attention

EX:

She arrived at the reception dressed to kill.

• Down at heel: A person who is down-at-heel is someone whose appearance is

untidy or neglected because of lack of money

EX:

The down-at-heel student I first met became a successful writer.

• Five o'clock shadow: This expression refers to a patch of stubble on the face of a man who hasn't shaved for at least a day

EX:

He looked tired and had a five o'clock shadow.

• Look like a million dollars: If you look like a million dollars, you look extremely

good

EX:

With a tan and a new hairstyle she looked a million dollars!

• Mutton dressed as lamb: This expression refers to a middle-aged woman who tries

to look younger by dressing in clothes designed for younger people

EX:

The style doesn't suit her - it has a mutton-dressed-as-lamb effect on her!

• (all) skin and bone: If someone is all skin and bone, they are very thin or too thin.

EX:

After trekking in the Himalayas, he was all skin and bone.

• Look a sight: If a person looks a sight, their appearance is awful, unsuitable or very

untidy

EX:

She looks a sight in that dress!

• Dressed up to the nines: Someone dressed up to the nines is wearing very smart

or glamorous clothes

EX:

Caroline must be going to a party - she's dressed up to the nines.

• Shop around : If you shop around, you visit a number of shops selling similar

articles in order to compare the prices

EX:

You can usually save money by shopping around.

• S hop till you drop : If you shop till you drop, you go shopping for a very long time,

until you are exhausted

EX:

If you go to London with Ashley, you'll shop till you drop, so take comfortable shoes!

• Shopping spree : If you go on a shopping spree, you enjoy a lively outing, usually

with much spending of money

EX:

Liza is planning to go on a shopping spree as soon as she gets her bonus.

• Shopping therapy : This term refers to the idea that buying things can make you feel better

EX:

A little shopping therapy can usually cheer up bored teenagers.

• Window shopping : When people go window shopping, they look at things in shop

windows, without actually purchasing anything

EX:

I haven't been paid yet, so I can only go window shopping.

Feelings - Emotions – Reactions

• Bare your heart (or soul) to someone: If you bare you heart (or soul) to someone,

you reveal your innermost thoughts and feelings to them

EX:

Mike couldn't keep things to himself any longer He decided to bare his soul to his best friend.

• Bear the brunt: A person who bears the brunt of something is the one who suffers

the most when something bad or unpleasant happens

EX:

When things go wrong, his assistant always has to bear the brunt of his anger.

• Bent out of shape: If you get bent out of shape, you become annoyed or upset

about something that is usually not that important or cannot be avoided

EX:

Don't get bent out of shape if you're delayed We'll wait for you.

• Come apart at the seams: To say that someone is coming apart at the

seams means that they are extremely upset or under severe mental stress.

EX:

Bob has had so many problems lately, he's coming apart at the seams.

• Deep down: If you talk about how someone is, or feels, deep down, you are

describing what they are like or what they really feel deep inside, behind the outwardappearance

EX:

He appears to be indifferent to his success, but deep down he's very happy.

• Fish out of water: If you feel like a fish out of water, you feel uncomfortable in

unfamiliar surroundings

EX:

As a non-golfer, I felt like a fish out of water at the clubhouse.

• Get a grip on yourself: If you get a grip on yourself, you try to control your feelings

so as to be able to deal with a situation

EX:

After the initial shock, Lisa got a grip on herself and called an ambulance.

• Go to pieces: If you go to pieces, for example after a terrible shock, you are so

upset or distressed that you cannot lead a normal life

EX:

Jack nearly went to pieces when his son died in a car crash.

• Hard as nails: A person who is (as) hard as nails is unsentimental and shows no

sympathy

EX:

Don't expect any sympathy from him He's as hard as nails.

• Change of heart: If someone has a change of heart, they change their attitude or

feelings, especially towards greater friendliness or cooperation

EX:

He was against charity, but he had a change of heart when he saw the plight of the homeless.

• Couldn't give a hoot!: To say that you don't or couldn't give a hoot means that you

don't care at all about something

If anyone criticizes his proposals, Joe immediately gets hot under the collar.

• Love me, love my dog: This expression means that if someone loves you, they must love everything about you, including everyone and everything you love

EX:

Harry didn't like Sally's best friend, but Sally said : 'love me, love my dog!'

• Lump in your throat: If you have a lump in your throat, you have a tight feeling in

your throat because of a strong emotion such as sadness or gratitude

EX:

The speech was so touching that I had a lump in my throat.

• Makes your ears burn : If something makes your ears burn, you are embarrassed

by what you hear, especially if the conversation is about you

EX:

The comments I overheard made my ears burn.

Slangs

1.Definition:

- Slang consists of a lexicon of non-standard words and phrases in a given language Use of

these words and phrases is typically associated with the subversion of a standard variety (such asStandard English) and is likely to be interpreted by listeners as implying particular attitudes onthe part of the speaker In some contexts a speaker's selection of slang words or phrases mayconvey prestige, indicating group membership or distinguishing group members from those whoare not a part of the group

- Few linguists have endeavoured to clearly define what constitutes slang Attempting to remedythis, Bethany K Dumas and Jonathan Lighter argue that an expression should be considered

"true slang" if it meets at least two of the following criteria:

- It lowers, if temporarily, "the dignity of formal or serious speech or writing"; in other words, it islikely to be considered in those contexts a "glaring misuse of register."

- Its use implies that the user is familiar with whatever is referred to, or with a group of people

who are familiar with it and use the term.

- "It's a taboo term in ordinary discourse with people of a higher social status or greaterresponsibility."

- It replaces "a well-known conventional synonym" This is done primarily to avoid discomfortcaused by the conventional synonym or discomfort or annoyance caused by having to elaboratefurther

2.Usage:

According to British lexicographer Eric Partridge in Slang: Today and Yesterday (1934), there

are 15 reasons why people use slangs:

1 In sheer high spirits, by the young in heart as well as by the young in years; ‘just for thefun of the thing’; in playfulness or waggishness

2 As an exercise either in wit and ingenuity or in humour (The motive behind thisis usuallyself-display or snobbishness, emulation or responsiveness, delight in virtuosity)

3 To be ‘different’, to be novel

4 To be picturesque (either positively or – as in the wish to avoid insipidity – negatively)

5 To be unmistakably arresting, even startling

6 To escape from clichés, or to be brief and concise (Actuated by impatience with existingterms.)

7 To enrich the language (This deliberateness is rare save among the well-educated,Cockneys forming the most notable exception; it is literary rather than spontaneous.)

8 To lend an air of solidity, concreteness, to the abstract; of earthiness to the idealistic; ofimmediacy and appositeness to the remote (In the cultured, the effort is usuallypremeditated, while in the uncultured it is almost always unconscious when it is not rathersubconscious.)

9 (a) To lesson the sting of, or on the other hand to give additional point to, a refusal, arejection, a recantation;

(b) To reduce, perhaps also to disperse, the solemnity, the pomposity, the excessiveseriousness of a conversation (or of a piece of writing);

(c) To soften the tragedy, to lighten or to ‘prettify’ the inevitability of death or madness,

or to mask the ugliness or the pity of profound turpitude (e.g treachery, ingratitude);and/or thus to enable the speaker or his auditor or both to endure, to ‘carry on’

10 To speak or write down to an inferior, or to amuse a superior public; or merely to be on acolloquial level with either one’s audience or one’s subject matter

11 For ease of social intercourse (Not to be confused or merged with the preceding.)

12 To induce either friendliness or intimacy of a deep or a durable kind (Same remark.)

13 To show that one belongs to a certain school, trade, or profession, artistic or intellectualset, or social class; in brief, to be ‘in the swim’ or to establish contact

14 Hence, to show or prove that someone is not ‘in the swim’

15 To be secret – not understood by those around one (Children, students, lovers, members

of political secret societies, and criminals in or out of prison, innocent persons in prison,are the chief exponents.)

3 How to learn Slangs?

1.Interact with American and other native English speakers.Although it may be easier to

only make friends with people from your own country, it’s not the best way toassimilate yourself in a new environment If possible, we recommend findingAmerican friends Hopefully, they will be interested in your culture, and they canalso share their traditions (including slang) with you, teach you what to say inconfusing situations, and let you know when it may be inappropriate to say certainthings Simply conversing with them could teach you a lot about the local slang –after all, experience is the best teacher!

2.Do your research We have found that Google can be the most convenient tool for

learning slang For example, if you are curious, you can Google the term “collegeslang” to find a list of some of the words and phrases commonly used on Americancampuses Or you can Google the specific term that you are wondering about (While we’re on the topic, “Google” has come to take on a slang-like meaning inreference to doing internet research!) Another helpful (and often humorous) site forunderstanding slang terms is Urban Dictionary

3.Listen closely to everyday speech.Although people who like to research language—and

have ready access to the internet—may be interested in reading more about slang,idioms and colloquialisms, it is not always necessary Truthfully, the most effectiveway to learn about it is to listen for it in everyday speech When you hear somethingunfamiliar, ask someone to explain it to you More often than not, I have found thatpeople are happy to help you understand If you are not able to ask right away, make

a note of it To the best of your ability, memorize the word or phrase as well as thecontext in which it was used; write it down if possible Later, ask a friend, teacher orEnglish tutor what it means

4.Keep a vocabulary log It is absolutely necessary to bring a notebook with you

everywhere so that you can write down any new slang terms that you come across.This goes along with the previous step in that you should also write down themeaning and context of each term, asking people for help when you need it I alsorecommend making a study schedule in order to keep track of your slang notebook,going over each term again and again

*Note*

Slang language is the voice of thepeople It's changing daily so besure to keep your earsopen andstay aware of the meanings andkeep checking since they maychange

tomorrow

Some slang of the young people which can’t be found in any dictionary These are

some slang which can help you to understand and make a conversation naturally:

- My bad - If a teen has made amistake, the phrase “my bad” isfrequently

employed as acover It means what it appearsto mean: “I was bad!”

- Some words have morphed fromone meaning to another

• Take theword “busted.” To thegrandparents of today’s teens, theword

was simply slang for“broken.”The last decade or so reinvented“busted” tomean someone wascaught, probably doing somethingthey shouldn’t If a store detectivesaw you stealing a candy bar andnabbed you, you were simply“busted” (and probably in a lot oftrouble)

• “Busted” has changedyet again This time, to saysomeone is busted is to

meanthey are ugly It’s definitely nota flattering figure of speech!

- A-yo = Hey (English meaning)

A: A-yo.

B: Hey, man What’re you doing?

- What’s cooking? = How’s everything?

A: Hey, buddy What’s cooking?

B: Not much.

- Be cool = Take it easy

A: I’ve got to go now.

B: Already?

A: Yeah, my girlfriend’s waiting for me.

B: Be cool.

bread basket = stomach

- buddy = friend

- hunkey dorey = great!

- sweet = cool = good, nice

Common Slang Terms

As in every part of the world, Americans have developed certain oddities or slang terms in their everyday language Regardless of how long you have studied English, you will hear and see words with which you are not familiar Listed below are some of the most common slang terms used in America.

School – Studying

• Ace a test:to get a very good grade

“How’d you do on the chemistry test?”

“I aced it!”

• Cram: if you “cram,” it means you study a lot in a short period of time

“Are you going to the party tonight?”

“Nah, I have to cram for my history test.”

• Cu tclass: If you “cut class,” it means you don’t go to class

“I’m gonna cut math class so that I can finish this project for biology.”

“OK I’ll tell the professor you’re sick.”

• Drop a class: If you “drop a class,” it means you stop taking that class

“I’m really stressed out this semester I’m thinking of dropping a class.”

• Hit the books:To “hit the books” is to study

“I gotta go hit the books I have a final exam tomorrow.”

• Flunk: To “flunk” a test or a class is to fail

“I’ve flunked economics three times.”

“Really? Maybe you should get a tutor.”

If a person flunks so many classes that they stop going to school or college, we say they

“flunked out.”