Category: Improve Your English

15 Jan 2024 08:34

Joined:	23/09/2015
Level:	Gold
Points:	63032

Points:	5

Some colloquial expressions

The old and active members of this website are perhaps well aware that my level of English is preliminary. I write simple sentences and always try to be grammatically correct. Even then I often make silly mistakes.

Nowadays while reading some novels or short stories in English, I find some expressions which are not used in standard English. Most of the time, I don't understand their meaning. But use of these sentences or phrases in conversation or in writing takes the speech/write-up to a different level.

So, I have been trying to compile and learn some oft-used colloquial expressions. I am posting some of these expressions in this Forum post:

(Please see the following list. The first sentence/phrase is the colloquial expression, and the second one is the meaning in standard English.)

(a) Break a leg: Good luck!
(b) It's on me: I will pay for it.
(c) Beats me: I don't understand./I have no idea.
(d) Go Dutch: Share the cost of meal. [For the third-grade students of West Bengal: 'His-His-Whose-Whose'
(e) Catch up: See you later.
(f) Heat me up: Contact me.
(g) Okay by me: I have no objection to it.
(h) Dead tired: Terribly exhausted.
(i) Take it easy: Do the work in a calm and composed manner.
(j) Give me a break: Leave me alone.
(k) Not in my books: I disagree.
(l) Not my cup of tea: Not my area of interest./Not interest.
(m) Make up your mind: To decide
(n) Once in a blue moon: Very rarely

I hope to compile more such expressions in future and share those with the members of ISC.

#776472

15 Jan 2024 13:00

Joined:	20/01/2017
Level:	Diamond
Points:	25422

Points:	2

Interesting information. In English language there are many phrases, idioms, and collequial expressions which some people use specially in the conversation. Some of them are common but some are not and if used the other persons does not understand the intended meaning.
I have seen some English teaching YouTube channels where some of these phrases are explained.

Thoughts exchanged is knowledge gained.

#776474

15 Jan 2024 17:25

Joined:	25/11/2014
Level:	Diamond
Points:	43292

Points:	3

As usual, we are getting a lot of knowledge from the author regarding varied topics and by going through the inputs provided by him are of great importance to many of us. We are really indebted to the author for his painstaking effort to help us understand the obsolete concepts with his lucid explanations. The only effort needed from our end is to apply such colloquial expressions time to time if the situation fits in our write ups.

#776475

15 Jan 2024 18:38

Joined:	02/06/2009
Level:	Diamond
Points:	145553

Points:	5

This is excellent information from the author. When the vessel is full of water no water will spill but a half-filled vessel will spill more water. The author is like a vessel full of water. So he is always very humble and never says he is very good at English. I appreciate his nature.
colloquial expressions are oral expressions used in general conversations but not in literature books etc. These expressions will be there in other languages also. Poets who go by the rules and regulations of writing poetry will never allow these words into their works. But they will be often used in conversations.
Some may think that colloquial language is not appropriate to use. Many people say it is OK when we chat with friends. But the same is not acceptable to use in an essay for school or work. However, I am not sure what is the view of the author on this.

drrao
always confident

#776477

15 Jan 2024 19:00

Joined:	02/01/2012
Level:	Gold
Points:	51633

Points:	4

I am not an expert in the language, but I think most of the expressions mentioned by the author are actually Idioms. The difference between an idiom and a colloquial usage is that idiom, as per Oxford dictionary, is a group of words whose meaning is different from the individual words and is used formally while colloquial language is used in conversations, particularly restricted to a group of people, and is informal and may include slang too. While idioms are widely used in writing as well as in conversations, colloquial language is generally not used while writing.

I may be corrected if I am mistaken.

'Educating the mind without educating the heart is no education at all'.
-Aristotle

#776482

15 Jan 2024 21:16

Joined:	23/09/2015
Level:	Gold
Points:	63032

Points:	1

I have read the valuable comments of the respected members on this Forum post of mine.

Dr Rao Sir has stated that: "Poets who go by the rules and regulations of writing poetry will never allow these words (colloquial expressions) into their works. But they will be often used in conversations." In this connection, I humbly submit that these expressions are increasingly being used in English short stories and novels, particularly literatures from the USA and Australia.

Saji Sir has said: "...Poets who go by the rules and regulations of writing poetry will never allow these words into their works. But they will be often used in conversations." I humbly and respectfully submit that out of the twelve expressions, only four may be called idioms. Remaining eight are colloquial expressions.

(a) Those who have forgotten Noakhali, how can they protest Sandeshkhali?
(b) Have no fear of perfection - you'll never reach it. ---------- Salvador Dali

#776507

18 Jan 2024 19:55

Joined:	04/05/2009
Level:	Gold
Points:	31278

Points:	1

Kicked the bucket - Died
Tom tired - Feeling too much tired.

Some colloquial expressions

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