Idiom #14: Bite the dust

Sorry I haven't been "on the ball" recently, but here's today's phrase:

Bite the dust

Meaning: To fail; to lose; to die

Example:

• Mark: Oh no, I think this old car is about to bite the dust...
• Mami: What!? Why? How old is this car?
• Mark: I've had it for 5 years.
• Mami: Nooo, it's too young to die!

Ouch!

Origin: This phrase comes from the days of the cowboys. If a rider fell off his horse, he was said to have "bit the dust". And of course the cowboy would find himself with a mouth full of dust/dirt/sand. The words were made even more famous when Queen used it in their song "Another One Bites the Dust". You can watch it here below!

Questions? Suggestions? Comment below please!

Idiom #13: A toss up

A toss up

Meaning: a decision between two choices/options.

Example:

• Abby: Jimmy, what should we do tomorrow?
• Jimmy: Well, I think it is a toss up between going to the beach, or watching a movie.
• Abby: Why can't we do both?
• Jimmy: Ok, let's watch a movie at the beach!

Is it beach time?

Origin: A toss up comes from the "game" of flipping (or tossing) a coin into the air. Before it falls down, one person will call "heads" or "tails". If it lands correctly, then that person wins! Many people will flip a coin to make decisions as well. Maybe they will say something like, "if it is heads, I will go to the beach. And if it is tails, I will go to the mall". Or something like that.

If ya have any questions, comment below!

Idiom #12: Couch Potato

Couch Potato

Meaning: A really lazy person. He/she usually sits down on the couch all day and watches TV

Example:

• Jimmy: Mark can you help me learn Japanese?
• Mark: Not right now, I'm watching Naruto!
• Jimmy: You've been watching Naruto all day...stop being a couch potato!
• Mark: Ahhh!! Chotto matte tebbayo!!!

That's Mr. Potato to you!

Origin: Think of a potato. It is fat and doesn't move. So when a person watches TV all day, he usually doesn't exercise and doesn't move around a lot.

I love potato chips! If you like them too, comment below! :)

Meaning/Pronunciation: Their, There, They're?

Their VS There VS They're

On my last pronunciation post, my friend brought up these words. I thought about them and wanted to share what I learned.

Meanings:

• Their: Plural possessive adjective/pronoun
• There: Represents a location; opposite of "here".
• They're: Contraction of "They + are".

Examples:

• Their: That is their car.
• There: Walk over there.
• They're: They're going to school.

They're going to school in that?!

Tricky: People know the meaning of these words, but because they sound similar, they tend to spell them wrong (even native English speakers). So...watch out.

---

Ok, now for pronunciation...Warning:This part will be a little advanced.

I say advanced, because this is how I pronounce these words in a normal/fast speed conversation. If I give emphasis to these words, or if I read slowly, then these words sound the same. However, when I am not really concentrating on pronunciation, this is what I notice:

Pronunciation:

• Their: THe + AIR
• There: sometimes THe + AIR and sometimes D + AIR (or DARE)
• They're: D + EARth* and in some cases D + AIR*

IPA:

• Their: /ðeɹ/or /ðeIɹ/
• There: sometimes /ðeɹ/or /ðeIɹ/ and sometimes /deɹ/or /deIɹ/
• They're: /dɚ/* and in some cases /deɹ/or /deIɹ/*

(/e/ or /eI/? I think it depends on the speaker)

To sum this up, I think "Their" and "There" are pretty similar. I tend to hear a /ð/ sound more when I say "Their", but I could be wrong.

*"Their" can be pronounced two ways depending on the sentence. If used as a function word, then the are in "Their" loses its stress and is a "supporting" verb. This can be seen in the sentence "They're going to the store". Here, the main verb is "going", and the "are" supports it, and thus stress is dropped.

If used as a content word, then the are in "They're" gets more emphasis, hence getting more stress. This can be seen in the sentence "They're pretty smart". Here, the main verb is "are" and so stress falls upon it.

One last thought. If you put emphasis on all these words, I honestly think that they will all be pronounced the same. However, I think if you give emphasis to "They're" it would end up reverting to "They are". Fair enough, don't you think?

Confused? Disagree? Comment below please! I'd like to hear your arguments!

Pronunciation #1: Were, where, war?

Were VS. Where VS. War

A lot of students have a hard time with pronouncing these words. A lot of students say, "they all sound the same!!!" So, let's try to do it right!

Meanings:

• Were: The past tense of the verb "are" used with "you" or "we".
• Where: Question word used to find location/places.
• War: Fighting, battle.

Example:

• Were: We were tired yesterday.
• Where: Where is Disneyland?
• War: My dad fought in the war.

where is Disneyland?

Pronunciation:
All the W sounds are the same. Try saying the words like this:

• Were: W + EARth
• Where: W + AIR
• War: W + OR

Try it, you'll hear a big difference! I promise~<
When you're ready try to say "Where were you in the war?"

Still don't understand? Comment below!

Idiom #11: Turn your back on

Turn your back on

Meaning: To leave someone when they need your help.

Example:

• Shelly: Mark can you help me with my homework?
• Mark: Sure, no problem!
• Mark: . . .
• Shelly: What's wrong?
• Mark: This is Math...not English...sorry...bye bye
• Shelly: Wait! Don't go!!!

The next day...

Shelly: Mark...I really needed your help, but you turned your back on me!

Mark: Sorry...

teacher, please help me!

Origin: This one is simple. When a person can't help you, they turn around and walk away. Well, what do see when someone walks away? You see their back! So just think about that!

By the way, never turn your back on a friend. Ok!?

If you have any questions, comment below!

Random word #1: Underwater

Underwater

Meaning: To be underneath the water.
Example:

• Carl: I want to hold my breath underwater!
• Mark: Ok, do it! I'll count.
• Carl: *splash*
• Mark: One...two...three...
• Carl: *splash* Ah!!! I just saw a shark! Run!!!

oh, it was just a turtle...

How to use this word: Use this word/adjective when someone or something is TOTALLY inside the water. If everything is NOT inside the water, then it is NOT underwater.

This man is IN the water, but he is NOT underwater.

But, you can still say that his mouth IS underwater.

Ok, I don't know if it helps, but if you have any questions, comment below please!

Idiom #10: Bump in the road

A bump in the road

Meaning: an obstacle/hindrance in a process or task.

Example:

• Rika: Oh, Sayuriiiiii our three weeks in Hawaii is almost done! :(
• Sayuri: Yes, there were a few bumps in the road, but we've really learned a lot.
• Rika: I know, classes were so hard, but we're at the end now.
• Sayuri: Yes, many hardships, but we will miss Hawaii a lot.

I love Hawaii~

Origin: When driving (or biking) down the road sometimes you run into some bumps. However, bumps aren't big enough to stop a car or bike. So people usually use this phrase to talk about small problems that have happened when doing a task.

Have an English question? Want to have it answered on this blog? Comment below!

Idiom #9: Bite the hand that feeds you

Bite the hand that feeds you

Meaning: To do bad things to someone (or something) that has helped you.

Example:

• Mami: Ok, Rara do you want some food?
• Rara: Wan, wan!!
• Mami: Alright here's your food!!!
• Rara: WAN, WAN!!!!!! *bite*
• Mami: Ahhhh, itai!!! Ouch!!!
• Mami: Rara! Don't bite the hand that feeds you!
• Rara: ...

she is so innocent looking!

Origin: This is another simple phrase to imagine. If you have a dog, think about him or her. You feed your dog everyday, take care of her, play with her, wash her, and buy lots of wonderful things for her...and then she bites your hand! How would you feel? So, in real life, if someone (a boss, a friend, a teacher) or something (a church, a school, a company) does something good to you, don't do something bad to them...or say bad things about them to someone else!

By the way, Rara is my wife's family's dog~

If you liked this phrase or have a question, comment below!

Idiom #8: The early bird catches the worm

The early bird catches the worm

Meaning: Basically means, "if you work hard and prepare you will be great!", but it can be taken more literally to mean, "if you wake up early (and work hard) you will be successful".

Example:

• Taka: Yoshihiro, let's wake up at 4:00am tomorrow and practice playing baseball!
• Yoshihiro: I agree! You know what they say, "the early bird catches the worm!"
• Taka: We will be the best baseball players ever!
• Yoshihiro: Ok, I'll see you tomorrow morning!

The next day...

• Yoshihiro: uhhg...it's too early...
• Taka: zzz zzz

Origin: When you hear this, try to imagine birds catching worms. The bird that wakes up the earliest has a better chance of catching worms.
This is a very old proverb that dates all the way back to 1670 in England.

Sorry this is late! Comment below please~

Idiom #7: Cut Corners

Cut corners

Meaning: To do something as quickly as possible. This is usually done to save time or money, but often results in lower quality.

Example:

• Sayuri: Aiko, let's make pancakes again.
• Aiko: Ok, but if you cut corners like last time it will taste so bad!!!
• Sayuri: Don't worry I won't, I will remember the sugar this time!
• Aiko: Yay~

I love pancakes too

Origin: This phrase comes from driving. Sometimes when people come to a sharp turn in the road, instead of gong all the way to the corner and then turning, they go diagonally across and "cut through the corner". This can save time, but can result in accidents.

Just in case, here's a picture of a corner:

Questions? Comment below please!

Japan Classrooms VS American Classrooms

Today, my wife and I had a discussion regarding the Japanese classroom. As most people know, my wife is from Japan; born and raised in the Land of the Rising Sun. She began by describing that in most middle schools and high schools, students went to one classroom and stayed there the whole day. Throughout the day, various teachers would enter that one room to teach their lessons to the students. In a nutshell, students stayed in the room, while teachers moved.

I then related my American school experience, which of course, was quite opposite---students in America move from classroom to classroom while teachers primarily stayed in the same spot.

After this, we compared Japan and America's college experience and found out that it was relatively similar (no homerooms; both students and teachers move to different classrooms). This brings us then to my blog thought: 

What advantages can be found in the Japanese classroom? If universities are the "role model", how come the middle schools and high schools are "sticking to their guns"? Why don't they change? And of course, a hundred more questions that basically fall under the umbrella of the first.

Obviously, if I knew the answers I wouldn't be blogging about this topic. So, I will do some more research and do a follow-up post in the future. For now, I believe a simple pros and cons list will help settle the mind.

Pros:

• Students are more organized
• Less traffic in the hallways
• Students have everything they need in one place (their desks)
• Students get familiar with one another
• Assigned seating and unchanging student groups
• Less confusion on scheduling and logistics
• Teacher is walking into the "student's territory"
• A sense of belonging for each student
• Lower costs (no room for each teacher) ?????

Cons:

• Students can get sick and tired of one another
• Less diversity
• Teacher cannot set up the room to enhance education
• Teacher is walking into the "student's territory"
• Assigned seating and unchanging student groups
• If you don't like your peers, there's no other options
• Sitting in the same seat all day
• One bad experience may mean that you have to recall it everyday until the end of the year (when your class changes)
• Stagnant environments

OK, sorry if the list is repetitive or subtopics or etc...it was more of a brainstorming session. And there are probably tons of other points to add on to the list. The thing to keep in mind after looking at (and perhaps adding to) this list is of course, do the pros outweigh the cons? Are these "good" reasons really good enough? And, are these pros actually working (do students really feel more comfortable, build better relationships, and have a sense of belonging)?

Please leave a comment. If you disagree with anything, by all means, comment below as well. I would like to know your thoughts.

Cheers,

Idiom #6: Speak of the Devil

Speak of the devil

Meaning: This phrase is used when a person you have been talking about unexpectedly appears

Example:

• Mark: Awww....Kevin is so small!
• Yoko: Yeah, he is so cute isn't he?
• Mark: I know..oh, doesn't he look like Conan, from Detective Conan!?
• Yoko: Yeah!! Oh my goodness!!!
• Mark: Hahah! Oh, speak of the devil, here he comes now!!!
• Kevin: Aloha teachers~

I drew Kevin in Conan's clothes

Origin: Nowadays this phrase is used in a fun and joking way. It is not used in a mean or evil (sinister) manner. The original 1600's phrase went, "speak of the Devil and he will appear" and was probably said so that people wouldn't say the Devil's name too often (maybe like Voldermort...He-who-must-not-be-named...)

By the way, if you don't know who Detective Conan is, click here!

Comment below please!

Idiom #5: On the ball

On the ball

Meaning: To be ready, prepared, or alert

Example:

• Mark: Ok, today's lesson is a little tricky so I need you all to be on the ball today!
• Mark: Ok! Bob, name one country in Polynesia!
• Bob: Hawaii.
• Mark: Good. Lee, how about another country??
• Mark: Lee....LEE???
• Lee: zzz...zzz...zzz
• Bob: Oh no. Lee's not on the ball today.

This is how I remember Lee

Origin: This idiom comes from sports, most likely from Baseball. In sports, players should always keep their eyes on the ball so that they can catch or hit it better.

Comment below please!

Idiom #4: Feeling Under the Weather

Feeling under the weather

Meaning: To be sick. To feel ill.

Example:

• Mary: What's wrong Marina?
• Marina: Uhhhh....I'm feeling a little under the weather...
• Mary: Oh no! We should go see a doctor!

Origin: This phrase was originally used by sailors (people who sailed boats). In the old days, when a sailor was sick, he was sent downstairs (below deck) so he could rest and get better. He went under and away from the bad weather.

Comments? Questions? Just click down here!

Idiom #3: Miss the boat

Miss the boat

Meaning: Having a really big opportunity in front of you, not doing it, and then realizing that you may never have it again (or may not have the opportunity again for a really long time).

Example:

• Mary: Abby, let's go to Japan!!!
• Abby: Ok, let's check the prices of plane tickets!
• Mary: Wow, only $700!! Let's buy it tomorrow morning!!!

The next day

• Mary: Let's buy the tickets now!
• Mary: (checking the computer) Oh no, the price is now $1000!!!!
• Abby: Awww...looks like we missed the boat on that one...
• Mary: Nnnnnnnnoooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo!!!!!!!!!!

Origin: This one is easy to imagine. Imagine that you have tickets to go on a boat ride; you get a taxi,drive to the place where the boat is (the dock)...but you're late! When you get there, you see the boat already sailing away. You missed your chance.

As always, if you have a question put it in a comment below!

The Perfect Syllabus

For language teachers (well, at least for me) the words "perfect syllabus" sound mystical, as if from inside the pages of a fairy tale or a magical quest. In fact, the perfect syllabus may indeed be compared to the linguists' Holy Grail or Fountain of Youth.
So, the question arises: is it real? Or otherwise, can it actually be created. I, for one, have developed a fancy in this topic and lean towards the affirmative. Simply put, the study of language, Linguistics, is only a few decades old and is now only beginning to reach a juvenile age. I believe that there is still much to learn, and much to discover about languages, in particular the English language.
One person, who's views I have become acquainted with, is Manfred Pienemann. Again, since Linguistics is so relatively new, we can genuinely say that he is at the forefront of a great discovery. In a nutshell, his research indicates that the English language is learned in stages, and that all students pass through the same stages when learning English; these stages include correct utterances as well as interlanguage and many errors. For more information see the document titled Second Language Acquisition: A First Introduction by Manfred Pienemann.
At the moment, I am acquiring more of Pienemann's works as well as researching what other Linguists have to say in regards to his studies. But, I believe that this is definitely a great stepping stone towards discovering the perfect syllabus.
If you have read Pienemann's studies and have some input, please comment below. Or if you have your own theories regarding a perfect syllabus please do not hesitate to comment.I am eager to know your thoughts.
Cheers!

Idiom #2: Cost an arm and a leg

This is in response to Abby's request on facebook.

Cost an arm and a leg

Meaning: Something is really expensive!

Example:

• Abby: I want to buy a house in Hawaii...
• Carl: Ok! First you need about $300,000! (about 8,785,500 TWD)
• Abby: Oh no!!! It will cost an arm and a leg to buy a house in Hawaii!!!

Origin: After a war many soldiers would come home missing arms or legs. Many people would say that the price of war cost many people their arms or legs.

Don't forget to comment if you have any questions or have a request!