Idioms

An idiom is a phrase where the words together have a meaning that is different from the dictionary definitions of the individual words. Some of the idioms are listed below:

1. A bit much If something is excessive or annoying, it is a bit much.
2. A bridge too far A bridge too far is an act of overreaching- going too far and getting into trouble or failing.
3. A fool and his money are soon parted This idiom means that people who aren't careful with their money spend it quickly. 'A fool and his money are easily parted' is an alternative form of the idiom.
4. A little bird told me If someone doesn't want to say where they got some information from, they can say that a little bird told them.
5. A penny saved is a penny earned This means that we shouldn't spend or waste money, but try to save it.
6. A picture is worth a thousand words A picture can often get a message across much better than the best verbal description.
7. A problem shared is a problem halved If you talk about your problems, it will make you feel better.
8. A still tongue keeps a wise head Wise people don't talk much.
9. A1 If something is A1, it is the very best or finest.
10. Act of God An act of God is something like an earthquake or floods that human beings cannot prevent or control.
11. Actions speak louder than words This idiom means that what people actually do is more important than what they say- people can promise things but then fail to deliver.
12. Against the clock If you do something against the clock, you are rushed and have very little time to do it.
13. Agony aunt An agony aunt is a newspaper columnist who gives advice to people having problems, especially personal ones.
14. Air your dirty laundry in public If you air your dirty laundry in public, you reveal aspects of your private life that should really remain private, by telling a secret, arguing in public, etc.
15. Alive and kicking If something is active and doing well, it is alive and kicking.
16. All and sundry This idiom is a way of emphasizing 'all', like saying 'each and every one'.
17. All fingers and thumbs If you're all fingers and thumbs, you are too excited or clumsy to do something properly that requires manual dexterity. 'All thumbs' is an alternative form of the idiom.
18. All heart Someone who is all heart is very kind and generous.
19. All hell broke loose When all hell breaks loose, there is chaos, confusion and trouble.
20. All set If you're all set, you are ready for something.
21. All skin and bone If a person is very underweight, they are all skin and bone, or bones.
22. Angry as a bull If someone is as angry as a bull, they are very angry.
23. As cold as ice This idiom can be used to describe a person who does not show any emotion.
24. As you sow, so shall you reap This means that if you do bad things to people, bad things will happen to you, or good things if you do good things.
25. At a loose end If you are at a loose end, you have spare time but don't know what to do with it.
26. At death's door If someone looks as if they are at death's door, they look seriously unwell and might actually be dying.
27. At loggerheads If people are at loggerheads, they are arguing and can't agree on anything.
    

Phrases in English

Many of the phrases used in English language now-a-days originated from Bible. Some of the commonest are listed below:

A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush
A drop in the bucket
A multitude of sins
A thorn in the flesh
All things must pass
All things to all men
An eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth
As old as the hills
As you sow so shall you reap
Ashes to ashes dust to dust
At his wits end
Baptism of fire
Bite the dust
Blessed are the peacemakers
Born again
By the skin of your teeth
Can a leopard change its spots?
Coat of many colors
Eat drink and be merry
Faith will move mountains
Fall from grace
Fight the good fight
Flesh and blood
For everything there is a season
Forbidden fruit
From strength to strength
Give up the ghost
Good Samaritan
How are the mighty fallen
In the beginning was the word
It's better to give than to receive
Let there be light
Love of money is the root of all evil
Man does not live by bread alone
Many are called but few are chosen
No rest for the wicked
Sour grapes
Spare the rod and spoil the child
The apple of his eye
The blind leading the blind
The bread of life
The powers that be
The root of the matter
The salt of the earth
The spirit is willing but the flesh is weak
The wages of sin is death
The writing is on the wall
Thou shalt not kill
Three score and ten
To cast the first stone
Woe is me

Words and their nine categories

Parts of speech is the traditional term use for the categorizing words according to their functions in English language's sentences and is broadly nine at present, which are:

1. Nouns
2. Pronouns
3. Verbs
4. Adjectives
5. Adverbs
6. Prepositions
7. Conjunctions
8. Interjections
9. Articles

Each one of the above has its own significance and pivotal role in the language without which the meanings of the statement(s) would be incomplete. It can be well understood by reading the following poem:

THE PARTS OF SPEECH

Every name is called a NOUN,
As field and fountain, street and town

In place of noun the PRONOUN stands
As he and she can clap their hands

The ADJECTIVE describes a thing,
As magic wand and bridal ring

The VERB means action, something done -
To read, to write, to jump, to run

How things are done, the ADVERBS tell,
As quickly, slowly, badly, well

The PREPOSITION shows relation,
As in the street, or at the station

CONJUNCTIONS join, in many ways,
Sentences, words, or phrase and phrase

The INTERJECTION cries out, 'Hark!
I need an exclamation mark!'

Through Poetry, we learn how each
of these make up THE PARTS OF SPEECH .

(Ref. unknown)

How English language attain its present form

Here's a very interesting details of how English language came into existence. This will help how words in English came into their present forms.

The following list is a small sample of the loanwords that came into English in different periods and from different languages.

I. Germanic period
ancor 'anchor'
butere 'butter' (L < Gr. butyros) cealc 'chalk' ceas 'cheese' (caseum) cetel 'kettle' cycene 'kitchen' cirice 'church' (ecclesia < Gr. ecclesia) disc 'dish' (discus) mil 'mile' (milia [passuum] 'a thousand paces') piper 'pepper' pund 'pound' (pondo 'a weight') sacc 'sack' (saccus) sicol 'sickle' straet 'street' ([via] strata 'straight way' or stone-paved road) weall 'wall' (vallum) win 'wine' (vinum < Gr. oinos) II. Old English Period (600-1100)

Latin
apostol 'apostle' (apostolus < Gr. apostolos) casere 'caesar, emperor' ceaster 'city' (castra 'camp') cest 'chest' (cista 'box') circul 'circle' cometa 'comet' (cometa < Greek) maegester 'master' (magister) martir 'martyr' paper 'paper' (papyrus, from Gr.) tigle 'tile' (tegula) Celtic
brocc 'badger'
cumb 'combe, valley'

(few ordinary words, but thousands of place and river names: London, Carlisle,
Devon, Dover, Cornwall, Thames, Avon...)

III. Middle English Period (1100-1500)


Scandinavian
Most of these first appeared in the written language in Middle English; but many were no doubt borrowed earlier, during the period of the Danelaw (9th-10th centuries).

* anger, blight, by-law, cake, call, clumsy, doze, egg, fellow, gear, get, give, hale, hit, husband, kick, kill, kilt, kindle, law, low, lump, rag, raise, root, scathe, scorch, score, scowl, scrape, scrub, seat, skill, skin, skirt, sky, sly, take, they, them, their, thrall, thrust, ugly, want, window, wing
* Place name suffixes: -by, -thorpe, -gate

French

* Law and government—attorney, bailiff, chancellor, chattel, country, court, crime, defendent, evidence, government, jail, judge, jury, larceny, noble, parliament, plaintiff, plea, prison, revenue, state, tax, verdict
* Church—abbot, chaplain, chapter, clergy, friar, prayer, preach, priest, religion, sacrament, saint, sermon
* Nobility—baron, baroness; count, countess; duke, duchess; marquis, marquess; prince, princess; viscount, viscountess; noble, royal (contrast native words: king, queen, earl, lord, lady, knight, kingly, queenly)
* Military—army, artillery, battle, captain, company, corporal, defense,enemy,marine, navy, sergeant, soldier, volunteer
* Cooking—beef, boil, broil, butcher, dine, fry, mutton, pork, poultry, roast, salmon, stew, veal
* Culture and luxury goods—art, bracelet, claret, clarinet, dance, diamond, fashion, fur, jewel, oboe, painting, pendant, satin, ruby, sculpture
* Other—adventure, change, charge, chart, courage, devout, dignity, enamor, feign, fruit, letter, literature, magic, male, female, mirror, pilgrimage, proud, question, regard, special

Also Middle English French loans: a huge number of words in age, -ance/-ence, -ant/-ent, -ity, -ment, -tion, con-, de-, and pre- .

IV. Early Modern English Period (1500-1650)


Latin

* agile, abdomen, anatomy, area, capsule, compensate, dexterity, discus, disc/disk, excavate, expensive, fictitious, gradual, habitual, insane, janitor, meditate, notorious, orbit, peninsula, physician, superintendent, ultimate, vindicate

Greek (many of these via Latin)

* anonymous, atmosphere, autograph, catastrophe, climax, comedy, critic, data, ectasy, history, ostracize, parasite, pneumonia, skeleton, tonic, tragedy
* Greek bound morphemes: -ism, -ize

Arabic

* via Spanish—alcove, algebra, zenith, algorithm, almanac, azimuth, alchemy, admiral
* via other Romance languages—amber, cipher, orange, saffron, sugar, zero, coffee

V. Modern English (1650-present)

Period of major colonial expansion, industrial/technological revolution, and American immigration.

Words from European languages

French
French continues to be the largest single source of new words outside of very specialized vocabulary domains (scientific/technical vocabulary, still dominated by classical borrowings).

* High culture—ballet, bouillabaise, cabernet, cachet, chaise longue, champagne, chic, cognac, corsage, faux pas, nom de plume, quiche, rouge, roulet, sachet, salon, saloon, sang froid, savoir faire
* War and Military—bastion, brigade, battalion, cavalry, grenade, infantry, pallisade, rebuff, bayonet
* Other—bigot, chassis, clique, denim, garage, grotesque, jean(s), niche, shock
* French Canadian—chowder
* Louisiana French (Cajun)—jambalaya

Spanish

* armada, adobe, alligator, alpaca, armadillo, barricade, bravado, cannibal, canyon, coyote, desperado, embargo, enchilada, guitar, marijuana, mesa, mosquito, mustang, ranch, taco, tornado, tortilla, vigilante

Italian

* alto, arsenal, balcony, broccoli, cameo, casino, cupola, duo, fresco, fugue, gazette (via French), ghetto, gondola, grotto, macaroni, madrigal, motto, piano, opera, pantaloons, prima donna, regatta, sequin, soprano, opera, stanza, stucco, studio, tempo, torso, umbrella, viola, violin
* from Italian American immigrants—cappuccino, espresso, linguini, mafioso, pasta, pizza, ravioli, spaghetti, spumante, zabaglione, zucchini

Dutch, Flemish

* Shipping, naval terms—avast, boom, bow, bowsprit, buoy, commodore, cruise, dock, freight, keel, keelhaul, leak, pump, reef, scoop, scour, skipper, sloop, smuggle, splice, tackle, yawl, yacht
* Cloth industry—bale, cambric, duck (fabric), fuller's earth, mart, nap (of cloth), selvage, spool, stripe
* Art—easel, etching, landscape, sketch
* War—beleaguer, holster, freebooter, furlough, onslaught
* Food and drink—booze, brandy(wine), coleslaw, cookie, cranberry, crullers, gin, hops, stockfish, waffle
* Other—bugger (orig. French), crap, curl, dollar, scum, split (orig. nautical term), uproar

German

* bum, dunk, feldspar, quartz, hex, lager, knackwurst, liverwurst, loafer, noodle, poodle, dachshund, pretzel, pinochle, pumpernickel, sauerkraut, schnitzel, zwieback, (beer)stein, lederhosen, dirndl
* 20th century German loanwords—blitzkrieg, zeppelin, strafe, U-boat, delicatessen, hamburger, frankfurter, wiener, hausfrau, kindergarten, Oktoberfest, schuss, wunderkind, bundt (cake), spritz (cookies), (apple) strudel

Yiddish (most are 20th century borrowings)

* bagel, Chanukkah (Hanukkah), chutzpah, dreidel, kibbitzer, kosher, lox, pastrami (orig. from Romanian), schlep, spiel, schlepp, schlemiel, schlimazel, gefilte fish, goy, klutz, knish, matzoh, oy vey, schmuck, schnook,

Scandinavian

* fjord, maelstrom, ombudsman, ski, slalom, smorgasbord

Russian

* apparatchik, borscht, czar/tsar, glasnost, icon, perestroika, vodka

Words from other parts of the world

Sanskrit

* avatar, karma, mahatma, swastika, yoga

Hindi

* bandanna, bangle, bungalow, chintz, cot, cummerbund, dungaree, juggernaut, jungle, loot, maharaja, nabob, pajamas, punch (the drink), shampoo, thug, kedgeree, jamboree

Dravidian

* curry, mango, teak, pariah

Persian (Farsi)

* check, checkmate, chess

Arabic

* bedouin, emir, jakir, gazelle, giraffe, harem, hashish, lute, minaret, mosque, myrrh, salaam, sirocco, sultan, vizier, bazaar, caravan

African languages

* banana (via Portuguese), banjo, boogie-woogie, chigger, goober, gorilla, gumbo, jazz, jitterbug, jitters, juke(box), voodoo, yam, zebra, zombie

American Indian languages

* avocado, cacao, cannibal, canoe, chipmunk, chocolate, chili, hammock, hominy, hurricane, maize, moccasin, moose, papoose, pecan, possum, potato, skunk, squaw, succotash, squash, tamale (via Spanish), teepee, terrapin, tobacco, toboggan, tomahawk, tomato, wigwam, woodchuck
* (plus thousands of place names, including Ottawa, Toronto, Saskatchewan and the names of more than half the
states of the U.S., including Michigan, Texas, Nebraska, Illinois)

Chinese

* chop suey, chow mein, dim sum, ketchup, tea, ginseng, kowtow, litchee

Japanese

* geisha, hara kiri, judo, jujitsu, kamikaze, karaoke, kimono, samurai, soy, sumo, sushi, tsunami

Pacific Islands

* bamboo, gingham, rattan, taboo, tattoo, ukulele, boondocks

Australia

* boomerang, budgerigar, didgeridoo, kangaroo (and many more in Australian English)
(Taken from old book of grammar)

Why English language is so perplexed?

WHY ENGLISH IS SO HARD TO LEARN

We must polish the Polish furniture.
He could lead if he would get the lead out.
The farm was used to produce produce.
The dump was so full that it had to refuse more refuse.
The soldier decided to desert in the desert.
This was a good time to present the present.
A bass was painted on the head of the bass drum.
When shot at, the dove dove into the bushes.
I did not object to the object.
The insurance was invalid for the invalid.
The bandage was wound around the wound.
There was a row among the oarsmen about how to row.
They were too close to the door to close it.
The buck does funny things when the does are present.
They sent a sewer down to stitch the tear in the sewer line.
To help with planting, the farmer taught his sow to sow.
The wind was too strong to wind the sail.
After a number of injections my jaw got number.
Upon seeing the tear in my clothes I shed a tear.
I had to subject the subject to a series of tests.
How can I intimate this to my most intimate friend?
I read it once and will read it again
I learned much from this learned treatise.
I was content to note the content of the message.
The Blessed Virgin blessed her. Blessed her richly.
It’s a bit wicked to over-trim a short wicked candle.
If he will absent himself we mark him absent.
I incline toward bypassing the incline.

Taken from a grammar book.