In his latest newsletter essay Alan says that the phrase ‘eating crow’ is an American phrase and that he always strives for ‘Transatlantic Harmony’. I pretty much wish Angela Merkel and Barack Obama will be doing the same – striving for Transatlantic harmony of course. Anyway, Alan’s essay contains a lot of interesting words and expressions such as ‘numbles’, ‘apron’ and ‘an ewt’. At this point you might guess the topic of his essay – it’s saying sorry.
Now, how often do you apologize and what phrases do you use?
Regards,
Torsten
PS: You can read the essay here: I didn’t mean to do that, honestly.[YSaerTTEW443543]
I thank you very much , I read the essay is very good howevwe , some words are difficut to understand for me . But is excellent I will refer to my dictionary .
Thanks
I am very enjoyed to read the essay. But I am sorry, That my English is not better so I can not write appropriate sentences.you know , this essay is some difficult for me but how I did understand , it’s good
I’d say ¨sorry¨ is what I normally use to offer my apologies.
I would like to know how the expressions ¨eat humble pie¨and ¨pie in the sky¨could be used in an everyday conversation. If you could give some example sentences would be great!
firts of all ı would lıke to thank you for such a enjoyable essays t indeed very benefical writing have good time with your writing.
recep işeri from turkey
I really enjoy all the articles written by Alan.I’m always learning some interesting and wonderful things from his writings.I’m a lover of the English language and its beauty!My dream is to master this language at all costs.I’m giving English Grammar tuition classes to school students as well as working adults.I’m so ‘hungry’ to learn everything there is about English.
I think Alan is one of the best writters nowadays. I enjoyed this essay a great deal. It is not just useful information, but vocabulary, history, literature… Congratulations, dear Alan! I am not a posh person, so I like numbles and humble pie more than anything in the world.
hy
interesting story thougt for me there are some difficult parts;probable they use too often this word sorry , but if that improve social life ,then it is ok; here ,especially in bucharest , when somme one say sorry in the street it will bee looked like a silly ,weak person;it is sad but true
Very interesting historical-linguistic explanations of some idioms. I don’t understand all nuances of the essay but in common understanging even some facts is also usefull for me. Thanks a lot.
I often say “sorry” in the situations like examples about supermarket. But I never hear the expression “I’m sorry for you…”, I’m afraid that I understand it incorrectly.
Thanks.
Svitlana.
ႈHello Alan,
It’s an enjoyable essay.I love it as it give me sense of apology.
To some extent,it makes me difficult understanding some words.
But ,I’d like to read more essay from you…
hello guys
i have been almost for a year in this forum but i never had the time to reply before .well i did it this time
what a wonderful enjoyable essay, i really loved it .keep on bringing these nice way of writing up
i have a question for u , can i say i have a date with the dentist as an appointment or date is used only for dating ?
thanks in advance
i forgot to answer your question.
actually i use sorry often , as you said i think that saying " i apologize " needs a huge mistake to be done.i use it some times after saying a series of heavy jokes to my boyfriend which makes him get really ungry :lol:
i liked the expresion nitpicker because i can use it to discribe myself , and of course i have lots of "pies in the sky " hoping that one day the would become “pies on the ground”
i really didn’t know a bout (the unsung hero ) expresion before ,though i was wondering about it a lot …so thanks for enriching my vocabulary with such everyday english,yet uneasy to be found expresions, and bring up more please .
I always take great pleasure in reading your e-mails, I learn a lot of interesting stuff on things, persons and words that Ive never bothered to look much into …I sometimes wonder how you come up with these ideas in the first place…probably a lot of research and life itself…
Anyway, I find it nowadays (and its with great sadness) that’s rather an obsolete thing to say “I am sorry” or to just simply apologize; whenever the situation calls for it. People, and thats my opinion only, are by far more indifferent then before and lack manners more and more…
I sometimes put it on the fact that we live and do everything in such a haste that no one bothers anymore to take the time and make a sincere apology…
So I always appreciate and tend to forget any mischiefs when I get back a genuine “I am sorry”. :roll:
hello Alan: only to comment you that the essay number one is fabulous. a little difficult for me, because there are several new words but it is very, very interesting. thanks :lol:
