Hi Alan,
What does it mean- a.thereby hangs a tale b:eating crow or even boiled crow c:'an umble pie
Hi,
Let me explain - ‘thereby hangs a tale’ suggests: inside what I have just told you, there is something else that you should know. The expression is ‘eat humble pie’ and that means: show everyone and admit that you have made a mistake.
Alan
Hi Alan:
What amazing essay!!! I enjoyed it a lot. I quite understood the meaning of the word “sorry” and the expressions “eat humble pie” and others I surprised because my nickname is “humblelou” and I didn’t know the root of this word, but now I know it. bye.
Hello there it´s me again .
you know that essay is very well structured , quite well actually although isn´t it a bit too long? i´m impressed i must say however; i don´t know about eating humble pie it´ll be a reckoning of course for all of those who are looking for some sort of vindication.
Well @ least i´m in that sort of category. I´m brazen out.
Once again congratulations you guys are doing outstanding …give you the props i tell u. Have a good one.
Excellent Reading Thank you.
Dear Alan.
I did enjoyed reading your essay,it was brilliant. I liked a lot the phrase “A pie in the sky”. It’s very helpful to know a lot of phrases because English people use a lot of phrases,especially elders one. When they use these phrases,I just listen to them carefully and I ask them “What does it mean this or that one”. And they start explaining very politely to me.
About Torsten’s question " How often do you apologize and what phrases do you use? ".
I do apologize very often,especially now because I have a baby toddler. Everywhere we go he want to touch everything (I mean when we go shopping) and I do say sorry to people instead of him. My phrases to express apology are “I am really sorry” or “I am sorry” or just “Sorry”. And of course they do accept my apologize immediately.
Admira.
Hello Sir Alan,
This is very interesting essay and the explanation of idioms and phrases given in an essay as well as on Forum help me to understand it, although I have found difficulty to understand most parts of the easy.
Secondly, I have learnt from essay that the word ‘sorry’ and ‘apology’ are excusing words. but ‘apology’ use in formal way mostly in black and white while word ‘sorry’ is common word for excuse for something. But what is the best way to deliver the word.
and sometime I don’t understand what other says, and I would like to let him repeat his word, How do I ask than?
Thank you,
Best regards,
Ashi
Hi Ashi,
‘Sorry’ is a word that is used a lot in conversation in situations where for example you accidentally bump into someone or accidentally drop something belonging to someone else. The response from the other person would simply be: That’s all right if it isn’t a serious accident.
Alan
Thank You Sir Alan.
Best regards,
Ashi
Hello to you all! Long time no hear about you. Well, for me it was at first hard to understand all the expressions like pie in the sky or eating humble pie, but reading and thinking a little more I have got to improve my english. Sometimes I think of using a dictionary, but I never do that as I think it is not good.
About the apologies frequency I am always sorrying for something especially when I am in the bus going to work and it is always very crowded and I bump and step everyone’s foot, so it is sorry sir, sorry mad’am, sorry miss… It is very embarassing…
Bye for now…
I believe, it is good to be apologetic; however, one must know exactly when to apologize. Sometimes, apologies are over used to the point to disregard the real regret at the correct time.
I hear in my office, very often, people discussing a task. One asks to the other if he saw the e-mail a supervisor has sent to everyone, the other answers, no, I’m sorry!
In my position, I’d reply, no, not yet, but I’m sorry? For what? Maybe, I’m too prideful to
see the reason to apologize, in this instance.
Anyway, the essay was excellent and thank you!
Thanks a lot!
I read over 3 times but some of them are difficult to understand.
I think I still need to read again and again.
zar.
Excellent essay rich in new words and idioms to learn. I thank you very for this lesson.
Sorry is quite commonly used in every day life and circumstances when you just sort of fall into a conversation in English.
In my experience I’ve used apologise in formal written english, commercial business letters or in a formal speaking context es:
-
I do apologize for the delay in answering your letter
-
Sorry I’ll call you up later
Thanks and regards
Hi Everyone
What did you mean by the word “nitpicker” in the following sentence:
“I say that but though I 'm not by nature a nitpicker”
thanks
Hanan
A ‘nit’ is the egg of a headlouse.
They are very small, and stick to the hair so to get rid of them you have to go through your hair very carefully.
If someone is “not a nitpicker” then they don’t usually pick up on the smallest mistakes or problems.
Hi Beee,
A lot of thank for replaying me soon.
Best regards
Hanan
DEAR TORSEN
TANKS for sending this message
Hope you send more interesting messages for me
A lovely story
LOTS OF LOVE
UPASHANA
Hi body.I have been very happy learning about this nice language but sometimes there are expressions that really make think I now nothing, then I hope this will be learned over the practice.
I would like you to explain me why Alan says the english are primarily a taciturn lot instead of the english is primarily a taciturn lot and I really want to know something about the word “ups” that the english use a lot.
English speakers don’t use the word ‘ups’.
Hello Torsten,
Actually i’m so pleased with Alan’s essay but please can you explain me the following expressions:“unsung heroes, the english are not primarily a taciturn lot, eating humble pie and by nature a nitpicker”.
Thank you.