Pessimism

English as a Second Language What do you want to talk about?
21

Hello Hayaan,

‘Pessimism’ is not an idiom.
It means a tendency to see the worst aspect of things or believe that the worst will happen; a lack of hope or confidence in the future.

It is also the title of the piece of writing referred to in this thread, which contains a number of idioms.

22

Hi Hayaan,

Just to note - in your piece note the additional change needed:

Alan

23

Thank you very much I really find all my mistakes, please tel me the difference between ‘Sometime’ and ‘Some time’ and of course I mean 'after a little time had passed
I really like the way you have written
Thank you very much

24

‘Some time’ - after a little time has passed.
There was a delay of some time between buying the ticket and boarding the plane.

‘Sometime’ - at a time that you do not know exactly or has not yet been decided.
We must get together sometime.

25

Today in the afternoon Risk management course instructor will collect me an exam, although it is the first day of the Islam New Year, I suggested to the teacher yesterday to postpone the exam on the coming session, but he refused to me, so all last night and all the morning I red a lot and I really feel confidence to make pass. Now it is 1:00 only after three hours later the exam will start 4:00 pm
I hope it will an easy exam,

26

Hi Hayaan01,

Wish you all the best and success for your examination. Before writing the
exam, please pray god and write the exam.

Thank you

S.Shanthi

27

I really prayed in God, in fact it was a simple exam but too many question was asked me 38 question

28

Good morning
It is Saturday morning, 7:30 am I’m at the work right now I listening BBC, I have just checked up my email and Facebook, I received a message from my sweetheart Sabaax she is in USA and she told me that she is going to come on January 20, 2011 so as to arrange our engagement and than I clicked another message which is from my uncle who is also in USA Washington while my girlfriend is in Ohio, then I decide to introduce them each other, because I would like if the arrange to have same flight.
The other thing which makes me happy to day is that our president Ahmed Silaanyo has comeback from England which he had go there a special invitation

29

I think it is a good job.You are writen an interesting essay.
Thank for all.
yours,
Nicolae Angelescu

30

Nicolaeange, yes it is a good job. I thing you got surprised the way I behave, listening the BBC and checking my private mails, yes of course I work a local newspaper as an editor, and that is way I usually listen the radios, and it is my plan to improve the English language, so as to transitive all English news.

31

Hi Muhammad Elsalam 3alikom)
I hope if you read this link thelinguist.blogs.com/how_to_lea … earni.html
It’s title is called “Language learning is like falling in love”
Best wishes

32

Hello Alan,

If we learn a language I think it is very important to know the more about the culture, history etc. of this nations to became familiar with this language. Thanks Alan, that you give us possibility to learn more. Now the second saying was what I was searching on the Net.

“It’s being so cheerful that keeps me going”

I felt this is a humorous but poignant saying about the woe and miseries. I found the answer: BBC.co.UK

ITMA =“It’s That Man Again” was a weekly comedy show. It was launched in 1939 when BBC decided that its radio broadcast needed. In the year when the Second World War began; on 1.st September 1939. The show was named after the phrase newspapers commonly used to describe Hitler:
It’s that a man again.

I have to laugh because the title is very good. I heard a lot about the English humor but if I’d never heard about it this title would reveal everything about it.

When you want to write about the pessimism, at your second saying we bump into the humor.

On the 6th January 1949, the final ITMA was broadcast. Tommy Hanley’s illness and death made an end of the series. With his death the most popular radio shows of the forties died also. The item closed with an other poignant suggestion; " Shall we close the door for the last time."

I envy the English Humor because Hungary is famous about the suicide.

Regards:
Kati Svaby

33

Hello Alan,

I hope no problem if I send something to this theme?
It is written in the introduction of John Bunyan: Slough of Despond.
“It is the low ground where the scum and filth of a guilty conscience, caused by conviction of sin, continually gather, and for this reason it is called the Slough of Despond.”

And an other saying what I took much time to understand its meaning:
“I’m not feeling myself today”/ tonight/recently etc. Now I think, I can interpret that it means: I feel upset, troubled or disturbed. Familiar one: “I’m not myself today. Maybe I’m you.”

Best regards:
Kati Svaby

34

Good day Alan,

This is truely one interesting lecture to learn about expressing feelings of the “black side”. People have mood, and in my case most of them are tend to be unhappy ones due to works, haha. So I think it’s very useful to learn the expression “I am not feeling myself today” when friends or colleques asking about what’s going on with me.

Hello Kati,

Thanks for the supplementary information and your own interpretation about “The Slough of Despond”, that saves me time to google it. :slight_smile:

Cheers,

Chris

35

Dear Alan,
I went through your essay and enjoyed it. The beautiful idioms adorn the esaay. It is fine piece of writing.

36

Hi, guys! How shall I write - class work or classwork? Thanks a lot in advance.

37

Either may be possible, but we’d have to know more to be absolutely sure. What is the rest of the sentence?

38

Good essay,thank you Mr. Alan
I was very pessimistic to not having time enough to read, and I am glad to return to study again and I am optimistic now.

39

Dear Alan

I am very glad to receive such a wanderful essay from you! You had taught me a lot of expressions about negative moods.
May I ask a question to you about this essay, Alan? In this essay, there is such a sentence that I could not figure out what
you wanted to say, that is----------------- “you might get the impression that the world is shortly coming to an end”
According to the context, I think your meaning is “the world will not come to an end recently”. But consider of the grammar,
I think the meaning of such expression is “the world will come to an end shortly”. This issue really confuessed me. So The core
of my questione is, could this word “shortly” express negative statement? I am looking forward to your reply. thank you!

Best Regards
Julian

40

Hello Alan,
Many thanks for giving us another chance to repeat what we learned. The truth is I have forgotten lot of things from this essay. The practice makes the perfect.-we say in my country also.

Now I try to learn from another aspect.

  1. Sorry to sound so depressed = sorry to give an impression of being very sad and without hope.
  2. I don’t want you to feel too down today = I do my best to boost my mood.
  3. Frightfully sorry if it makes you feel fed up.=I awfully sorry it makes you tired.
  4. some of us have that unhappy knack=(skill or ability) of looking on the black side.= some are prone to look on the dark side of everything
    5.Mona did moan quite a lot used a catchphrase that became very popular. After each saga of her woes and miseries she would say in her mournful voice: “It’s being so cheerful that keeps me going.”-says Mona Lot, her name is a pan: moan(groan) a lot;the catchphrase means about that " It’s being so cheerful, that is enough for me temporarily. (?)
    keep sb going= to be enough for sb until they get what they are waiting for
    6 Such people as Mona, when asked how they are, they answer: “Oh, mustn’t grumble, you know.”= Oh, mustn’t complain, you know.
  5. When the graphs in the manager’s office show a continuous downward curve, things are said to be going from bad to worse. = to be getting even worse.
  6. if you’re talking solely (only)about your own despair, you could choose one of these two:
    a. to be down in the mouth — which can be a passing bad mood as when you’ve just heard that the tax on petrol has gone up. (=a passing unhappiness and depression.)

…b. or down in the dumps(=feeling unhappy) — which is a longer lasting depression and the only solution to which is a holiday long enough to make your problems disappear.
9.Tthe 17th century writer John Bunyan, you can effectively remark: “I’m passing through the — Slough(despair) of Despond.(lose heart)” When sb. is in a mental state in which a person feels no hope and is very afraid.
10. An expression that half apologises for your dark looks by suggesting that such is not your usual frame of mind: “I’m not feeling myself today" ; but by tomorrow i will fell better.
11.I do hope I haven’t made you feel too downcast(sad or depressed)
12…If you are prone to be pessimistic about the possibility of success in any venture(= a business project) or situation, you are said to look on the black side./Its opposition to see of the bright side of life
13. If your despondency(=sadness) refers to business or politics where in your view the position is deteriorating,(to become worst) you say: “Things are going from bad to worse.” go from bad to worse = it’s getting more and more difficult
14. And when the business has reached its lowest point, you declare that it has hit rock bottom. = touch bottom/plumb the depth (of despair)
15. You can hint at dissatisfaction with life by answering the question: “How are you?” with a brief:” Mustn’t grumble"= Mustn’t complain
16. If your bad mood is shortlived (=lasting for a shot time)you are down in the mouth = shortlived depression
17. if it’s a continuing gloom, down in the dumps. = your depression doesn’t cease.
18. This condition of being downcast(sad or depressed) is described in literary terms as the Slough of Despond.
19.And finally, you can explain the reason for being generally fed up by saying: “I’m not feeling myself today."= this isn’t my day.

Regards:
Kati Svaby