Better Definitions of Common Words and Phrases

Submitted by EnglishMania on

Better and funnier definitions and real meanings of some common words in English - smile and learn at the same time!

 

ADULT:  A person who has stopped growing at both ends and is now growing in the middle.

BATHROOM: A room used by the entire family, believed by all except Mom to be self-cleaning.

BOSS:  Someone who is early when you are late and late when you are early.

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Perverbs

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Perverbs - also called Anti-proverbs are humorous parodies or combinations of common proverbs. To have full effect, an anti-proverb must be based on a known proverb. For example, Don’t count your chickens in the bush. 

Standard proverbs are essentially defined phrases, well-known to many people. For example, Honesty is the best policy. When this sequence slightly changed (Beauty is the best policy) it becomes perverbs.

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15 Wonderful Words With No English Equivalent

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The Global Language Monitor estimates that there are currently 1,009,753 words in the English language. Despite this large lexicon, many nuances of human experience still leave us tongue-tied. And that’s why sometimes it’s necessary to turn to other languages to find le mot juste. Here are fifteen foreign words with no direct English equivalent.

1. Zhaghzhagh (Persian) 
The chattering of teeth from the cold or from rage.

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Video: How to Learn English Through Aerobics in Japan (1992)

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Each themed episode began with a brief introduction by Verde, followed by a subtitled skit introducing English phrases and a "commonly used" English sentence, like "How dare you say such a thing to me?" or "It's your fault that this happened." The sentence was then chanted repeatedly by a trio called the Zuiikin Gals, who performed unique movements to go along with each word.

Check out the following videos:

12 “Made-in-Japan” English Terms that Might Confuse English Speakers

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The rise of English as the global tongue has created a whole new subset of language in the Land of the Rising Sun. These are words with English roots that have been so thoroughly Japan-ized as to be rendered barely recognizable to native English speakers. So for those hoping to “level-up” their communication skills before traveling to Tokyo, consider memorizing these Japenglish terms.

Video: What English Sounds Like to Non-English Speakers

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SKWERL  is a short film by Brian Fairbairn and Karl Eccleston. The film attempts to show the English language through the ears of non-English speakers. Throughout the film you may hear certain words and phrases that you know, but the majority of the dialogue is incomprehensible.

Then or Than?

Submitted by EnglishMania on

Most people confuse the words then and than. Here is the answer:

Than is a conjunction used with comparisons. 

  1. For example: Laika is smaller than Sam.
  2. For example: When I looked at my money, I had less than I thought I had.

Then is an adverb or an adjective that refers to the time in the past or the future.

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Happy New Year from EnglishMania! :)

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New Year’s Day has come and gone, and most of us are still adjusting to having to remember the year is no longer 2015. January is a great month to focus on new beginnings and goals for the year that has just started. Here are some fun activities and facts about the New year:

Most Often Mispronounced Words in English

Submitted by EnglishMania on

The following words are all very common, yet they often present pronunciation difficulties. Hopefully, these tips will make it a little easier to say each word more clearly.

1. Clothes – the “th” sound followed by an “s” is very difficult even for native speakers.  Pronounce this word just like the word “close” as in: “Please close the door.”
Say: I wear clothes (close) when I close the door.

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