#FUNNY WORDS IN OTHER LANGUAGES WINDOWS#
Idioms and expressions are windows to a culture. Idioms Represent Unique Cultural Elements “ He’s got a kangaroo loose in the top paddock.” otherwise known as → “ He’s got a screw loose”. In Australia, this same idiom would look like this: Literally, it means that bats, who are notorious for flying erratically, are loose in the belfry, which is the uppermost part of a church, implying that someone has loose bats flapping around in their mind. Figuratively, it means someone who is crazy or eccentric. Funny Idioms that Differ Across English-Speaking Countries In England and Australia, however, there were idioms I had never even heard of in my own language. Like most people, I was unaware of this origin when I first started looking into idioms, but at least I knew figuratively what it meant. Idioms are also known as figures of speech or expressions that once had literal meanings but have now become figurative.įor example, I bet you didn’t know that the idiom “ To cost an arm and a leg.” has its origins in 18th-century art when the wealthy (but stingy) would have their portraits painted without certain limbs because it was less expensive. For Language Lovers: Why Do Idioms Differ By Country? Let’s take a look at where these idioms come from and then see how quotes in other languages differ from our own. Other languages have different idioms (and some are downright hilarious) to describe cultural phenomena or beliefs.īut here’s the catch: most idioms stem from literal meanings that most people in pop culture have completely forgotten about.
Native speakers use idioms much more than they are actually aware of. In other words, “It’s raining cats and dogs.” is a common English idiom, along with: Idioms are groups of words that, when established together, form a meaning which can no longer be deduced by the individual words themselves.
What Are Idioms and Where Do They Come From? Let’s break them down and then look at some hilarious ones. They’re 50% cultural, 50% historical, and 100% hilarious. 20 Funny Everyday Phrases in Different LanguagesĪs a polyglot and avid traveler, people often ask me “ What are some common sayings in other languages?” or “What are funny phrases in other countries?”Īnd the grammar monster in my head screams “They’re called idioms!”.
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