National Icons and Boxing Idioms
Post categories: Teacher blog
| 17:46 UK time, Tuesday, 10 May 2011
Dear Lito (and everyone else!)
Thanks to all of you for your warm words. You know, really this blog belongs to you; I'm just a guest here. So thank you so much for welcoming me into your home and making me a nice cup of tea.
Lito, like some of the others on this site I confess I hadn't heard of Manny Pacquiao. But I've just watched him in action online.
Although boxing is not the English national sport, it has probably given more idioms to the English language than any other. I will return to this topic in the homework section at the bottom of this post!
Your post made me wonder who an equivalent British sporting personality would be to 'Handy Manny'.
The racing driver Lewis Hamilton springs to mind;
Ìý
The reason is not so much that he has had a glittering career, although he has won his share of trophies. It is more that the British public has seen him make mistakes and make up for them.
We've watched David Beckham go from being a footballer to being - on many occasions - an ambassador for our country. Now he has become an icon of modern Britain - a bit like the London Eye or the Dyson vacuum cleaner.
LANGUAGE
We Filipinos are friendly, technically educated, hardworking, honest and religious. There's more of that, I just want it to cut it to the chase. One the best example is Manny Pacquiao...
If you cut to the chase, you miss out the long introduction and get to the point quickly. This is the sort of thing you might say in a business meeting: Let's cut to the chase. I think the phrase comes from Hollywood, when directors want to go straight to the most exciting part of their film, the car chase.
I think the phrasal verb to sum up would be useful here. Lots of you will know this to mean 'in conclusion'. But you can also use it when a single thing or person combines lots of qualities. So you could say:
We Filipinos are friendly, technically educated, hardworking, honest and religious. All of this is summed up in one man: Manny Pacquiao.
A more formal way to say something similar is:
We Filipinos are friendly, technically educated, hardworking, honest and religious. All of these qualities are epitomised by one man: Manny Pacquiao.
The epitome (pronounced e-PI-toe-me) of something is the very best example of that thing.
The epitome of the classic British racing car is the Aston Martin DB5.
Finally, here's one other way to say it:
We Filipinos are friendly, technically educated, hardworking, honest and religious. Manny Pacquiao embodies all of these qualities.
To embody means to give a physical form to something abstract.
LAST WEEK'S HOMEWORK
Well done everyone who sent in their suggestions. Almost everyone got these sentences right.... Although I did say there wasn't a single 'right' answer!
1. I was reared by my parents
This should be I was brought up by my parents (or more naturally, by my mum and dad).
Kika, yes you can say I grew up with my parents but notice that the meaning is slightly different. I grew up with my two sisters, but they didn't look after me and tell me off when I was naughty. (Well, they did, but can you see the point I'm making: to bring someone up means to act like a parent towards a child).
Mohammad, I like what you wrote - I was born and bred by my parents. I don't think this is wrong, but I think this phrase 'born and bred' is often used to describe national identity. So, if someone wants to say that they are a really really English person, they might say I'm an Englishman born and bred.
2. When people criticise her, she should defend herself.
This should be When people criticise her, she should stand up for herself or she should stick up for herself.
3. I'm starting to become ill.
I'm going down with something.
4. I said goodbye to Alice at the airport.
I saw Alice off at the airport.
THIS WEEK'S HOMEWORK
Let us return to the subject of boxing. Look at these six phrases from the sport:
- Down and out
- The gloves are off
- Below the belt
- Heavyweight
- (To not) pull any punches
- Saved by the bell
You can probably guess
Manny Pacquiao fighting Shane Mosley
Ìý
- From now on, let's be really tough.
- She's a very important politician.
- The teacher was about to ask me to read my homework when the class ended. Just in time!
- He used to be a successful pianist but now he is a failure.
- That's a bit unfair!
- This is the fourth time he's made this mistake. I'm going to tell him he's wrong and I'm not going to be easy on him.
USEFUL LANGUAGE
- a personality - a celebrity from a particular field, e.g. a sporting personality, a TV personality
- to springs to mind - to occur to one
- glittering - very successful
- to make up for something - redeem oneself, to do something good after doing something bad
- an ambassador - here, this means someone who represents a country or cause unofficially
- an icon - originally, this had a religious meaning. Now, it is often used to describe someone who is well respected and sums up (or epitomises or embodies!) a particular time, e.g. a fashion icon, a gay icon
- to tell a child off - to tell a child (s)he is bad, naughty etc.
Bye!
Comment number 1.
At 11th May 2011, bana wrote:Dear William,
Good day to you.
Thanks for punching us towards some new idioms; I hope the boys group will happy to see their favourite game idioms.
I hope you will try to explore something from girls’ interest.
The task given to us is elaborated as under, wonder to know that how much extend I am right.
1. From now on, the gloves are off.
2. She's a heavyweight.
3. The teacher was about to ask me to read my homework when the class ended. Saved by the bell.
4. He used to be a successful pianist but now Down and out.
5. That's a bit below the belt!
6. This is the fourth time he's made this mistake. I'm going to tell him he's wrong and I'm not going to pull any punches.
Best regards,
Complain about this comment (Comment number 1)
Comment number 2.
At 11th May 2011, euo wrote:Hi Will,
This is my first comment on this blog. I enjoyed reading your entry and thank for letting us interesting idoms.
here are my answers:
1. From now on, the gloves are off.
2. She's a heavyweight.
3. The teacher was about to ask me to read my homework when the class ended. Saved by the bell!
4. He used to be a successful pianist but now down and out.
5. That's a bit below the belt!
6. This is the fourth time he's made this mistake. I'm going to tell him he's wrong and I'm not going to pull any punches.
Bye for now
Complain about this comment (Comment number 2)
Comment number 3.
At 11th May 2011, Paloma wrote:Hello everyone,
This is the first time I comment on this website. Thank all the staff of ÃÛÑ¿´«Ã½ learning English, you're doing a great job! And thank Will for helping and giving us some useful tricks and idioms.
These are my answers to this week's homework:
From now on, down and out.
She's a heavyweight
The teacher was about to ask me to read my homework when the class ended. Saved by the bell!
He used to be a successful pianist but now the gloves are off.
That's a bit below the belt!
This is the fourth time he's made this mistake. I'm going to tell him he's wrong and I'm not going to pull any punches.
Regards,
Paloma
Complain about this comment (Comment number 3)
Comment number 4.
At 11th May 2011, beatriz wrote:Hi William:
I want you to know I enjoy doing homeworks. Here my sentences:
1) From now on, the gloves are off.
2) She´s a heavyweight.
3) The teacher.................- I was saved by the bell.
4) He used to be a ................ but now he is down and out.
5) That´s below the belt.
6) This is the fourth time .................- I´m not going to pull any punches.
Thanks for your help and my regards to you. Beatriz.
Complain about this comment (Comment number 4)
Comment number 5.
At 11th May 2011, francesco6576 wrote:Hi Will
I agree with you, David Beckham is the most representative British sportsman, even though he did not win none of the major competitions, such as world cup or european championship, with the English national football team.
Here is my homework:
1. From now on, the gloves are off.
2. She's a heavyweight.
3. The teacher was about to ask me to read my homework when the class ended. I was saved by the bell!
4. He used to be a successful pianist but now he is down and out. That's below the belt!
5. This is the fourth time he's made this mistake. I'm going to tell him he's wrong and I'm not going to pull any punches.
Thanks for your help! Ciao. Francesco
Complain about this comment (Comment number 5)
Comment number 6.
At 12th May 2011, Mico wrote:Dear William,
I was delighted to see that our homework is about idioms. I must admit I just love them- I think they make it worth to learn a language.
And now to the homework:
1. From now on, let's not pull any punches.
2. She's a heavyweight politician.
3. ... I was saved by the bell.
4. He used to be a successful pianist but now he is down and out.
5. That was below the belt!
6. This is the fourth time he's made this mistake. Now the gloves are off- I'm going to tell him he's wrong.
I'm looking forward to reading your new post.
Have a nice day. Bye!
Complain about this comment (Comment number 6)
Comment number 7.
At 13th May 2011, Varisha wrote:Hi William,
This is my first message to you so welcome on board and hope you have a good time with us. Now coming to home work. To be honest I am not that good at using proverbs in my everyday language but I will give it a try anyway. Getting done this home work involved a lot of thinking but eventually I got my answers. I hope to remember these proverbs and use them in my everyday language... time will tell. So the following are the answers:
1. From now on the gloves are off.
2. She is a heavyweight politician.
3. The teacher was about to ask me to read my homework when the class ended
and I was just saved by the bell.
4. He used to be a successful pianist but now he down and out.
5. That is a bit below the belt.
5. He used to be a successful pianist but now he is a failure.
6. This is the fourth time he has made this mistake and I am not going to pull any
punches on him.
Look forward to you next entry.
Have a nice weekend
Negee
Complain about this comment (Comment number 7)
Comment number 8.
At 13th May 2011, Varisha wrote:Sorry I made a mistake which is writing both the question and answer for number 5.
Negee
Complain about this comment (Comment number 8)
Comment number 9.
At 14th May 2011, Cristina wrote:Hi Will, how are you?
This is the first time I have joined this blog and I would like to thank you for your work. Idioms such a nightmare but I'll give it a try as well.
1) from now on the gloves are off!
2) she is a heavyweight politician
3) ... when the class ended. saved by the bell!
4) he is done and out
5) that's a bit below the belt
6) .. I'm not going to pull any punches.
Thanks. Enjoy your Sunday! Cristina
Complain about this comment (Comment number 9)
Comment number 10.
At 15th May 2011, Mohammad Najmul Huda wrote:Hello Will,
This time it seems to me that I am too late for posting . I just drooping my home work .
ÃÛÑ¿´«Ã½ work ::
1) From now on, the gloves are off.
2) She's a heavyweight politician.
3) The teacher was about to ask me to read my homework when the class ended saved by the bell .
4) He used to be a successful pianist but now down and out .
5) That's a bit below the belt.
6) This is the fourth time he's made this mistake. I'm going to tell him he's wrong and I'm not going to pull any punches
Complain about this comment (Comment number 10)
Comment number 11.
At 15th May 2011, kirsti wrote:Hi,
The first one, with the gloves off, was the most difficult, for me. I thought one was more vulnerable without gloves and so I thought it meant the opposite, abandoning weapons and making peace. But once all the other words placed, the only place left for the gloves was in the first sentence.
1.From now on, the gloves are off.
2.She's a heavyweight.
3.The teacher was about to ask me to read my homework when the class ended. Saved by the bell!
4.He used to be a successful pianist but now he's down and out.
5.That's a bit below the belt!
6.This is the fourth time he's made this mistake. I'm going to tell him he's wrong and I'm not going to pull any punches.
Complain about this comment (Comment number 11)
Comment number 12.
At 16th May 2011, hind wrote:Hi will
I'm very happy for your post ;however it took me a long time .i enjoy studing about english idioms but i think it's very hard to use it in my writing
i will try
1from now on ,the gloves are off
2she is a political heavyweight.
3the teacher was about to ask me my homework when the class ended.saved by the bell.
4he used to be successful pianist but now he is down and out .
5that is a bit below the belt !
6this is the fourth time he is made this miustake .i'm going to tell him he is wrong and i'm not going to pull any punches.
Complain about this comment (Comment number 12)
Comment number 13.
At 17th May 2011, likeaflower wrote:Hi,it's an interesting homework , but I have some second thoughts about "the gloves off " and "pull any punches".
1.From now on, let's play the gloves off.
2. She's a hevyweight politician.
3. The teacher was about to ask me to read my homework when the class ended. Saved by the bell.
4. He used to be a successful pianist but now he is down and out.
5.That's below the belt!
6.This is the fourth time he's made this mistake. I'm going to tell him he's wrong and I'm going to pull him some punches.
Complain about this comment (Comment number 13)
Comment number 14.
At 17th May 2011, Tereza wrote:Hello William,
I am not interested in boxing, it is a little bit rough for me... But at least I tried to do the homework:
1. From now on, the gloves are off.
2. She's a heavyweight in politics.
3. The teacher was about to ask me to read my homework when the class ended. I was saved by the bell!
4. He used to be a successful pianist but now he is down and out.
5. That's a bit below the belt!
6. This is the fourth time he's made this mistake. I'm going to tell him he's wrong and I'm not going to pull any punches.
Have a nice day,
Tereza
Complain about this comment (Comment number 14)
Comment number 15.
At 5th Jun 2011, nawras wrote:hi
Complain about this comment (Comment number 15)
Comment number 16.
At 14th Jun 2011, vitek wrote:Hi,
I would try this:
1. From now on, the gloves are off.
2. She's a heavyweight.
3. The teacher was about to ask me to read my homework when the class ended. Saved by the bell!
4. He used to be a successful pianist but now he is down and out.
5. That's a bit below the belt!
6. This is the fourth time he's made this mistake. I'm going to tell him he's wrong and I'm not going to pull any punches.
Complain about this comment (Comment number 16)