February 4, 2014
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Random Dove Thought: All By Myself
The English language is completely crazy-fantastic. I mean, I marvel that anyone who isn't born in the US can manage to speak it with any sense of real comprehension. For instance, I find it interesting that the phrase "All By Myself" is used to refer to someone being alone when, if you were to break it down, (ALL = everything, BY = next to, MYSELF = me) seems to imply the exact opposite.
Sure, it's probably just an idiomatic expression that has become so commonplace as to feel natural and easily understood by those who use it. But I doubt it would translate well to any other language. The next time you meet a non-native English speaker, tell them you want to be all by yourself and see how they respond. Or better yet, tell them you're going to "give them the cold shoulder" and that they are in "a ton of trouble".
And don't even get me started on calling someone a "Straight A Student". I could pick that apart for days!
Comments (3)
I'm trying to understand this but I guess I know cause when I was in first grade one of the nuns said she had a bone to pick with me. LOL
It is a confusing language. The grammar is odd, too. The fact that the sentence, "The medicine he had had had had no effect on him," is correct disturbs me.
I'd like to see some of your examples for Straight A Student. I can't seem to think of one. Makes sense to me. But then I'm biased being a native speaker, as you pointed out