English language is full of sayings that have some special meaning, they are never obvious, when you come from different culture. These beasts lie in most languages and they are usually called idioms, but there is also other names. For example, platitude is a shallow and meaningless statement: "Nobody is perfect", "better late than ever"... Term comes from french word plat, which means flat. Usually this cliche occurs at the end, as terminating thought. There is also so called winged words, (lentävä lause), proverb, adage or saying (sanonta), quotation (sitaatti) , aphorism (aforismi), cliche (fraasi)... just to mention few.
I start to collect some of these in here and try to find out something about them.
But first some little words, with some little words that change their meaning completely:
These little words are so handy that they usually have at least more than ten ways to use them each, and then there are these phrases too. This list is just for my personal use, so it is not at all complete, check any tesaurus for more.
AS ( = ruots: som, suom: kuin )
as many as ten thousand people ! (emphazised amount)
as and when the cows fly... (uncertain future event)
Yeah, as if! ( Informal, ironic way of showing untrust.)
As of today, I know this. ( indicate startingpoint of some timeperiod. )
as well, (= too) as well as (= and also)
ALL ( = ruots: alla, suom: kaikki )
all there - informal, she's quite not all there,
at all (not in any way, to any extent)
for all (in spite of ) for all its clarity and style, the book was still difficult to read
in all (total number) there were 3000 people in all
one and all (everyone)
one day (some other day = that'll be the day = the day that never comes)
FROM ( = ruots: från, suom: elatiivista jostain )
from day to day, = daily, all the time,
från dag till dag
päivästä päivään
from time to time, = occasionally
from now on, = now and in the future
TO (ruots: för, suom: illatiiviin jonnekin, saks: zu)
to a T = to perfection
to a man = without exeption
to a degree = to some extent
-to-be = something of the future: my bride-to-be
ON (ruots: på, suom: adessiivilla jollakin, jonkin päällä )
on and on = continually, forever, too long
on and off = not continually, in short periods
what are you on ? = have you taken some drugs?
you're on ? = bet is accepted
on a wind = sailing against a wind ( luovia )
on a string = under control
on cloud nine = extremely happy (ten based heavens -system)
on fire = in flames, in a state of excitement
on foot = walking, no car or other vechiles
on hand = present, available
hold out on (refuse to give information)
hold out for (continue to demand for something with that price)
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