He's making an honest woman of her.
I’m in love with language, particularly English. I have been for a long time. If it was legal to marry a word or an idea, rather than another person, I would sweep language off her feet and make an honest woman of her. We would travel the world for our honeymoon, visiting every bookshop we passed and talking to every person we met.
I like the idiomatic side of language. Like that phrase I just used – to make an honest woman of someone – what does that mean? It’s a common phrase. I’m using it to mean marry someone, but if I look at the words by themselves, the phrase sounds strange. Is the phrase saying that all women are deceitful and dishonest before they get married? That sounds a bit sexist and wrong, doesn’t it? The phrase was probably invented by a man who was very insecure and jealous of his girlfriend talking to other men. It’s just like a man to blame his problems on his girlfriend!
That’s one thing I love about language. I also love the way it works, the bits and pieces we call words, sentences, and paragraphs. I love the way people use language. I love that language changes and evolves with time. I love that sometimes I can’t explain what I’m thinking with words.
All of my careers have involved language. My first job was in a library. When I was making coffees or working in a bar, talking to my customers was the most important part of the job. I become a teacher, and was able to share language with my students. And now I’m can share my love of language with you! I’m an experienced teacher, traveler and examiner, so if you have any questions regarding language, don’t be shy!
June 25th, 2009 at 1:35 pm
Totally Totally understand your feeling. I’m feeling exactly the same way. The only shame is that I still can’t use English as well as I’m using Chinese. But I can tell the wonderful part of this language when I’m listening and reading.
June 26th, 2009 at 1:55 am
Got time to re-read this one. Have to re-comment ;p
First of all, love that photo on the top so much. This photo gave a different feeling of this city that you can enjoy the view in such a high level. My heart is getting brighter and bigger. All my troubles and difficulties are swept off and thrown onto those clouds. You are at such a high level where you can reach the sky and grab a piece of cloud. The harbour bridge is different from this angle. It’s still that special and magnificent even though it’s smaller. I was lucky enough to experience the bridge climbing when i just came here, not crossing, but the real climbing. It was amazing. Now, i’m imagining I’m in this photo, on the top of the bridge, waving to the sky.
Secondly, about English. There is a long story btw English and me, which was the reason that English is doomed to be a part of my life. I performed one of the children and sang most of the songs in “Sound of Music” in English when i was 7 years old. That was probable my first intimate touch with English. Then attended all sorts of English contests in the schools and finally got the chance to learn thoroughly and deeply about English. During those 4 years, all i was intouch with everyday was those English literature, linguistic, translation, interpreting, listening, speaking and Shakespeare,Byron,Dickens,Alexandre Dumas etc. I was involved in a foreign language world (French was my second foreign language). Love those days and miss those feelings. Still remember my final graduation assignment in the uni. I chose to write a paper about how to translate style, which means when you translate a language, you don’t just translate the language, you should also translate the writer’s writing style. Say, if i translate your article, i definitely need to translate your humour and sarcasm, oh, sometimes the puns and metaphors.
During the time when I was indulged in English learning, I started to have this dream that go abroad to an English speaking country to use my languge, to experience being understood by the English I am speaking. But, my ex broke my dream. However, the bond btw English and me was still there. At the year I broke up with my ex, i quit my job, picked up my dream and came to Australia.
I eventually fulfilled my dream. Here i am, living in this country for 3 and a half years, speaking my dream language, enjoying the different culture. I appreciate what English has bestowed me. I appreciate what English has enabled me to do. I feel extremely happy speaking English the whole day and being understood by locals. I feel such a pleasure that i’m able to laugh and weep with locals when I’m watching an English movie without Chinese subtitles. People ask me why I tried so hard to just stay here. I told them, I can’t handle the feeling that I don’t have chance to speak English everyday.
Maybe this is the fate that I have to have this IELTS exam for so many times. Maybe this is the way i can be always motivated to practise my English. You know what, I am grateful for it. I won’t complain about it anymore, because this is how we two are connected. This is the love between us. I’ll treasure every chance that i have this exam and conquer it by my proven advanced English skill. At that time, I will be so proud and I will announce to the whole world that I can finally stay in the country and speak English the rest of my life!!!!