Idioms u1 Flashcards
to have very little knowledge about a language
TO HAVE A SMATTERING OF A LANGUAGE
A person who talks constantly, esp about trival matters
TO BE A CHATTERBOX
to avoid a subject
TO STEER CLEAR OF A SUBJECT
To talk about sb, out of this person’s presence or without someone’s knowledge
TO TALK ABOUT SB BEHIND THEIR BACK
To be the source of gossip
TO SET TONGUES WAGGING
Overly long, tedious, and often repetitive or rambling. Said of a speech or writing
TO BE LONG-WINDED
To make attractive or acceptable by deception or superficial treatment often hiding sth negative
GLOSS OVER (e. g. unpleasant facts)
To keep talking or complaining about someone or sth; to refer to sth again and again
TO HARP ON SB/ STH
HARP ON SB ABOUT STH
to speak to sb as if they are less mature, inteligent, or capable than they really are
TO TALK DOWN TO SB
To be perplexed; to be unable to say anything
TO AT A LOSS FOR WORDS
Spoken in such a soft, quiet voice that others cannot hear it distinctly
TO SAY STH UNDER ONE’S BREATH
To explain sth in words that can be understood by people outside of a given profession or field of expertise, e. g. without the use of jargon or highly technical terms
TO EXPLAIN STH IN LAYMAN’S TERMS
To talk endlessly and exhaustingly
TO TALK THE HIND LEG OFF A DONKEY
To speak with great rapidity, volume, and intensity
TO TALK A BLUE STEAK
To speak or express one’s opinion despite other people dominating the conversation (usualy used in negative constructions to convey the opposite)
CAN’T/ COULDN’T GET A WORD IN EDGEWAYS
A punishment in which one completely ignores or refuses to speak to someone
TO GIVE SB THE SILENT TREATMENT
To make fun of sb
TO POKE FUN AT SB
The hierarchical structure within communities or societies that influences the dominance or suppression of minority languages
THE PECKING ORDER
(SITS THE PEKING ORDER)
TO FIND A LANGUAGE LOW OR HIGH IN THE PEKINCH ORDER
A perspective or lens through which the status and importance of minority languages are examined and understod
TO SEE THE WORLD THROUGH THE LOOKING GLASS OF LANGUAGE
Regions identified as having a high concentration of diverse, often endangered, minority languages in need of documentation and preservation
TO BE A LANGUAGE HOTSPOTS
Situations or conditions that lead to the rapid decline or extinction of minority languages without substantial documentation or notice
Black hole
