How do you say in English?
A workshop by José Roberto A. Igreja
Source language (Portuguese) >>> Target language (English)
Literal equivalence sometimes occurs ...
Kill time
Break the ice
Students need to be reminded that literal equivalence is not always possible!
Um mar de rosas
A bed of roses
“A gota d´água ...
... que faz o balde transbordar”
“The last straw ...
... that breaks the camel´s back”
Students need to be reminded that literal equivalence is not always possible!
Morrer de rir
Laugh one´s head off
Our ultimate goal as teachers ...
Helping our students communicate more naturally!
What do we have to teach them to guarantee that?
•
•
•
•
•
•
Grammar
Vocabulary
Idioms
Phrasal verbs
Colloquial terms/Slang
Collocations
>>> Students need to be exposed to real language ...
Typical mistakes caused by source language interference
1. She lives in São Paulo for 7 years.
She has lived in São Paulo for 7 years.
(Target language equivalent)
2. Have many strangers living in New York.
There are many foreigners living in New York.
(Target language equivalent)
3. They want that you arrive more early.
They want you to arrive earlier. (Target language equivalent)
4. The book is with her.
She has the book. (Target language equivalent)
5. The use of preservatives is a safe way to avoid VD.
The use of condoms is a safe way to avoid VD. (Target language equivalent)
6. Tim only visits his wife´s family eventually.
Tim only visits his in-laws occasionally. (Target language equivalent)
Typical mistakes caused by source language interference
7. Nick had to be rushed to the emergency room after some guys spanked him.
Nick had to be rushed to the emergency room after some guys beat him up.
(Target language equivalent)
To spank: to strike the buttocks of with the open hand
Broadening linguistic horizons with Idioms!
Jeff: “Did you like the movie ?” Brad: “Oh , yeah. I got a kick out of it.”
“Get a kick out of something” = Enjoy something greatly
Is everything ready for the presentation?
“All set” = ready
- - - - - - Quiz - - - - - If you “get something off your chest” …
a-) you throw up.
b-) you go on a diet and lose weight.
c-) you tell someone that you are happy about something.
d-) you tell someone about something that has been worrying and/or annoying you.
Idioms for just about any situation ...
1. Choose something; make a choice
Take one´s pick
2. Very rarely; hardly ever
Once in a blue moon
3. Use your influence to get something
Pull strings
4. Talk about work or business during free time
Talk shop
5. Remind one of something; seem familiar
Ring a bell
6. Pay for something
Pick up the tab
7. Someone who is not very active and spends a lot of time watching t.v.
Couch potato
Meanings of the verb GET
answer become earn buy catch understand
arrive receive pick up
I couldn´t get tickets for the show. They were sold out.
(Meaning: buy)
I get a lot of e-mail every day.
(Meaning: receive)
Larry got to the airport just in time to catch his plane.
(Meaning: arrive)
It was kind of cold before, but it´s getting warmer now.
(Meaning: become)
Tom gets a good salary working for an insurance company.
(Meaning: earn)
I´m feeling kind of strange. I think I´m getting a cold.
(Meaning: catch)
Thanks to the new antenna we can now get the sports channel.
(Meaning: pick up)
I don´t think Paul got the joke. He didn´t laugh at all.
(Meaning: understand)
Can you get the phone honey? I´m busy in the kitchen.
(Meaning: answer)
Collocations
“A familiar grouping of words, especially words that habitually appear
together and thereby convey meaning by association.”
“A collocation is made up of two or more words that are commonly used
together in English.”
quick train ???
>>> fast train
shower?
>>> quick shower
Achados e perdidos
Collocations
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Skim
Condensed
Chocolate
Whole
Steamed
Soy
A glass of
A carton of
Low-fat
Milk shake
Collocations
Time: What words collocate with “time”?









Free time
Run out of time
Save time
Spare time
Spend some time
Take your time
Tell somebody the time
Time goes by
Waste time
Time flies!
Collocations
Pay
Pay attention
Pay cash
Pay a bill
Pay by credit card
Pay interest
Pay someone a visit
Pay someone a compliment
Pay a fine
Pay the price
Pay through the nose
Tour of the book
•
•
•
•
•
Over 600 colloquial terms and expressions
Acronyms
Swearwords
Curiosities
Anglicismos
Tour of the book
Tour of the book
Tour of the book
Tour of the book
ATV; four-wheeler (quadriciclo)
ATV = All-terrain vehicle
Tour of the book - Colloquial terms
1. Desastrado
1. Klutz; clumsy
2. Me deu um branco
2. My mind went blank
3. Bom de cama
3. Good lay
4. Rango; boia
4. Grub
5. Mancada
5. Goof
6. Birita (bebida alcólica)
6. Booze
7. Foi mal!
7. My bad!
Tour of the book - Colloquial terms
1. Tim is such a klutz! He keeps dropping things all over the place.
2. When Mary asked me where I had been in the morning my mind went blank.
3. So tell me, Rick: is she a good lay or not?
4. The grub here is great! Who cooked all this?
5. Harry made a real goof by making that silly comment.
6. “Where’s the booze?”, Phil asked his friends as soon as he arrived at the party.
7. Oops, sorry! I guess I shouldn’t have said that. My bad!
Tour of the book - Acronyms
RAP:[UNCOUNTABLE] MUSIC a way of talking using rhythm and rhyme, usually over a
strong musical beat. Ex. a leading rap artist
source: Macmillan dictionary
Tour of the book - Acronyms
1. PIB: Produto Interno Bruto
2. TPM: Tensão Pré-menstrual
3. LER: Lesão por Esforços
Repetitivos
4. ONG: Organização Não
Governamental
5. OTAN: Organização do Tratado do
Atlântico Norte
1. GDP: Gross Domestic Product
2. PMS: Premenstrual Syndrome
3. RSI: Repetitive Strain Injury
4. NGO: Non-governmental
Organization
5. NATO: North Atlantic Treaty
Organization
What do these acronyms stand for?
RIP
SAP
SUV
YUPPY
RIP = Rest In Peace
SAP = Second Audio Program
SUV = Sports Utility Vehicle
YUPPY = Young Urban Professional
Tour of the book - Mistakes caused by the interference of “Brazilian English”
Outdoor (Brazil)
Billboard (U.S.)
Smoking (Brazil)
Tuxedo, Tux (U.S.)
Tour of the book - Mistakes caused by the interference of “Brazilian English”
I went to the shopping last night.
(Typical mistake caused by the interference of “Brazilian English”)
I went to the shopping center (or “mall”) last night.
Cooper = running / jogging?
Dr. Kenneth Cooper
“Aerobics”: term coined by Dr. Cooper in 1968
Tour of the book - Interference of “Brazilian English”
Barman (Brazil)
Bartender (U.S.)
Barman/barmaid (England)
Trailer (Brazil)
Trailer (U.S.)
Caravan (England)
R.V. = Recreational Vehicle
Tour of the book - Interference of “Brazilian English”
Terms from the English language incorporated into
Portuguese
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Personal trainer (Brazil & U.S.)
Workshop (Brazil & U.S.)
Feedback (Brazil & U.S.)
Hacker (Brazil & U.S.)
Full-time/part-time (Brazil & U.S.)
Workaholic (Brazil & U.S.)
Etc ...
• Pen drive (Brazil) - flash drive (U.S.)
Tour of the book - Curiosities
Tacos
Taco de sinuca ...
Taco de golfe ...
Taco de beisebol ...
Taco de hóquei ...
A matter of context X The context matters ...
Spot the mistakes in the sentences below:
1-) We celebrate the birthday of São Paulo on January 25th.
anniversary
2-) I think I will renew my signature to Time magazine. I need to keep well-informed.
subscription
3-) Over 600 people attended William and Kate´s marriage at Westminster Abbey.
wedding
4-) That´s enough shuffling Jim! Give me the deck. I´ll give the cards this time.
deal
5-) Nancy has never been very good at decorating passwords.
memorizing
6-) The tables in the restaurant were beautifully decorated with red towels, flowers and candles.
tablecloths
7-) After their divorce Larry was ordered to pay pension to his former wife, to help her support
their children.
alimony
Tour of the book - Curiosities: Signs
Tour of the book - Curiosities
Tour of the book - Curiosities
Teddy bear
Theodore (“Teddy”) Roosevelt
baby bear = cub
Tour of the book - Curiosities
•
•
•
•
•
Ok você venceu!
Olho roxo
Orelha de livro
Cê-cê: cheiro de corpo
Hotel 5 estrelas
1. Ok, you win!
2. Black eye
3. Flap
4. B.O. = body odor
5. Five-star hotel
Workshop: How do you say in English?
to receive this powerpoint presentation by e-mail contact me at:
jr@dialectoenglish.com.br
José Roberto A. Igreja