ST PATRICK´S DAY - EXPRESSIONS FROM IRELAND AND WHAT THEY MEAN
As it will be St- Patrick´s day on the 17th of March, today I want to talk about Ireland and its peculiar expressions. It is true that the majority of people in Ireland speak English as their first language, due to our long history of occupation by England, but this wasn't always the case - before the 18th century, Irish people spoke Gaeilge - the name for our language in Irish. Although English has been the dominant language in Ireland since the 18th century, we still use some expressions that come from the Irish language.
I will explain a few of them below. Have a look at the pictures used as well, they are from my local area in Ireland, where the scenery is absolutely stunning.
- You never miss the water till the well runs dry.
This one means that you don´t miss something until it is gone from your life.
2. The older the fiddle, the sweeter the tune.
With this one, you are saying that as you get older, you do things better.
3. It´s not the ground you picked it up from.
Meaning that the behaviour or habit you have comes from a parent. For example, if a child is always playing jokes and tricks and someone says this, it means that a parent is always playing jokes and tricks too.
4. Broken Irish is better than clever English.
This obviously refers to the ongoing battle to keep the Irish language alive in Ireland, but we can also use it as an example for any language learner. Don´t be afraid to speak, just because your English isn´t perfect.
5. You have got to do your own growing, no matter how tall your father was.
In this one, we are saying that you have to follow your own path in life, do the things that are good for YOU, and be independent.
6. Half a loaf is better than no bread.
In our final expression for today, and perhaps our most used one on this list, we mean that it is better to have something than have nothing.
If you would like step-by-step instructions on how to improve your English by yourself, download our free guide HERE.
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