Sunday 22 April 2007

The story behind the idioms

Do you remember the post called ¨The story behind the words¨?
This is a similar post. Here, there are stories about some expressions:

THE BLACK SHEEP

Somebody is called the black sheep of the family when he/she is regarded as the odd one out (el bicho raro) , the one who brings disgrace to the rest. This expression comes from the fact that a black sheep is considered the outcast (marginado) of any flock (del resto del rebaño) , perhaps because its dark colour frightens the white sheep, but also because the black fleece (lana) cannot be sold, so the black sheep isn´t useful.

CROCODILE TEARS
In the past, it was often believed that crocodiles shed (derramaban) tears that slid down (deslizaban) into their mouths to moisten (humedecer) the food, making it easier to chew (masticar) and swallow(tragar). Nowadays, this expression is used when someone pretends to cry to manipulate the situation. If someone sheds crocodile tears, it means they look sad or upset but in fact they are not.



TO BURY THE HATCHET
This comes from the American custom of burying weapons (enterrar las armas) as a sign that hostilities between the American Indians and the White had ended. Nowadays, this idiom is used to refer to coming to peaceful terms with an opponent.


I hope you like it!

Don´t forget to write a comment!

43 comments:

Anonymous said...

--SOMETHING--


im the first writing something!!

oeoeoeoe!!

gema said...

where do you find all this information, Tami? Very interesting.I'm supposed to be the teacher here, and I learn a lot with you here.Thank you, BLOGGIRLS!!

Sue said...

Hello!

Your post is very interesting!!

I like the CROCODILE TEARS story!!
Yes...I have to recognise... I have shed crocodile tears...(But not usually!) hehehe

CONGRATULATIONS TAMI!

I love you!!

Anonymous said...

Thanks, Tami, you are the best!! I love learning with you...This is a very interesting post. I'm sorry for having thought you had forgotten us!!!!!!
My best kisses

Susana-teacher

Anonymous said...

--SOMETHING--

im the second writing somthing!! XD

ok... I stop...

hahaha

I want you to continue writing on these blog because is interesting! the flog is making the competence and the talesoutofschool must win!!

the conditional exercices are very useful thank you very much :D XXX

Anonymous said...

Hello...a very great post Tami I don´t know why but when I have read the story about the dark sheep I have felt very sad...:( I LOVE THE DARK SHEEP! hehehe

Today we have begun to sit together::D I am very happy...and in english we have been very frikis talking about the bread name an other things jejej

KISSES I LOVE YOU! www.fotolog.com/lucizas Remeber it!

Tamara said...

THANKS girls!
My dear Gem I love that you learn with my posts! ;)

Sue...You have recognised that you have shed crocodile tears...mmm...Interesting...(I love u too!)

Susana don´t forget that I´m always in the blog! Thanks for your words!

Lucerito (Lucía Rivera,arts)...Are you crazy? hehe...I know that the flogs are our enemys!!They are like a drug too!

Luci F...I know that the story about the black sheep is a bit sad my little Luci...
I am very happy to be with you in class too! Yes, in english class we have spoken in english a lot...We have arrived until the second point...We needed more time!hehe!

Lots of kisses girls! and THANK YOU!!!
**LONG LIVE THE BLOG!!!**

Anonymous said...

Hello Tamara, this post is very interesting. the blog is alive because you are here, you are the best!!!!!

If gema don't put homework, I will in the blog everytime and I will participe more XD

Well I must study for english test

Bye ;)

Anonymous said...

hello! this is the first time that I participe in the blog, but i saw it before..it´s very original!

I think that it´s a very good idea,and a vey good post tami;)jeje
I¨ll write more times!

PD:Gema I send my writting by e-mail.

See you later!!!!:D

Rafa!!

Anonymous said...

Hello!!!
I am here again! My computer didn't let me enter here, but now I can enter!...
This is a very interesting post! About the black sheep, I want to say that I knew it!...but I didn´t know why we say the expression: ¨to bury the hatchet¨

Kisses!!!
Lunx (Luna, arts)

Anonymous said...

WOOHOO!! that`s amazing blog, that´s the first time I write here and I think it won´t be the last one...now I go to study, i spent my free time in it xDD so CYA GUYS!

gema said...

Hi, BOYS and girls!! Welcome to the blog! I hope you keep on taking part in it. I'm not very sure who Miguel is ,... Miguel Moreno maybe? Anyway, Emilio, you don't have much homework. I've given you enough days to do a simple writing so, don't complain!!
And Rafa,if you want to get a higher mark than your usual one, you should practise more your English entering the blog and writing more comments, ... you know what I mean, don't you?

THANKS EVERYBODY FOR PARTICIPATING!!!

Sue said...

WOW!

What a succes post!

I don't know how we have got so many comments... Tami... I hope you won't be threatening people to write here! hehehe
Anyway, if you have done that... I only can say...CONGRATULATIONS! and please, keep on doing the same...
The blog needs writers! hehehe

LOTS OF KISSES!

Anonymous said...

Hii guys!.... ¬¬
eehmmm....
..oh! it's an incredible blog ooh,congratulations girls!
yes, yes, yes.....
eemm... (it's the shortest comment in the history of blogs)....
eeem.... Gema, Susana...sorry! I kickin' the english dictionary!!
well, regards from the old school of lourdes jajaja, oh, excuse me, i must be tell: "hahahaha"...
well,I going to drink a cup of tea guys.....
see you soon!!

Tamara said...

HIIIIIIII BLOGGERSS!!
There are a lot of comments...and there are boys in the blog (it´s incredible! hehe!)

Sue I haven´t threatened people to write...but I must recognise that I've tried that people participate here, hehe!...I must to say that Emili has helped to me! so THANKS Emili!you´re a good blogger!...

And what we have here????!!!
Edu Vila!!! I´ve gotten that he write here!! Old students in the blog!! we need them!

Kisses!!

Susana said...

Hi, Edu and Company (Emilio, Rafa, Miguel,...) !! I'm very proud of you and your English...Don't worry about your level. The only target of this blog is to teach and learn. I've learnt a lot with Sue and Tami's posts.
I'd like you and the rest of BOYS to participate more often... I'll be waiting for you...

Lots of kisses

Tamara said...

Hi bloggers!
Today we have been in class with the germans...and what we have done??...We have been doing an activity about the rhithm of a song with clappings....
Everybody said that the germans will think that we are stupid!hehe

xxx!!

Tamara said...

Miguel is Miguel Moreno

Sue said...

Yes Tami... I agree with you...
Although maybe Germans have thought that we were clapping to show them how the "flamenco" is! hehehe


Lots of kisses!!

Anonymous said...

Hello Tami!! This post is very interesting!!!

I have to recognise that I felt sad when I read the story about the dark sheep, hehe.

Now I am very friki with the fotologs, so Tami, I promise that I will participate more in this blog.

Congratulations, I LOVE YOU!!

Tamara said...

Thanks for write here Cris!! I love you too!

Anonymous said...

hello tami I am in class of english now jiji and I am next to you. I am ...... I don't konw that put!!!!!!!!!! bye

Anonymous said...

OOOOOOOH LOLAILOOOOO writing in te blog!!!
Mariam where are you??

Tamara

Anonymous said...

Hollo!

Iam Mariam and this blog is new for me and i like... i dont know that say so bye...

bye Tami i hope that you underestand my "letter"

Anonymous said...

Congratulations my little sister!
You can see that your posts always are very interesting because... I have never seen as many comments in the blog.

Congratulations tammi!

a lot of kisses!

Anonymous said...

Hey! What's up people??!! I'm the real Demetrio. I'm writing here of my own free will, the fact that Mónica is aiming me with a gun it isn't linked. :)

This comment is specially dedicated to Sue (Tamara's friend) ;-)

Tamara said...

OHH!! I have just seen the new thing of the blog!!
Contributors!! I feel really happy to see my name here! THANKS SUSANA!!!!!

Tamara said...

WOH! Mónica and Demetrio here again!!!
Thanks for write a commentary!.. and sister, thank you for tell me that my post is really interesting, but...Have you seen the post of PARIS?? It has 70 comments!! It's incredible!!


Kissess!!! and keep on writing!!!

Sue said...

Hello!!

We have got university students again!
(they are VIP blogers) hehehe

Hummm... I'm not sure about if "Demetrio" is the real "Demetrio"
...Maybe Mónica o Jean Paul Gaultier have written it... hehehe
Anyway, I'm very proud of seen my name!

Everybody likes seeing a comment dedicated!!


LOTS OF KISSES!!

gema said...

Oh, God! I am also a contributor!! This is quite new!!! I feel also very important. Thank you Sus!!

Anonymous said...

Susi!!!I´m doing exercises about conditionals.I want that you know that I have done it! They are very difficult...

I hope to pass...

Luna,arts

Anonymous said...

Sorry, my girls (Gema and Tami),but I'm not the one who has organized our names as contributors...I think we have to congratulate our little and wonderful Sue!!! YThanks!!!!

Lots of kisses

Susana, teacher

Anonymous said...

Luna, I hope you have learnt a lot with these activities on Conditionals...We've just done the exam!!!Will you pass it?

Thanks,
XXX

Susana, teacher

Sue said...

Hello!

Susana... I don't understand your comment... Why do you have to congratulate me??
I think I have done nothing to be congratulated for... hehehe

By the way... Susi, I can't see your "perfil" (and I think that no-one can)... what's the reason why we can't see it?

LOTS OF KISSES!!

Susana said...

Bloggers, pay attention: I think there are some ghosts flying over our blog...If none of us (Gem, Tami,Sue and me)has posted our own names as contributors (you can see them on the right of the screen)....who has done it? I don't understand anything!!I'm afraid!...

Sue, it's impossible to see my profile because when I decided to create the blog, I thought it wasn't necessary to show it...the blog wasn't only mine and so, I cancelled this option...Now,I can't change it...Anyway, I don't care...My profile is not very interesting,hehehe!!

My best kisses

Tamara said...

Oh my God!! I´M AFRAID!!!
What´s happens here!!

Our names appear here, all of a sudden!and... the order of the names changes sometimes...I don´t know why...
Susana if it´s a joke...tell me because I´m afraid!!haha...

A LOT OF KISSES!! Enjoy your holidays!!

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