Author Archives: Jasmine Lee

If I had a nickel for every time…

Nationality: American
Age: 24
Residence: Los Angeles, CA
Performance Date: February 23, 2011
Primary Language: English
Language: French, Hebrew

If I had a nickel for every time…

Alex is 24 years old; he was born in New Jersey, but was raised and lived the majority of his childhood in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.  He arrived in California for the first time when he was moving into his dorm room at USC in Los Angeles, California.  Currently, Alex is an alumni from USC with a bachelor’s degree in philosophy.

Alex told me this idiom when he and I were talking about a friend of his who promised to pay him back.  At that moment he said, “If I had a nickel for every time someone told me that…” He says that what this means to him is that he hears comments like this – promises to pay him back – often and that if he had a nickel for every time he heard it, he would be rich.  He told me that he doesn’t remember who he heard this from or in what context, but he remembers what he felt about it.  He found it amusing and began saying the phrase himself.

Essentially the phrase is an abbreviation for : “If I had a nickel for every time that happened, I’d be rich.”  This hyperbole is an exaggeration that essentially is an indirect way for one to complain about the frequency of certain comments.

I had heard of this idiom before; however, when I heard it, I heard “penny” instead of “nickel.”  This monetary value can be substituted, and it has been with other forms of money such as “dollar” or “quarter.”  I do not remember who I heard this from or in what context, but I think I was still in middle school.  Just as Alex stated a part of the phrase without completing it, I have often heard this idiom as a fragment.  This is because people generally understand the idiom and immediately understand what the speaker means by the fragment alone.

This idiom is also seen here:

Roach, A. (2011). If i had a nickel for every time. Retrieved from http://www.usingenglish.com/reference/idioms/if+i+had+a+nickel+for+every+time.html

Children’s Saying

Nationality: Indian
Age: 20
Occupation: Biological Sciences Student
Residence: Los Angeles, CA
Performance Date: April 4, 2011
Primary Language: English
Language: Hindi

April showers, May flowers, June bugs.

Payal goes to the University of Southern California in Los Angeles, California.  She is earning her bachelor’s degree in Biological Sciences in three years and is beginning her application process for dentistry school.  She was born and raised in the city of Cypress, which lies in the city of Orange County south of Los Angeles.

Payal told me this saying when we were talking about the weather.  It was raining outside when we were talking, and she referred to this saying.  It is a reference to the stereotypes about the weather during the months of April, May, and June.  Additionally, the saying includes a variation that includes the month of June whereas other versions only consist of April and May. April showers refer to the predictable and copious amounts of during the month of April. May flowers refer to the earth cycle following April showers.  Understandably, with all the rain in April, flowers will flourish and bloom  in the month of May.  As a humorous addition, June bugs refers to the flowers that began to bloom in May as a result of the April showers.  With the increase in flower population, the bug population will also become more conspicuous and abundant.

I am familiar with this funny version of the April Showers, May Flowers rhyme that includes June Bugs.  I think I first learned it when I was very young on a Nickelodeon educational television show.  I think it fosters particular stereotypes about the weather during particular months of the year.  Because of this, I expect rain in April, more flowers blooming in May, and even more annoying bugs in June.

Shoot for the moon…

Nationality: American
Age: 24
Residence: Los Angeles, CA
Performance Date: February 26, 2011
Primary Language: English
Language: French, Hebrew

“Shoot for the moon, land on the roof.”

Alex is 24 years old; he was born in New Jersey, but was raised and lived the majority of his childhood in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.  He arrived in California for the first time when he was moving into his dorm room at USC in Los Angeles, California.  Currently, Alex is an alumni from USC with a bachelor’s degree in philosophy.

Alex told me that his best friend told him this quote one day when they were discussing jobs.  They were talking about the other variation of the phrase that says “Shoot for the moon; even if you miss, you’ll land amongst the stars.”  They were talking about how stupid they thought that phrase was.  Alex’s best friend said that he’d heard of a variation of the phrase before; “Shoot for the moon, land on the roof.”  He said it doesn’t really have a meaning.   They just thought it was funny and that it fit well as a substitute.

I had never heard the version that Alex’s best friend had heard; however, I was familiar with the version that says “Shoot for the moon; even if you miss, you’ll land amongst the stars.”  I remember seeing this phrase on a poster in the fourth grade.  I was in my homeroom class when I looked above the board and saw that poster.  I remember that particular poster because I remember finding it very insightful.  What it meant to me was that as long as I do my best, I will always be successful (even if I don’t reach my goal).

Smith, T. (2009, November 11). Shoot for the moon... Retrieved from http://www.applieddesign.tv/?p=182

Wolf in sheep’s skin

“It’s a wolf in sheep’s skin.”

Alex is 24 years old; he was born in New Jersey, but was raised and lived the majority of his childhood in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.  He arrived in California for the first time when he was moving into his dorm room at USC in Los Angeles, California.  Currently, Alex is an alumni from USC with a bachelor’s degree in philosophy.

Alex said that this idiom is similar to a “red herring.”  When he used a “red herring” to describe the previous idiom, I still did not understand their meaning.  Finally, he decided to explain the idioms as “false positives.”  Essentially, the idiom is used when one says a phrase that another finds to be too good to be true.  The latter person then asks, “This isn’t a wolf in sheep’s skin, is it?”  Meaning, this isn’t a lie, right? Simply, the latter is asking whether or not the former is lying to them about something that would be good if it were true.  I had never heard these idioms before Alex told them to me. I have heard similar phrases describing the same idea; for instance, “You’re pulling my leg.”

This idiom, though exemplifying a more malicious intent and meaning, has also been seem in:

Martin, G. (1996). A wolf in sheep’s clothing. Retrieved from http://www.phrases.org.uk/meanings/wolf-in-sheeps-clothing.html

Tie the knot

Tie the knot.

Helene was born and raised in France with her mother and her sister.  Her father currently lives in Toronto, Canada.  She came to America for the first time in 2008 when she was moving into her dorm room at USC in Los Angeles, California.  She is a Civil/ Environmental Engineering student and is diligently working towards her bachelor’s degree.  She is considering going to law school after she graduates in order to ultimately practice environmental law.

Helene says that she had never heard of this phrase before she came to USC.  She says that when she heard it, she was with a few of her friends where one of them stated that her sister was “tying the knot” in a couple of months.  When Helene stated that she did not understand, her friends explained that the phrase meant that her sister was getting married.  Helene doesn’t understand how this particular phrase can mean the act of getting married, and she thinks it doesn’t make any sense.

I have heard this phrase before.  I do not remember when I first heard this phrase, but I think it was probably when I was in junior high.  I think I may have heard it in a movie. I heard through other people that the reason the phrase “tie the knot” means getting married is because many wedding ceremonies require the bride and groom to have a string attached to each others wrists to bond them together in an “unbreakable bond.”

Martin, G. (1996). Tie the knot. Retrieved from http://www.phrases.org.uk/meanings/tie-the-knot.html