English Expression of the Day: Roger

"Roger" is a man's first name in English. Roger Maris was a famous baseball player.

"Roger" is also an expression in radio communication meaning: "I heard you".

In spoken English, there is a similar expression: "I hear you".

Example:

Charlie: "You should stop sucking your thumb, Linus".

Linus: "I hear you." (meaning "I don't agree or disagree with you.")

English Expression of the Day: No worries.

no worries = no problem = it's ok

example:

Linus: Sorry I forgot about your birthday.
Charlie: No worries.

English Expression of the Day: muggy

It's muggy - hot and humid.
mud/muck + foggy = muggy

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In the World Cup, Germany beat England.

in English: Germany
in French: Allemagne
in German: Deutscheland
in Japanese: DOITSU

English Expression of the Day: happy campers

happy campers: happy, lazy, sitting around doing nothing

not happy campers: very angry

example: They are not happy campers in Toronto.

English Expression of the Day: PIIGS states

The P.I.I.G.S. states are the EU (European Union) countries with dangerously high debt: Portugal, Ireland, Italy, Greece and Spain. Some people are afraid that the Euro will collapse because of the bailouts of the PIIGS states. Some people include Iceland as a PIIGS state, but it's not a member of the EU.

English Expression of the Day: G5/G6/G7/G8/G20

The G8 meeting is today in Ontario.
The G20 meeting is tomorrow in Toronto.

Originally there were the G5 meetings starting in the 1970s, with the 5 biggest Western democracies: U.S., Japan, Germany, France and Britain.
Then they added Italy and called it G6. Later Canada was added for G7. Finally Russia was added for G8.

G20 adds some newly-developed countries such as China and Brazil.

There's a lot of security in Toronto this week:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2AGA1dCY2qA

epicenter / epicentre

The centre of an earthquake is called the 'epicenter' (U.S. spelling) or 'epicentre' (British/Canadian spelling).

The epicentre of yesterday's quake was north of Ottawa. Some bridges and bricks fell down at the epicentre.

QUAKE

hey, we just had an earthquake - first time there's ever been a quake in Toronto.
My apartment was shaking and the light fixture was swaying.
5.5 on the Richter scale
The news says that it is all over the North-East section of North America.
no reports of injuries

English Expression of the Day: bring in

Anne Rohmer is retiring after 31 years at CITY-TV today.

CITY-TV will have to bring in a replacement.

English Expression of the Day: flying flags

A lot of cars are flying national flags now because of the World Cup; but no one is flying the Canadian flag because Canada is not in the World Cup. Soccer is not popular in Canada, except among immigrants.

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In Toronto now there are police every 5 feet on the street downtown. There was a demonstration today, so the subway was delayed and the traffic was slow. A lot of people are not working this week.

Happy Father's Day

Happy Father's Day!

I got Chinese food for my father: Singapore Noodles, Pad Thai and Beef with Rice.

English Expression of the Day: security blanket

security blanket - is something that you keep because it makes you feel safe.

English Expression of the Day: jump drive

jump drive
or
memory stick

- is a small USB device to store files, or to move files from one computer to another

English Expression of the Day: USB

USB = Universal Serial Bus

This is the small flat rectangular plug where you plug things into your computer.

USB port - is the hole

USB plug - is what goes into the hole

USB device - is a machine with a USB plug

USB hub - is a machine where you can plug in a lot of USB devices

English Expression of the Day: The Big Bang theory

The Big Bang theory is a scientific theory that the universe started as a tiny speck of matter that exploded outward to create all the stars.

English Expression of the Day: going to the dogs

Canada is going to the dogs.

meaning: Canada is going down / downhill.

Toronto is going to the dogs.

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The government has taken away all the garbage cans, newspaper boxes and statues for the G20 conference. They are afraid that demonstrators will throw things through the windows.

Banks and businesses will be closed.

Doors are boarded up (covered with plywood).

There are a lot of police everywhere and security guards at every door of every building.

English Expression of the Day: I'm caught between a rock and a hard place.

"caught between a rock and a hard place"
-- means that you have a choice between 2 things, but both of them are bad.

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The government is building a 10-foot fence (3-metre fence) around downtown Toronto now for security for the G20 conference next week.

English Expression of the Day: It's the furthest thing from my mind

"It's the furthest thing from my mind."

- is an expression which means:

"I'm not thinking about that. / I never think about that."

for example:

Q: How much money does he make?
A: It's the furthest thing from my mind.

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farther - means 'more distant'.
Ex: Ottawa is farther from here than Niagara Falls.

further - means 'more time' or 'more quantity'.
Ex: The problem requires further study.

English Expression of the Day: quick like a bunny

bunny: cute slang word for a rabbit

quick like a bunny: meaning, very fast

English Expression of the Day: my bad

'my bad'

meaning: I did something wrong (but it's not so important)

example:

I was late for work. my bad.