An English lesson

[Franz]

I am a great flea market goer. Yesteday I found A dictionary of American Idioms. I wonder, is there in American English any idiom in which figures Lizzie's name?
For example: oh, don't trust him, what he said is just a Lizzie's barn story...

[twinsrwe]

Good one, Franz!

I don't know as though there is an idiom for 'a Lizzie's barn story', but below are a couple of links which you may find interesting.

Here is a list of Idioms along with their meanings:
http://www.englishdaily626.com/idioms.php


You can test your knowledge of idioms here:
http://www.usingenglish.com/forum/forums/36-Idioms

[Franz]

Thank you for the links, twinsrwe. Very interesting.

[twinsrwe]

You're welcome, Franz. I hope you enjoy those links.

[Franz]

In about one month or more I will be very busy and am afraid not to be able to participate to discussions. Have a good time in forum all of you!

[twinsrwe]

Oh, I'm sorry to hear that, Franz.

[irina]

Hi Franz: I can't think of any idioms concerning Lizzie or the case but it is very much part of our folklore and references to her pop up in odd places. I first heard of the case from a teen magazine when I was 12. It was a fan magazine for the Monkees music group. There was a half cartoon, half picture showing one of the Monkees riding a two seat, old fashioned looking bicycle. Behind him was Lizzie's head over a cartoon body in Victorian dress. The caption was: Sometimes Lizzie Borden, you have the strangest ideas.

I had no idea what it meant and was more interested in a historical reference than the joke. So I started reading everything I could find about Lizzie.

In proper context we do sometimes use the word "axe" in place of "ask", while having Lizzie in mind. However there is a segment of America that routinely pronounces "ask" as "axe" (or "aks"), when there is NO thought of Lizzie or the case.

[Franz]

Thank you Irina, very interesting, "axe" for "ask"!

I read somewhere that sometimes even in the parlarment people joke mentioning Lizzie and the Borden case.

[Constantine]

That's called "metathesis" (accent on the second syllable). "Ax" for "ask" goes back to Anglo-Saxon times and may even be the original form of the word. It is because of metathesis that we now say "bird" and "horse" instead of "brid" and "hros" (for example).

[debbiediablo]

Lizzie in Slang:

1: A lesbian. Also, an effeminate young man; also lizzie boy. (1905 —) .

2: A tin lizzie noun. (1913 —) . A Ford Model T automobile that was manufactured 1908-1927 with only the bare essentials, thus making it affordable to the common man for the first time in history.

3: Lisbon wine. (1934 — 6). She drinks 'Lizzie' and methylated spirit (1934).

[debbiediablo]

That's called "metathesis" (accent on the second syllable). "Ax" for "ask" goes back to Anglo-Saxon times and may even be the original form of the word. It is because of metathesis that we now say "bird" and "horse" instead of "brid" and "hros" (for example).

Or Morse and Borden instead of Mros and Broden...???

[Constantine]

Or Morse and Borden instead of Mros and Broden...???

Hra de hra hra!

[Franz]

Like fromage in French and formaggio in Italian?

[Constantine]

Exalcty!

[Constantine]

And the Spanish name for Algeria is "Argelia"!

[Franz]

Exalcty!

[Franz]

And the Spanish name for Algeria is "Argelia"!

Oh my dog!

[irina]

Fascinating. Glad I checked in here. I learned a lot. Thanks everyone!