“There is a guy stealing IPhones around town. At some point he’s going to face time.” (pun)

Did you laugh? I did. I absolutely love a play on “words”. In fact, I like the many things you can do with words. Now that may sound strange to you and maybe I stick out like a sore thumb (simile), but words can be fun and interesting.

“Is it crazy how saying sentences backwards…. ….creates backwards sentences saying how crazy it is.” 

Being a reading and writing teacher, I love teaching figurative language: metaphors, hyperboles, alliteration, personification and idioms. The origin of many idioms is fascinating. I have googled a kazillion times (hyperbole) where a phrase or idiom comes from. Take these for example:

Idiom Origins

Example: Johnny was a thief his whole life, but decided to turn over a new leaf. 

Turn over a new leaf: In the 16^th century the pages of a book were called leaves. The saying refers to turning over to a blank page and starting over. This saying came about centuries ago.

Example: The doctor gave Carrie a clean bill of health.

A clean bill of health: In the 1800’s, a ship from another country could not dock until all the passengers on the ship were cleared from the possibility of carrying a disease. After the ship’s captain was handed the paper, a bill of health, stating that there was no sickness on the ship, he was given permission to dock.

Now you have to admit those were interesting, intriguing, and informative idioms (alliteration).  My computer even enjoyed the repetitive stroke of the letter I (personification). I am sorry if this overload of information makes me a walking textbook (metaphor). Snort, giggle, snort. (onomatopoeia) 

Karla and Donna

Read the paragraphs below about Karla and me. I know that sounds like an assignment, but after all I am a teacher.

Karla and I have never had an argument, but we don’t always see eye to eye. If we have different perspectives on something, we talk it out getting to the root of the matter. We never use each other as a scapegoat or put words in the other’s mouth. Usually, we start laughing and simply wash our hands of the matter and move on. 

We love life and like to eat, drink, and be merry. But, neither one of us has a sense of direction; we are like the blind leading the blind. Sometimes we are at our wits end by the time we make it to our destination. To those who know us, that is nothing new under the sun. Sometimes we even have to go the extra mile –honestly, it might be many extra miles. But what is a mere hour lost, it’s just a drop in the bucket of time.

From the Good Book

The bold phrases/words are ones we use often. Where were they derived from?  The BIBLE! Yep, awesome isn’t it. I hope you enjoyed your lesson for today!

Eye to eye: (Isaiah 52:8)

Root of the matter: (Job 19:28)

Scapegoat (Leviticus 16: 9-10)

Put words in one’s mouth (2 Samuel 14:3)

Wash our hands of the matter (Matthew 27:24)

The blind leading the blind (Matthew 15:13-14)

Wits end (Psalms 107:27)

Nothing new under the sun (Ecclesiastes 1:9)

Go the extra mile (Matthew 5:41)

A drop in the bucket (Isaiah 40:15)

For alliteration fun, view this video of Johnny Carson https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jgYbogp1Ha0