Think about language and the different ways you communicate or speak. Choose a word or phrase that you use with one group of people (family, friends, co-workers, etc.) that would not be understood by a different group of people in your life. What is the meaning of this word or phrase and how would you explain it to someone who is an outsider to the group who uses it?
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A phrase me and my friends use a lot is “the ball is in your court.” The meaning of this phrase is basically that now you have full responsibility of whatever you want to do or get done. I would explain to someone by basically telling them that the next choice is up to then and that nobody can really affect their decision.
A phrase that I use around my family, friends, and coworkers is point, blank, and period. It just simply means that I’m ending the conversation, what I said is just that. It is my way of ending a conversation or disagreement when I mean business (lol). If I had to explain this quote to someone I will inform them that ” if you are trying to end a conversation or disagreement on a strong note and you mean business, just state your facts and then drop the bomb( point, blank, and period) at the end.”
I use “on god” a lot when I’m talking to my cousins/ siblings because they are close to my age. I say it all the time but try not to say “on god” when I’m talking to any adult because I don’t want to immature or inappropriate. It mean that I’m telling the truth, or just agreeing with what somebody had said.
A word that my family and I use is “Mamon”. The definition can vary on who you ask as other Spanish speakers have a different connotation attach to the word. To my family and I it means “Clown” or “Dumb”. When one of us saids something really dumb or have a brain fart moment that’s when we say it. We generally don’t use it as insult but a way to mess around. I would explain to some one by telling them not casually say the word as some people have a negative connotation associated with the word.
A phrase that my friends and I use is “take out three”. Many people outside our group would be confused as to what that means. Take out three refers to getting 3 people to play on one team for volleyball.
With Lunar New Year here, a term I would use with my family that I wouldn’t with other people is “li xi”. This term is used to describe red envelopes filled with money that is meant to be given to kids during Lunar New Year.
The phrase I use is “sweat”. I’ve only heard people in Trinidad and people in the US with Caribbean parents use it in the way I mean. It’s basically to play a soccer game for fun. The way you can say it is “we sweating today?”. My friends in Trinidad ask it almost everyday to meet up.
A phrase that I use with my brother is in Chinese and the phrase translated to English is: “those that understand won’t ask, those who don’t understand shouldn’t ask.” This phrase means don’t ask if it doesn’t concern you. Usually my brother would ask me what was I thinking when I make a questionable decision.
I don’t really have a phrase that I use often. The only thing I can really think of is “put it in the pocket.” It’s really something I’d say to myself. When someone does something or says something that I think is wrong, I just put that memory “in the pocket.” Essentially, it means that I will remember that moment and will act on it in a better time. Like I explained in my core value paragraphs, I’m a pretty patient person. I don’t like to act out as soon as something bad happens because I know it can only get worse. I just put it in the pocket and take some time to think about how I’m going to address my problem.
There’s no particular word I use with friends or family but I work at a daycare with children ages 2-4. These are children learning to speak and communicate to people. We try our best at work to phrase things more family friendly in a simple sense where the child knows when to say it and how to use it. For example, we have a phrase “silly bunny” to substitute for the “weird” because some children take offense and might not understand it.
I don’t often use different phrases. However, often as joke when someone does something crazy or really well, me and my friends say “nutty”. Like when someone is crazy you would say “their nuts”. Saying nutty is easy and just a funny word to say.