What does 'a drop in the bucket' mean?

“If you count all the rich people in the world they are just a drop in the bucket in comparison to the world’s population.”

“These contributions are just a drop in the bucket; the new church wing will cost thousands more.”

“I'm glad Tony started repaying the money he borrowed from me, but the five dollars he gave me yesterday is just a drop in the bucket compared to what he still owes.”

“I know $200 is a drop in the bucket but please use it to make an extra payment on your student loans anyway.”

“I shouldn't be surprised I failed the class. The studying I did was a drop in the bucket of the requirements and I never went to class either.”

I’m sure you know the meaning of the expression a drop in the bucket. This expression is used to show:

1.   A very small quantity, especially one that is too small.;

2.   A tiny amount, especially when compared to a much larger one;

3.   A small, inadequate quantity;

4.   A very small proportion of the whole.

What's the origin of the phrase A drop in the bucket?

It comes from the Bible, more specifically, Isaiah 40:15 (King James Version):

"Behold, the nations are as a drop of a bucket, and are counted as the small dust of the balance: behold, he taketh up the isles as a very little thing."

Is there any difference between 'a drop in the bucket' and 'a drop in the ocean'?

The answer is straightforward: NO. 'A drop in the bucket' is the predecessor of 'a drop in the ocean'; they mean exactly the same thing. However, ‘a drop in the ocean’ seems to have been used for the first time in 1802 in a piece from the Edinburgh Weekly Journal:

"The votes for the appointment of Bonaparte to be Chief Consul for life are like a drop in the ocean compared with the aggregate of the population of France."  

Considering that it seems to be much easier to remember new vocabulary and new expressions when you write your own phrases, I would like to challenge you to write your own sample sentences in the comments section below. Can you do it?

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Drop in the Bucket is also a Los Angeles based, charity with field offices in Uganda and South Sudan. You can check it here if you want.

You can also find them on

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/dropinthebucket/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/DropInTheBucket

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/dropinthebucket1

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Do you know what a BLOKE is?

Have you guys ever heard of this expression (word)?

Well, it is basically a word that means ‘man’, ‘guy’. A British word for ‘dude’, ‘guy’, or ‘mate’. It is a stereotype of a male - the 'man's man' also used in Australian English. Some Aussie would probably advocate that ‘bloke’ surely has no particular reference other than denoting gender. However, some would say that it has connotations of masculinity, and it is used only in an informal setting.

READ THOSE EXAMPLES:

‘I met a bloke in the pub who give me a great tip for the gee gees.’

'I met this bloke in town who told me to stop wasting my time on the internet...'

Look at that well proper bloke over there.

I met a bloke in the pub.

That bloke is pissed.

Watch that bloke over there.

That man's really blokey.

He’s a really nice bloke.

It's origins are unknown or uncertain, but it is likely to have come from the Midlands in the United Kingdom (reference(s) needed), where it is commonly used. It has usage in Canada and the United States of America, as well.

 Now, why don’t you watch this bloke singing at the Beeb?

PORTAL DA LÍNGUA INGLESA has no responsibility for the persistence or accuracy of URLs for external or third-partly internet websites referred to in this post, and does not guarantee that any context on such websites are, or will remain, accurate or appropriate.

In some instances, I have been unable to trace the owners of the pictures used here; therefore, I would appreciate any information that would enable me to do so. Thank you very much.

Is something important missing? Report an error or suggest an improvement. Please, I strive for accuracy and fairness. If you see something that doesn't look right, contact me!

Your feedback is welcome. Please direct comments and questions to me at bruno_coriolano@hotmail.com

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[PHRASE OF THE WEEK] What's the meaning of Donkey’s ears?

This post has been written by Professor Bruno Coriolano. If you want to learn more about him, read his profile on LinkedIn (Bruno’s profile)

DONKEY’S EARS. Have you ever heard of this phrase? Well, I have. I have heard of it quite recently.

Apparently, it started as DONKEY’S EARS and then for some reason it changed into DONKEY’S YEARS.

CONTEXT:

“I don’t write many short stories these days and I haven’t perpetrated a poem in donkey’s years.”

“Well, here’s to Horatio Nelson coupled with the name of—what the hell is your name, Tubby? I’ve known you for donkey’s ears, but we always said Tubby.”

“This isn’t a battleship war at all; it’s a destroyer-submarine-light cruiser show. They’ll never come out in donkey’s years, not they. They know jolly well we shall scupper ‘em if they so much as dare to show their noses outside the wet triangle.”

“I haven't heard that one for donkey's ears.”

More important than the story, I guess. It its use. What does it mean?

Well, according to the Urban Dictionary:

This is an example of an expression that has altered its spelling over time. "Not for donkey's ears" means not for a very long time and refers to the length of a donkey's ears. However, they gradually stretched from the "donkey" and turned "ears" into "years". The meaning of the expression is the same, if it does make rather less sense than the original.

Given the context, you may assume that it is referring to a long period of time. In fact, the Oxford English Dictionary defines “donkey’s years” (also “donkeys’ years”) as a colloquial usage meaning a very long time.

Click here to read it.

Can you write more sentences using DONKEY’S EARS?

This post has been written by Professor Bruno Coriolano. If you want to learn more about him, read his profile on LinkedIn (Bruno’s profile)

PORTAL DA LÍNGUA INGLESA has no responsibility for the persistence or accuracy of URLs for external or third-partly internet websites referred to in this post, and does not guarantee that any context on such websites is, or will remain, accurate or appropriate.

In some instances, I have been unable to trace the owners of the pictures used here; therefore, I would appreciate any information that would enable me to do so. Thank you very much.

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[Slang//Gírias] Você sabe o que significa “Lay” em inglês?

Pesquise em algum dicionário e um dos significados da palavra “lay” que você encontrará é “deitar”. Faz muito sentindo no contexto para essa mesma palavra usada na gíria, pois “Lay” quer dizer “Transa” ou parceiro(a) sexual.

“Can you see that lady? She is a good lay”, he said.

“Está vendo aquela moça? Ela é muito boa de transa”, ele disse.

Lembramos que a expressão “to get laid” tem o sentido de “ter relações sexuais”. Outras expressões surgem na gíria:

Ø  She is an easy lay. (ela é uma gata fácil)

Ø  He is a great lay. (ele é ótimo na cama)

Ø  She is awful. She is a bad lay. (ela é péssima; muito ruim de cama).

Se gostou dessa postagem, poderá também gostar das opções que aparecem aqui em baixo. Se você conhece algumas expressões ou gírias aprendidas no dia a dia ou em filmes ou séries, envie-as para o blog e publicaremos todas. 

PORTAL DA LÍNGUA INGLESA has no responsibility for the persistence or accuracy of URLs for external or third-partly internet websites referred to in this post, and does not guarantee that any context on such websites are, or will remain, accurate or appropriate.

In some instances, I have been unable to trace the owners of the pictures used here; therefore, I would appreciate any information that would enable me to do so. Thank you very much.

Is something important missing? Report an error or suggest an improvement. Please, I strive for accuracy and fairness. If you see something that doesn't look right, contact me!

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[SLANG// GÍRIAS] O que significa “the runs” em inglês?

ATENÇÃO: Esse tópico não é para você que tem menos de 18 anos. Vá para a próxima postagem. Não leia além desse aviso.

Pronto para aprender alguns palavrões em inglês? Na verdade o blog vai postar mais slang (gírias). Mas antes de começar a ser atacado, quero deixar bem claro que isso tem um objetivo: mostrar a importância de saber algumas gírias para falar inglês sem maiores dificuldades em algumas situações, principalmente; informais.

Alguns grandes nomes das línguas já falaram sobre as gírias. A saber, o escritor inglês G. K. Chesterton: “Toda gíria é metáfora, e toda metáfora é poesia”; David Crystal, por quem tenho ampla admiração nos lembra a respeito das gírias por meio de uma velha rima inglesa: “the chief use of slang is to show that you’re one of the gang” (o principal uso das gírias é para mostrar que você é parte da galera).

Essa postagem é dedicada à todos o leitores que já passaram por situações do tipo: sair correndo quando o corpo exigia.

O termo “the runs” está associado à “merda”. Isso mesmo, você não leu errado, estamos falando de “defecar”. Obviamente, você vai se deparar com expressões do tipo quando estiver assistindo a um seriado ou filme, onde a linguagem informal será utilizada sem piedade. Nesse momento, muitos alunos e professores menos experientes, ou que não tiveram tanto contato com a linguagem informal, podem não entender de imediato o que o termo “the runs” significa, mas relaxem, alias... É bem necessário mesmo relaxar nessas horas, pois o blog PORTAL DA LÍNGUA INGLESA vai te esclarecer bem o significado de “the runs”.

O termo “the runs” é usado para se referir à “diarreia” ou “caganeira”, como é dito em algumas regiões do país. O termo vem do fato de que a mesma “escorre”, ou seja, “runs” pelo corpo. Outros dizem que é devido ao estado que o camarada fica quando precisa correr para o banheiro para defecar (he runs).

Vejamos alguns exemplos:

“I’m sorry, but I really have the runs”, said he to his boss.

“Foi mal, mas estou com diarreia”, disse ele ao chefe.

Vejam mais gírias relacionadas:

Slang: você sabe o que é Dump?

Se gostou, curta nossa página no Facebook.

Gírias em inglês – as 100 gírias mais usadas traduzidas para o português.

Vi essa postagem pela internet e achei muito interessante. Por mais que estejamos “antenados” e sempre aprendendo algo mais sobre a língua inglesa, precisamos de algo para que possamos consultar em momentos de dúvidas. Segue aqui uma lista sensacional com diversas gírias em língua inglesa.

O site ANGLOTOPIA publicou em junho passado uma lista com 100 gírias e frases britânicas mais interessantes, essa lista traz a expressão britânica e o seu “equivalente” em inglês americano. Decidi compartilhar a informação com vocês incluindo a tradução aproximada em português.

Além da lista, o site traz informações valiosíssimas para todos que amam a cultura britânica ou que querem visitar o Reino Unido. Os artigos do site vão desde dicas de hotéis a programações culturais, passando por comportamento, língua, entre outros.

Como o site está em inglês, é recomendado para alunos intermediários em diante.

1. Tosser – Idiot – idiota
2. Cock-up – Screw up – arruinar, estragar algo
3. Bloody – Damn – que droga!,que saco!
4. Give You A Bell – Call you - ligar para você
5. Blimey! – My Goodness – meu Deus! minha nossa!
6. Wanker – Idiot - idiota
7. Gutted – Devastated – devastado(a)
8. Bespoke – Custom Made – feito sob medida
9. Chuffed – Proud – orgulhoso(a)
10. Fancy – Like – gostar
11. Sod Off – Piss off – caia fora, dê o fora
12. Lost the Plot – Gone Crazy – enlouqueceu, perdeu o rumo
13. Fortnight – Two Weeks – período de duas semanas, quinzena
14. Sorted – Arranged – organizou, arrumou
15. Hoover – Vaccum – aspirar
16. Kip – Sleep or nap – soneca, cochilo
17. Bee’s Knees – Awesome - maravilhoso, incrível
18. Know Your Onions – Knowledgeable - bem-informado, entendido
19. Dodgy – Suspicious – suspeito
20. Wonky – Not right – desajustado, torto
21. Wicked – Cool! - legal
22. Whinge – Whine - resmungar
23. Tad – Little bit – um pouquinho
24. Tenner – £10 – nota de 10 libras
25. Fiver – £5 - nota de 5 libras
26. Skive – Lazy or avoid doing something – evitar fazer algo
27. Toff – Upper Class Person - playboy, riquinho em linguagem negativa
28. Punter – Customer/Prostitute’s Client - cliente de garota de programa
29. Scouser – Someone from Liverpool - nascido em Liverpool
30. Quid – £ - nota de libra
31. Taking the Piss – Screwing around - zoar alguém, zombar
32. Pissed – Drunk – bêbado(a)
33. Loo – Toilet - banheiro
34. Nicked – Stolen - roubado
35. Nutter – Crazy Person - louco
36. Knackered – Tired - cansado
37. Gobsmacked – Amazed - surpreso(a)
38. Dog’s Bollocks – Awesome - incrível, o melhor
39. Chap – Male or friend – amigo, camarada do sexo masculino
40. Bugger – Jerk - Idiota, babaca
41. Bog Roll – Toilet Paper - papel higiênico
42. Bob’s Your Uncle – There you go! - expressão que quer dizer que você está pronto para algo, algo como “agora vai”
43. Anti-Clockwise –  Counter Clockwise – sentido anti-horário
44. C of E – Church of England- Igreja Anglicana
45. Pants – Panties- calcinha
46. Throw a Spanner in the Works – Screw up- estragar tudo
47. Zed – ZZZZZZ – a pronúncia da letra Z (zê)
48. Absobloodylootely – YES! - super-absolutamente
49. Nosh – Food- comida, rango
50. One Off – One time only- única vez, única chance
51. Shambles – Mess - disordem, bagunça
52. Arse-over-tit – Fall over- cair de pernas pro ar
53. Brilliant! – Great!- ótimo! brilhante!
54. Dog’s Dinner – Dressed Nicely- muito bem vestido
55. Up for it – Willing to have sex- a fim de transar
56. On the Pull – Looking for sex- procurando um parceiro
57. Made Redundant – Fired from a job- demitido
58. Easy Peasy – Easy- muito fácil
59. See a Man About a Dog – Do a deal or take a dump - ir ao banheiro para o número 2
60. Up the Duff – Pregnant- grávida
61. DIY – Do It Yourself  – faça você mesmo (técnicas de consertos e decoração)
62. Chat Up – Flirt- flertar, dar cantada
63. Fit – Hot – gata, gostosa
64. Arse – Ass – bunda
65. Strawberry Creams – Breasts- seios
66. Shag – Screw- transar
67. Gentleman Sausage – Penis – penis
68. Twigs & Berries – Genitalia- genitália
69. Fanny – Vagina- vagina
70. Bollocks – Balls- testículos
71. Ponce – Poser- alguém que pousa de algo que ele não é, exibido
72. Don’t Get Your Knickers in a Twist – Don’t Get worked up- não fique ansioso(a)
73. The Telly – Television- a tevê
74. Bangers – Sausage- linguiça
75. Chips – French Fries- batatas fritas
76. Daft Cow – Idiot - idiota
77. Do – Party – festa, festejar
78. Uni – College/University – faculdade, universidade
79. Starkers – Naked – sem roupa, nu
80. Smeg – From Red Dwarf - expressão usada para maldizer algo, similar a “droga”
81. Bits ‘n Bobs – Various things - muitas coisas
82. Anorak – A person weirdly interested in something- alguém estranhamente interessado em algo
83. Shambles – bad shape/plan gone wrong - dar errado, desmoronar
84. I’m Off to Bedfordshire – Going to bed – vou dormir
85. Her Majesty’s Pleasure – To be in prison – ser preso
86. Horses for Courses – Won’t work for someone else - o que é bom para mim pode não ser bom para outras pessoas
87. John Thomas – Penis – pênis
88. Plastered – Drunk - abêbado(a)
89. Meat and Two Veg – Genitalia – genitalia
90. Knob Head – Idiot/Dickhead - iiota
91. Knob – Penis – pênis
92. Chav – White trash - subcultura, lixo cultural
93. It’s monkeys outside – it is very cold- tá frio lá fora
94. Stag Night – Bachelor Party - despedida de solteiro
95. Ace – Cool! – legal
96. Plonker – Idiot- idiota
97. Dobber – Penis- pênis
98. BellEnd – Penis – pênis
99. Blighty – Britain - Grã-Bretanha
100. Rubbish – Garbage or ‘That’s crap!’- que lixo! que droga!

Para quem quiser ver a lista original, segue o link: 

http://www.anglotopia.net/british-identity/humor/top-100-most-beautiful-british-slang-words-and-phrases/

Essa postagem foi originalmente postada no blog: 


http://teacherrenatagazola.com.br/2011/09/14/100-girias-mais-usadas-em-ingles/

PORTAL DA LÍNGUA INGLESA has no responsibility for the persistence or accuracy of URLs for external or third-partly internet websites referred to in this post, and does not guarantee that any context on such websites is, or will remain, accurate or appropriate.

In some instances, I have been unable to trace the owners of the pictures used here; therefore, I would appreciate any information that would enable me to do so. Thank you very much.

Is something important missing? Report an error or suggest an improvement.

Did you spot a typo?

Do you have any tips or examples to improve this page?

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