FACE THE MUSIC
Meaning: when a person receives punishment; to accept
the unpleasant results of one's actions.
Origin: A commonly repeated assertion is
that 'face the music' originated from the tradition of disgraced officers being
'drummed out' of their regiment. A second popular theory is that it was actors
who 'faced the music', that is, faced the orchestra pit, when they went on
stage. A third theory, less likely but quite interesting none the less, was
recounted with some confidence by a member of the choir at a choral concert I
attended recently in Sheffield. It relates to the old UK practice of West
Gallery singing. This was singing, literally from the west galleries of English
churches, by the common peasantry who weren't allowed to sit in the higher
status parts of the church. The theory was that the nobility were obliged to
listen to the vernacular songs of the parishioners, often with lyrics that were
critical of the ways of the gentry. The equivalence in Spanish would be “pagar
el pato” or “afrontar las consecuencias”.
Example: Kate broke a father’s radio and had to face the music when her father got home.
LEARN BY HEART
Meaning: to learn something so well that it
can be written or recited without thinking; it means to memorize something too.
Origin: Many times, when one memorizes
something, it is referred to as "learning by heart." But why is it
attributed to the heart and not to the head? It seems to be due to a mistaken
analysis of anatomical functions made by the ancient Greeks
The ancient Greeks believed that the heart, the
most noticeable internal organ, was the seat of memory and intelligence, as
well as emotion. This belief was passed down through the ages and became the
basis for the English expression learned by heart.
Learn by heart was used by Chaucer in Troilus
and Criseyde, and must have been proverbial long before that. The
equivalence in Spanish would be, ‘’aprender de memoria’’.
Example: The piano player had to learn the
piece of music by heart so it was amazing!
LIPS ARE SEALED
Meaning: when you are promising to keep
a secret.
Origin: this is related to the mouth,
because with the lips of the mouth we pronounce and say words. When we close
our mouth, nothing can escape from there. The equivalence in Spanish would be “ mis labios están sellados” or “soy
como una tumba”.
Example: "Oh and please don't tell him
you saw me here." "Don't worry. My lips are sealed!!".
No hay comentarios:
Publicar un comentario