It’s water off a Duck’s back

which means having no effect on someone informal. :

Sample Sentence:

 He tried to convince her to take the job, but his advice was like water off a duck’s back.

It’s water off a Duck’s back.

Used to refer to a potentially hurtful remark or situation

that has no apparent effect on the person involved.

Sample Sentence.

‘It was like water off a duck’s back to Frank, but I’m sure it upset Joe’.

This expression is based on the literal characteristic that duck feathers have to resist water (there is an oily substance which water runs off), and is used figuratively in relation to somebody’s ability to resist criticisms, insults or other not-so-friendly/negative verbal attacks. This saying doesn’t apply to physical attacks. It can be used in both a professional or social setting, but its informality makes it more common in the former. A similar expression is ‘It’s no skin off my nose.

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Translate the Text into English: Übersetzen:

Faten, Rico, Heike, Simone and Frank.

Ihr spielt und lernt.

Wir spielen und lernen.

Ein Mann liest eine Zeitung.

Die Kinder lesen die Zeitung.

Die Jungen lesen die Zeitung.

Ich beginne.

Du spielst und lernst.

Ich lese die Zeitung.

Ein Mann bringt Wein.

 

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Word of the day: Wort des Tages:

Cancel (to annul, terminate, Stop, Abandon, Withdraw, Scratch, Call off, Revoke,)  – absagen / stornieren.

  

Phrase of the day: Satz des Tages:

Donkey Bridge = Eselsbrücke. Why do Germans need a donkey bridge to remember?

Eselsbrücke” – This German word literally means “donkey bridge” and refers to any mnemonic device or phrase that is used to remember facts or information. … An asinine mnemonic. But where does the word, “Eselsbrücke” actually come from? Donkeys don’t like walking in the water, but that’s not because of their proverbial stupidity. … Just like a proverbial donkey bridge, these bridges were a small detour or effort, but often led to the goal faster. A donkey bridge is a “Mental Hook”;  a reminder – “Gedankenstütze“.

A ‘Bridging  Day’Brückentag. In the German language, a bridge-related term is also used: a day taken off from work to fill the gap between a holiday Thursday (or Tuesday) and the weekend is called a Brückentag (“bridge day“) in Germany and Switzerland, and a Fenstertag (“window day“) in Austria.

  

Idiom of the day: Redewendung des Tages:

To stretch one’s legs” (for example, when you have been sitting in a car, train or aeroplane for a long time and you need to get up and walk about a bit, because your legs feel stiff).

NOTE: Please be careful in an aeroplane that you do not “stretch one’s legs” by walking outside….

 

British (B.E.) / American (A.E.) Vocabulary:

Britisches Englisch / Amerikanisches Englisch Wortschatz:

B.E. = Sweets (French “Bon Bons” which roughly translated means, “Good, goods“, trust the French…….) A.E. = Candy.

There is also Candy Floss: where do you find this? = on holiday, at a Fair or Fate.

  

False Friends Tip of the Week:

Falsche Freunde Tipp der Woche:

Caution = to be careful, to get a caution from the police.

Kaution = deposit (on your house, car, holiday etc. and pay the ‘Balance’ later). A deposit can secure your holiday flat/house with a holiday company.

Deposit – Pfand / Anzahlung / Kaution = You put 20 pounds down, then you pay the balance later, and you pay the rest later.

Deposit scientific definition = An accumulation or layer of solid material, either consolidated or unconsolidated, left or laid down by a natural process. Deposits include sediments left by water, wind, ice, gravity, volcanic activity, or other agents.

Banks = a deposit account.

 

Slang word of the day: Slangwort des Tages:

A “nipper“, a “lad“, / a “wee laddie” (= Scottish) (a “Wee Gel” = a small girl)

(= Scottish).

 

Wit, Wit, Wit Business examples:

Witz, Witz, Witz Geschäftsbeispiele:

“My wife went into a bank and asked if she could open a joint account. When the clerk asked her with whom, she replied, “Someone with lots of money of course.”

Quote by Don Foreman.

 

Colloquial / Colloquialisms:

Umgangssprache / Umgangssprache:

Muggins meaning me and/or I, the MUG has to do something that I either do not want to do or is something not very nice, comfortable, hard work, difficult work, or dirty work.

A mug”, is a big cup without a saucer for drinking coffee or tea.

 

Cockney rhyming slang:

Cockney Reimender Slang:

More particularly a ‘duck and diver‘ would be a ‘survivor‘ of the mythical Del Boy Trotter type (in the hit comedy series of the 80s / 90s, “Only Fools and Horses”), who could always earn a ‘knicker‘ (Slang for one pound) or two ‘on the make‘ (trying to make a deal/money)?

 

Quote of the week: Zitat der Woche:

If you want to make it easier to stay happy, make it harder for you to get offended.”

John Mark Skiles.

 

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