You can’t teach an old dog new tricks

You can’t teach an old dog new tricks

If you say ‘You can’t teach an old dog new tricks‘, you are suggesting that someone is unwilling to try new ways of doing things.

 

NOTE: Business English etc.
can be found below the translation exercises.

Translate the Text into English: Übersetzen:

Susann, Faten, Rico, Heike, Simone and Frank.

Geräusch

ungeschickt

unfähig

der Musikknochen

tyke

scally

varmint

hellion

rip

rapscallion

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Business English Word of the Week:

Geschäftsenglisch Wort der Woche:

A business word/phrase = “To take on staff” means: It’s not a complicated phrase. To “take on staff” means, very, very simply “to hire more people in your company.”

Sample Sentence:

“Because of the increase in orders, we are going to have to take on more staff.”

 

Law English Word of the Week:

Gesetz Englisches Wort der Woche:

A law word/phrase = exercising his right to silence.

von seinem Recht auf Schweigen Gebrauch machen.

 

Vocabulary for Contracts:

Wortschatz für Verträge:

A word/phrase for contracts = ETA

This refers to the Estimated Time of Arrival, or the time someone is expected to arrive at their destination.

Let me know your flight’s ETA so I can be at the airport to pick you up.

Sample Sentence:

“Delivery on specific orders must include an ETA which falls within the range no more than 4 – 6 months of the received order date.”

 

Vocabulary for Negotiations:

Wortschatz für Verhandlungen:

A word/phrase for negotiations = To pull strings

What happens when you pull the strings of a puppet? It does what you want it to do. This phrase means to use your power or influence to make something happen that would usually be difficult or impossible.

Sample Sentence:

“Unofficial guests aren’t normally allowed to schedule a  meeting with the Board of Directors; however, if I pull some strings, I might be able to find a time for you to meet them.”

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Word of the day: Wort des Tages:

Funny bone – der Musikknochen.

Sample Sentence:

“OW! I just hit my funny bone!”

 

Phrase of the day: Satz des Tages:

“Sit down and open your books.” (teacher)

Sample Sentence:

“How come on children! Sit down and be quiet and open your books!”

 

Idiom of the day: Redewendung des Tages:

“To hit the nail on the head.”

The origin of the idiom ‘hit the nail on the head’ is carpentry, although no one is certain when it was first used. This analogy is a wonderfully straightforward one; missing the nail when hammering is imprecise and can cause damage to the surface beneath the hammer.

 

British English / American English Vocabulary:

Britisches Englisch / Amerikanisches Englisch Wortschatz:

British English (B.E.) = dress circle

American English (A.E.) = mezzanine/loge

Sample Sentence:

“I would like to book two seats in the dress circle for the play by Chekov.”

 

Pronunciation tip: Aussprachetipp:

3. PHO-to-graph

 

False Friends Tip of the Week:

Falsche Freunde Tipp der Woche:

German                    = ankle

Translation             = Fußknöchel

False Friend (F.F.)   = Enkel

Meaning of F.F         = grandchild

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Wit, wit, wit – Education:

Witz, Witz, Witz – Ausbildung:

“When the children at public schools should have been whipped and taught Greek paradigms, they were arguing about birth control and nationalisation. Their crude little opinions were treated with respect. It is hardly surprising that they were Bolshevik at 18 and bored at 20.”

Quote by Evelyn Waugh.

 

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Slang word of the day:

Slangwort des Tages:

A ‘con’ trick –: a dishonest trick that is done to get someone’s money: a “confidence trick”.

Sample Sentence:

“Buying insurance against your insurance is an insurance confidence trick and is a win-win situation for the insurance company.”

 

Colloquial / Colloquialisms:

Umgangssprache / Umgangssprache:

visceral, instinctual, intuitive, instinctive, and gut feeling.

NOTE: Find out what these words mean using Google.

 

Cockney Rhyming Slang:

Cockney Reimender Slang:

Tealeaf = Thief

Sample Sentence:

“What are you inside for mate?” “I’m a tealeaf mate – here’s your watch back!”

 

Quote of the week: Zitat der Woche:

English Insults

These insults are from an era before the English language got boiled down to 4-letter words. Insults then, had some class!

4. “I have never killed a man, but I have read many obituaries with great pleasure.”

– Clarence Darrow 

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