Lesson 2 Color Your Language "Making a beeline" also belongs to the group of
animal expressions based on flawed observation. "A
Animal Expression in English
beeline" typically means a straight line between two
What do animals have to do with the English
points. If you "make a beeline for" someone or
language? A whole lot! You'll be surprised to know
something, you go straight toward your destination,
just how many English expressions involve animals.
ignoring everything else along the way. For instance,
Consider some of the fascinating ways in which
your mom might have told you to make a beeline
animals are involved in everyday English.
Let's begin with a basic linguistic process, the home after school. Now you may wonder if bees
analogy. An analogy is a comparison between two really fly straight to where they want to go. The
things and a convenient way for language to create answer is, usually they do not. As you may have
new meanings. Animals are usually used because observed, they make irregular twists and turns in
they are familiar to everyone. By way of analogy, their flight. They often stop to rest and take a long
animal expressions draw on the similarities between
way around. It is only when they return home with a
animals and humans. People who are not courageous
load of honey that they make a straight line. In the
are called "chickens," while brave leaders are said to
case of the bee, only part of the truth came to
be "lionhearted." In most cases, it is not hard to see
represent the whole.
the logic behind the comparisons.
Animal analogies are based on close observation of
Even though many people know that these
animal behavior. However, what if the casual
analogies are not based on science, the expressions
observation leads to false assumptions, or
misinterpretation gets in the way? Interestingly, this do not easily disappear in the language. In fact,
has often been the case with English animal partly due to these expressions, some people still
expressions. hold the belief that crocodiles weep and bees always
"Crocodile tears" is a good example. One is said to fly straight to their destination.
weep "crocodile tears" if they pretend to be sad
when they are not. The idea comes from the popular
belief that crocodiles weep over the prey they kill.
The fact is, crocodiles seem to cry while they eat,
but this is because their eyes are stimulated when
the muscles around the mouth move to eat. Their
tears are only a physical response with nothing to do
with feelings.
Sometimes, the meaning of analogies may not be Black sheep, like white elephants, are not common,
obvious. For instance, what comes to mind when you and they also mean trouble for their owners. The
hear the phrase "white elephant" or "black sheep"? expression is from the English history of sheep
Most people, hearing these phrases for the first time, farming. Long ago, black wool was worthless because
cannot correctly guess their meanings. it was almost impossible to dye. When a black sheep
was born, the owners saw it as bad luck. Today the
The expression "white elephant" comes from expression "black sheep" refers to an odd and
Thailand. Long ago, in Thailand, white elephants were unpopular member of a family or a group, perhaps
very rare. Whenever one was found, it was given to because the unpopular black sheep stood out in a
the king. The king would then give it as a royal group of white sheep.
"gift" to someone he did not like since the beautiful
animal cost a fortune to take care of. Nobody could These interesting expressions are only a few
refuse such a present, but it could financially ruin its examples of the English expressions having to do
owner. Moreover, it was a serious crime to mistreat a with animals. Watch for others as you learn more
present from the king. Even riding it was not English. Be curious about them and research their
allowed, so a white elephant was almost useless. The roots. It is a fun way to learn the language.
expression, introduced in England in the 18th century,
turned out to be useful for describing costly but
useless public buildings. Today, it is used to refer to
anything that might be costly and useless to
someone.
