I DIG ENGLISH - just a cool blog about English

I hope you enjoy reading this blog
half as much as I enjoy writing it for you.
Because I have a ball.


Karola

Monday, August 20, 2012

My Digs: 101

Hi guys!

I hope you're doing well, especially given the current heatwave. I know. Starting your blog post by making a weather reference isn't exactly what you call a promise of an interesting entry, is it? :)

given – biorąc pod uwagę (taking into consideration)
a heatwave – fala upałów (a period of time when the weather is much hotter than usual)
a weather reference – wzmianka o pogodzie
isn't exactly what you call – nie można tego nazwać (you can't say it's)

As for more exciting news, I have recently launched my website and would be very happy if you could have a look if only to see me, for once, looking all serious and grown-up in a blazer, not blowing soap bubbles or holding a heart-shaped lollipop ;)

Here's the link:


to launch a website – to start a website (you can also launch a new product)
if only to – chociażby po to, aby (even if it's just to)
for once – chociaż raz (at least this one time)

Also, I would like to take a moment to address another issue. There's been a common misunderstanding among my friends and family regarding the name of this blog. Namely, most people are under the impression that the 'dig' in I DIG ENGLISH means what 'dig' in 'Let's dig a hole' does. Well, it doesn't :) I'm going to copy and paste what I wrote on Facebook a few days ago :)


random word of the day: to DIG – (old-fashioned slang) to like/ understand something)
  1. I'm digging your new hair in your profile pic. (2) I dig it when you have a smile on your face. (3) 5 Ways to Tell She Digs You /a title/ (4) I dig English.
to take a moment – poświęcić chwilę (spend a little time to)
to address another issue – poruszyć inną kwestię (to discuss another topic)
namely – mianowicie (used when you want to give more detail or be more exact about something you have just said)

I hope the above entry makes it a little more clear what 'dig' is supposed to mean here – The literal meaning is what the previously-orange-and-now-pink heart represents – ' like', 'love', even 'obsess over' :) The second meaning could be 'understand', although I wouldn't expect anyone to go that far with the interpretation :)

literal – dosłowne (basic /meaning/)

The My Digs segment could be understood quite literally as 'words and phrases that I have dug up (found)' or 'words and phrases that I like/ find interesting'.

I hope you don't find this explanation snooty or pretentious. When you want to start a blog with Blogger, you usually have this great idea for a blog title and then, a few seconds later, you find out that someone before you had this idea too and the name is taken. You check if you can make the name hyphenated, but, guess what? That name's taken as well. So you end up with the least uninspiring title or one that is very out there (my case) ;)

snooty – przemądrzałe, zadzierające nosa (unfriendly because you believe you are better than other people
pretentious – pretensjonalne (trying to appear or sound more important or clever than you are)
taken – zajęte
hyphenated – pisane z łącznikiem (I-DIG-ENGLISH)
uninspiring – mało oryginalne, nudne (not making you feel excited or interested)
out there – dziwne (unconventional, strange, crazy)

Also, if you feel like getting more random words of the day in your Facebook feed, you could visit/like my Facebook page:


With all this information overload out of the way, we can move on to today's dig ;)

(news) feed– aktualności
information overload – nadmiar informacji (too much information)
out of the way – za nami (behind us)
to move on to – przejść do



101 (one oh one)

  • a name given to introductory courses in American schools e.g.,  
    Algebra 101, Philosophy 101, Biology 101
  • used to describe basic knowledge needed to be successful in a given field e.g. Dating 101, Parenting 101
  • often used to give someone advice or point out a blatant mistake.

101 – podstawy (the basics of)
an introductory course – wstęp do … (a basic course in)
to point out – wytknąć
blatant – rażący, oczywisty (obvious)

And some examples I've found with a little help from Google ;)


It's Parenting 101. You don't ask a child, "What would you like for lunch?" Rather, you offer two choices: "Ham or honey?"

If you want to game, don't buy a laptop. It's Gaming 101. Build yourself a kickass desktop for that price that will max it out and any other game on the market.

kickass – zajebisty (cool, awesome)
to max something out – zwiększyć możliwości /polepszyć maksymalnie (to maximise the capacity of something)
a desktop (computer) – komputer stacjonarny

I'm pretty sure it's Cooking 101 that citrus and yoghurt = not a good combination!

a citrus (sing.) citrus/ citruses (pl) – owoc(e) cytrusowy/e

It's Psychology 101 that people look to prove what they already believe to be true, rather than accept new facts.

to look to – to be interested in, want to

It's Politics 101 that you fill whatever venue you take, or you don't choose that venue.

a venue – miejsce koncertu, konferencji etc. (a place, location)
to fill a venue – to make sure that enough people show up so that the place doesn't seem empty
It's Economics 101: small supply, big demand. It's going to shoot prices up.

supply – podaż
demand – popyt
to shoot prices up – windować ceny (to make prices go up)

Isn't that the first thing you learn in Marketing 101? That your friends and acquaintances will be your first customers?

an acquaintance – znajomy (someone you know but who isn't your best friend)

We all learned in Sales 101 that it's far easier and cheaper to sell to an existing customer than to create and cultivate a relationship with a new one.

to cultivate a relationship with a customer – zabiegać o klienta (If you cultivate a relationship, you make a special effort to establish and develop it, because you think it might be useful to you)

It's eBay 101 that you don't buy until your questions are answered.

Every journalism student learns in News Writing 101 that you never want to bury your lead; you want the most pertinent bit of information in your first paragraph.

to bury – zakopać, ukryć (to hide)
a lead – sedno, klucz (the most important piece of information)
pertinent – związany z tematem (relevant)

It is Negotiation 101 that you never concede anything without something in return.

to concede – oddawać w czyjeś ręce (to allow someone to have something, even though you do not want to)
in return – w zamian (in exchange for)

First dates are a blinking minefield. You put yourself out there and hope for the best. If it's bad, you move on. Try again. It's Dating 101.

blinking – cholerne (bloody, frigging, etc.)
to put yourself out there – zaryzykować, zaangażować się w relacje międzyludzkie (to take risks, to get involved, to be more extrovert)
to hope for the best – nie tracić nadziei, być dobrej myśli
to move on – (zapomnieć o czymś) i żyć dalej (to start to continue with your life after a bad experience)

Very interesting. Isn't it a rule taught at Witness Interview 101 that you never ask a question unless you know what the answer is going to be?

I hope you have found it interestingl. Have a great week everyone!!!!

See you in my next post!

Karola

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