October 12

Out of left field???

Today in class we studied idioms.  One of the students was having trouble figuring out the meaning for the idiom, “out of left field”.  When I explained that not a whole lot happens in left field on a ball diamond and so when something does it seems like it is coming from nowhere or that it isn’t related to the rest of the game, he looked at me and simply replied, “Oh, I do that a lot.”

 

We learned that idioms are expressions we use in everyday speech that have meanings that are most of the time not literal.  The words used in that particular phrase have an established meaning that would not translate to what the words themselves literally mean.

 

Two important factors that define an idiom:

  1. Idioms mean more than just the sum of their individual words. They have a greater, non-literal meaning.
  2. Idioms are fixed – they are said the same way each time.

 

We had a list of 100 common idioms and everyone was assigned one idiom from the list.  Then we completed The Daily Idiom.  There were really some good expressions of just how funny idioms could be if you took them literally.

 

We were reminded that our English Binders will be graded tomorrow and that anyone who had not received an 80% or higher on the root word test last week needed to take it again.  We also only have three days left to get all of our AR points for this grading period.


Posted October 12, 2011 by mrsscales207 in category Language Arts

About the Author

My life has taken many paths. I grew up in Farmland, Indiana and graduated from Monroe Central High School in 1979. Yes I know that seems like a long time ago to most of you. After I graduated from High School, I went into the U. S. Navy. Not a lot of women enlisted in the Navy back then. Boot camp was still segregated (that means there were only women in my boot camp) and yes, boot camp is as bad as they say it is. I survived though and began seeing a little more of the world than just our lovely corn and soy bean fields of Indiana. I was an advanced avionics technician and worked on F14 Tomcat jets in the Navy. Back then women couldn't go on ships but I was stationed in Bermuda for a little over a year. Bermuda is beautiful and the people are warm and friendly. I married my husband while in the Navy and we eventually moved to Minnesota.

6 thoughts on “Out of left field???

  1. Jesse Jones

    MRS. SCALES WE MISS YOU SOOOOOOOOOOOOO MUCH WE HOPE NONE OF THE 7TH GRADERS ARE GIVING YOU TROUBLES. LOVE YA, HALEIGH FERNANDEZ & JESSE JONES (AKA THE BEST STUDENTS YOU EVER HAD)

    Reply
    1. mrsscales207 (Post author)

      Really girls, you have had this assignment for more than two weeks and wait until the Sunday afternoon before it is due to figure out that you need help. I can’t really do much for you at this point. You will have to do your best and have what ever you can accomplish at this late date done and ready to be graded tomorrow.

      Reply

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