If you’re still with me, hang on tight, because it’s about to get even more complicated. What exactly makes an idiom an idiom? Idioms can be defined as a phrase that’s meaning cannot be established based upon the given definition of each of the words in that phrase. It was not until I took a course in linguistics and we studied idioms that I saw the light and understood how complex they make the English language.įirst of all, let me cut to the chase. At first, I did not realize just how many idioms we use on a daily basis. This reason is what I usually hear when people say the language poses problems for newcomers. People often claim the English language is one of the hardest to learn for a multitude of reasons, but perhaps the straw that breaks the camel’s back in this case is the overuse of idioms. Learning any language often can be an excruciating task, especially when it’s in addition to your native language. Are they the best thing since sliced bread? Are they a far cry from sprucing up the English language, or do they actually bring new life to what could be mundane conversations? Let’s dive a little deeper into this. In this case, to “a penny” or even just “penny.Idioms. Like other popular idioms, “a penny for your thoughts” is sometimes shortened. That being said, it can still be found in modern literature and heard in everyday conversations. The phrase is far more common among older generations than it is among the younger. In modern English, it can be translated as, “when people notice that someone appears disconnected and one wishes them to rejoin the conversation, one should say: a penny for your thought.” In such wise yt not wtoute som note & reproch of suche vagaraunte mind, other folk sodainly say to them: a peny for your thought. It can be found in Sir Thomas More’s A Treatyce upon the last thynges. The first written example of “A penny for your thoughts” that historians are aware of comes from 1535. Phrases such as this evolve over time, sometimes naturally within the language, and the source of their conception is often lost. Like most idioms, this phrase does not have clear origins that scholars can point to unquestioningly. This means that if a writer uses it, they should be aware that it’s going to be more comfortable in some conversations and less comfortable in others. This idiom, like others, is dated to a specific period. It’s not something that’s used antagonistically among those bickering or fighting. The phrase is usually used kindly and good-naturedly. It’s used in dialogue in order to return a character lost in thought to a conversation that’s going on around them. Writers use “a penny for your thoughts” in the same way that people use it in everyday conversation. Why Do Writers Use “A penny for your thoughts?” What are you thinking? Penny for your thoughts?.Penny for your thoughts, mom? We lost you there for a second.Hey, Anna, penny for your thoughts? What are you thinking about?.It’s not as universally recognizable among English speakers as some other idioms are.Įxample Sentences With “A penny for your thoughts” Today, the phrase is less common than it used to be, so it is possible that one might use it and not get the response they’re hoping for. That distracted person should return their attention to the moment and, if they want to, share what was going through their head. Alternatively, if one comes upon someone they know, staring off into space, they might use the phrase to try to determine what the other person is thinking. If one is in a conversation with another person and that person stops responding and appears distracted in some way, the person who is paying attention might use “a penny for your thoughts” as a way to direct the other person’s attention back to the conversation. Although it is less colloquial seeming than some, one is still better off saving it to be used among friends. This idiom, like most, is not appropriate for professional conversations, speeches, essays, or other formal occasions. “A penny for your thoughts” should be used among friends, family, and close colleagues. Their thoughts are valuable, but not very. The phrase suggests that the speaker is willing to give the person lost in thought a “penny” to hear what they’re thinking. It asks the person lost in thought or otherwise distracted to tell the speaker what they’ve been thinking about or to simply redirect their attention back to the conversation they’re supposed to be having. “A penny for your thoughts” is a figurative way of asking someone to rejoin a conversation. 5 Origins of “A penny for your thoughts”.4 Why Do Writers Use “A penny for your thoughts?”.3 Example Sentences With “A penny for your thoughts”. 2 When To Use “A penny for your thoughts”.1 Meaning of “A penny for your thoughts”.
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