No matter what language you’re speaking, the meaning is the same: I did not do my homework.
Personally, I have only used this excuse once. Well, maybe twice. But, hey, I had a very hungry dog!I can remember thinking that playing kickball was way more important than doing my times table’s homework! That’s what calculators are for, right? The joke was on me when I realized that no calculators were allowed during the exam.
This buds the question, “What’s in a phrase?”
Over the years, we’ve all been fed “sugar–coated” versions of truth. And, we’ve all been caught with our “hands in the cookie jar.” But, where did these phrases come from? And, why do we use them when the end result is always “being in the dog house”?
Now, you’re asking “how does this relate to me?” As New Yorker’s, we all know good real-estate can be hard to find. So when your real-estate agent tells you, “It’s a Cozy studio in the Village, reasonable price!” What they really mean is “basement studio with a kitchenette and no windows”! Or you may have heard, “This apartment is located very close to Manhattan” Which really means it is located in New Jersey!
In the events industry, I am often confronted with these little white lies.”I will have to call you back; I’m on a very important conference call.” or “The check is in the mail.” But I’m pretty sure you would not have answered the phone if it was that important and we all know that check is still sitting on your desk.
So, why do we use these phrases instead of saying what we mean? Maybe it’s because the truth hurts, or maybe it’s our oratory form of tradition. Who can say? All I can say is that my dog definitely ate my homework.
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