Monday, March 08, 2010

Hollywood Translator


Well, in case you missed any of the Academy's Awards - and just in case you care - here is everything you need to know about all things Oscar.

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HOLLYWOOD COMMON PHRASE TRANSLATOR

Says: "You can trust me."
Means: "You must be new."

Says: "It needs some polishing."
Means: "Change everything."

Says: "It shows some promise."
Means: "It stinks rotten."

Says: "Call my agent."
Means: "Don't talk to me."

Says: "I'd like some input."
Means: "I want total control."

Says: "It needs something."
Means: "Change everything."

Says: "Call me back next week."
Means: "Stay out of my life."

Says: "Try and punch it up."
Means: "I have no idea what I want."

Says: "You'll never work in this town again."
Means: "I have no power here whatsoever."

Says: "Maybe if you tried it with a dog as the lead."
Means: "Change everything."


[selected from caryn.com with edits and additional material by Mark Raymond]

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WORD for YOUR WEEK: We saw the "Alice in Wonderland" film this past weekend and at one point when asked her name, Alice says, "Umm," trying not to give her real name away. The Red Queen immediately assumes that's her name ... which Alice encourages by quickly adding that she's from Umbridge (a scene, by the way, which I could not find in the book). Nevertheless, today I ran across the word "umbrage," and the sound of it was so strikingly similar I had to choose it. Umbrage originally referred to the shade provided by a tree (in Latin, "umbra" means shade or shadow ... it is the root of the word "umbrella") but eventually came to refer to the offense one takes at a particular comment. In fact, it means to be offended or annoyed arising from a perceived insult. My guess would be that a "shadow" fell across the listener's face and encouraged use of the word. Your example: "The Board of Education took umbrage with Mr. Illbody's comments at the meeting."

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