|
|
 #2 (permalink) Fri Sep 15, 2006 20:07 pm Expression: "My hair stood on end" |
|
|
Hi Tom
My cat, Calamity Jane, could give you a really good live demonstration --- especially if you brought a large dog with you. :lol: (Of course, that would be fur standing on end, but it's the same principle. ;))
Here's a link with a picture of a woman whose hair is literally standing on end:
http://uw.physics.wisc.edu/~wonders/WOPIntroPage.html
But most of the time it's an idiom and not quite so literal. ;)
The idiom make someone's hair stand on end means to make someone feel very frightened.
http://idioms.thefreedictionary.com/make+hair+stand+on+end
Amy
_________________
"Nearly all men can stand adversity, but if you want to test a man's character, give him power." ~ Abraham Lincoln |
|
Yankee
I'm a Communicator ;-)
Joined: 16 Apr 2006
Posts: 8316
Location: USA
|
|
| #3 (permalink) Tue Sep 19, 2006 11:54 am Pet names |
|
|
| Yankee wrote: |
| My cat, Calamity Jane, .. |
:lol:
What a great name for a pet! I bet she does justice to it, though she wouldn't chew tobacco, would she?
If you had a male cat now, would you call him Buffalo Bill?
PS: The cats that have decorated my life were named: Catalina (Katherine), Canela (Cinnamon), Tigre (Tiger), Rasputin, Romeo (who turned out to be a Juliet)... |
|
Conchita
Language Coach
Joined: 26 Dec 2005
Posts: 2826
Location: Madrid, Spain
|
 |
| #4 (permalink) Tue Sep 19, 2006 13:00 pm Expression: "My hair stood on end" |
|
|
| Quote: |
| If you had a male cat now, would you call him Buffalo Bill? |
Hi Conchita
In fact, I do have a male cat. My two cats are brother and sister (from the same litter). They are two German cats that only understand English --- should they decide to understand anything at all, that is. ;)
The male cat is named Sundance Kit. :D
The choice of the name Calamity Jane proved to be somewhat prophetic as she has definitely had more than her fair share of calamities. But she's a tough little cookie and has somehow survived every calamity (including being hit by a car, which required hip surgery and some serious dental work). This cat brings real meaning to the saying (and validates the superstition?) that cats have nine lives. :lol:
| Quote: |
| Romeo (who turned out to be a Juliet) |
:lol:
When I was young we had a cat name Charlie --- who turned out to be very adept at producing kittens. :lol:
Going back to Tom's question:
| Quote: |
| Why do we say our hair stands on end while it stands on its roots? |
Tom, every hair has in essence two ends: The end that is the oldest part of the hair and the end that is attached to the head/body.
When you go to the hairdresser, it is simply understood which end is to be cut. And "split ends" only occur on the "old" ends.
When hair stands on end, I understand (like you) that each strand of hair is standing on the "new" end. ;)
Amy
_________________
"Nearly all men can stand adversity, but if you want to test a man's character, give him power." ~ Abraham Lincoln |
|
Yankee
I'm a Communicator ;-)
Joined: 16 Apr 2006
Posts: 8316
Location: USA
|
|
| #5 (permalink) Tue Sep 19, 2006 22:56 pm Expression: "My hair stood on end" |
|
|
| Yankee wrote: |
| The male cat is named Sundance Kit. :D |
And you being a Yankee and all! Maybe people in the Far West call their cats names like ‘Philly’, ‘Manhattan’ or ‘Broadway’!
| Yankee wrote: |
| cats have nine lives. :lol: |
That's two more than Spanish cats have! |
|
Conchita
Language Coach
Joined: 26 Dec 2005
Posts: 2826
Location: Madrid, Spain
|
|
| #6 (permalink) Wed Sep 20, 2006 7:17 am Expression: "My hair stood on end" |
|
|
| Conchita wrote: |
| Yankee wrote: |
| cats have nine lives. :lol: |
That's two more than Spanish cats have! |
Only seven? Poor kitties!
There seems to be some disagreement in Germany over how many lives cats have. Some say seven, and some say nine.
For "authoratative proof" (ahem ;)) as to how many lives a cat has, you can listen to John Lennon (on his Imagine album):
Well now you know that your
Cat has nine lives
Nine lives to itself
But you only got one
And a dog's life ain't fun
Mamma take a look outside
Amy
_________________
"Nearly all men can stand adversity, but if you want to test a man's character, give him power." ~ Abraham Lincoln |
|
Yankee
I'm a Communicator ;-)
Joined: 16 Apr 2006
Posts: 8316
Location: USA
|
|
|
| Indirect speech (3) | All that way |
Tom