Newsletter: Whose English is it, Anyhow?

[Kelly]

Dear Alan,

After having refer to the newsletter of which is topiced "Whose English is it, Anyhow", I've got few questions and hope can have your explanation about it.

_ Line 8 from "This gathers together quotaions from established..." , what "quotation" means actually in this sentence?

_ What does it mean for " harps back" ? (Line 8 , second paragraph) and "Speak with a stiff upper lip " is a idiom right? what is it talking about?

Please I need your help and I apologize in advance if there is any unsuitable post in this forum.

Thanks a lot
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yunling

[Alan]

Hi Kelly,

Thanks for your questions. The word 'quotation' describes the words written or spoken by somebody in a context such as a novel, play, a newspaper, a speech and so on. In the newsletter I am referring to the two brothers (Fowler) taking extracts from writers and using these words (quotations) to show different styles of English writing. Stiff upper lip is more of a descriptive rather than an idiomatic expression since it describes a certain way of speaking/talking. If you keep the upper lip stiff or rigid (not moving) when you speak you are deliberately not showing any emotion or feeling. If you do that, you are the sort of person who is very reserved and unemotional. Your last point is about 'harp back to'. This, I fear is a misprint as the expression should be: hark back to and that means go back to/refer back to a previous topic.

Alan
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English as a Second Language
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