Word: idiom
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Dates: during 1970-1979
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...plight of the cowboy in the age of computer ranching is a familiar story. Journalist Jane Kramer nevertheless manages to refresh the tale with a selection of tactful though telling observations and details that, with allowances for scenery and idiom, remind one of Jane Austen at Mansfield Park. "Onion was ornery and bucked a lot and enjoyed kicking over the chair that Henry, at six, climbed to mount him. It took a while for them to arrive at the abusive, affectionate arrangement that Henry later claimed was so instructive to them both...
...achieve authenticity, some costume dramas force characters to pronounce every word without benefit of contractions-the isn'ts, don'ts and can'ts that make speech bearable. Wisely opting for today's idiom, Scriptwriter Jack Pulman occasionally falls into the opposite trap, with lines like "The Parthians are at it again, always stirring up trouble!" And Pulman doubtless was merely having fun when he put in Livia's mouth Mae West's famous line...
...intimate acquaintance of several English tongues, Partridge was born into the proper English of New Zealand and was introduced to Australian slang as a student at the University of Queensland. He later served with the Australian army in World War I-thereby learning the military idiom-before ending his linguistic tour in the rarefied dialect of Oxford. To fill in the gaps, he relies on an extended network of correspondents. They also keep him abreast of changes that "on balance, I should say are to the good." He particularly likes "wonderful American expressions such as skyscraper" but dislikes the "pitiable...
hanging it up: (not to be confused with what most athletes are doing with their jocks after a lousy performance.) This idiom describes a hesitation at the catch caused by a rushed recovery and a pause before the catch...
...technique of the talent available ruled out the possibility of offering classical ballet as well as modern dance. "You need a much stronger technique to be presentable in the classical idiom," Druckman explained...