Beauty of English Language

English is a beautiful language. I feel sorry for you if you do not appreciate its beauty.

See food is delicious. But I do not appreciate its deliciousness. You can feel sorry for me.

Life is full of regrets. We do not need feel sorry for each other.

I would like to share some interesting experiences involving English expressions.

 

1. “You never know”

It was very difficult to find a job when I arrived in Canada. All the resumes elicited no reply. Inspired by an article on a Chinese website, I tried the tactics of door knocking. When I was just out of a company, I saw a gentleman outside of the office building smoking. That building bore the name of a company specialized in structural engineering. Although I knew that the company did not do mechanical engineering, I thought it not a bad idea just to have a chat with him. I told him I am looking for a position in mechanical engineering. He said I could knock the door of the building across the street. That company was doing mechanical.

“But they cannot be hiring because my friend was hired just days ago.” I said.

“You never know.” was the response.

I never know? I was asking me myself. How could this nice looking man be so rude? I never know? Am I so stupid and not knowing anything? 

After a split second, I realized that he meant all the good. What he meant was not that I did not know anything, but that I should not be encumbered by my assumptions.

How many times in our life that we had really lost something because we had not tried? You must have more examples.  

2. “It makes sense to … “

When I worked for a small engineering firm, on one occasion I was writing an email to a client recommending their considering another design approach. I wrote, “It makes more sense to do it this way … than the other way.”

My boss came to me and showed all his displeasure. “I do not want our client to feel that we are condescending.” He said solemnly.

That was the first time I realized that “it makes more sense” is not a phrase for gentle persuading or a suggestion based on reason.

I stopped using this term afterwards.

3.  baptism

This one may be funnier. You will see how stupid I truly was.

After working for almost three months in a company, I bumped into the president in the lunch room. He asked me how I had been doing in the three-month probation period. I said I had survived the adaptation. I knew “adaptation” was not an apt term in this case, but I could not come up with a better word. He said then, “So you survived the baptism?” I said, with all the confusion on my face, “I am not religious.”

He was pissed off immediately. He turned to other Chinese colleagues having lunch in the lunchroom, “Anybody understands the word?” The Chinese colleagues looked him puzzled, without giving a response, partially because they had not paid attention to our conversation, partially because they did not get it either.

Combing back home, I realized I failed to understand the humourt. I wrote an email to him the next day:

“Sorry that I failed to under the humour in your comment yesterday. In fact, I had been lived in China and have been constantly reminded by our teachers that our forefathers had undergone the baptism of gunfire and founded the country. We had been nurtured the patriotism by being instilled this thought. I should have understood the work ‘baptism’ perfectly.”

I bumped into him again in the corridor and he said that I had written a good email.

 

4. “I have to go”

When I was working for small engineering firm, all of us drafters shared a room with my supervisor. He was constantly on the phone and I enjoyed his talking on the phone very much.  He spoke more than perfect English. I only had the chance to meet my future supervisor who was comparable in this regard. I could learn at least one expression per day, such as “wishy-washy”. I have never heard of this work since then.

I noticed that he often said “I have to go” when he wanted to end the phone conversation. Every time I heard that, I became at once relaxed because I thought he would go out for site visit. When he was away and left us in the room, we all felt relaxed. But he never did go to the site after using this term. I waited and waited and he showed no sign of going.

Perhaps I have talked about this to others and finally I got the meaning of “I have to go.” It does mean I will leave the office, but I will have to end the conversation.