in the air

[Anonymous]

I only know that "on air" means "broadcast". However I spotted a poster stuck in KCRC (railway in Hong Kong) wall saying that English in the air. I really scratch my hair. After looking up in the on-line Cambrige Dictionary -- http://dictionary.cambridge.org/defi...in%20the%20air , it means something is going to happen. I really got confused the meaning of "English in the air" .
Does it mean English is going to be "on air"?
Teachers, please enlighten me with hearty thanks!

[Casiopea]

I spotted a poster stuck on the KCRC wall (a railway in Hong Kong) saying "English in the air". I really scratched my head. Does it mean English is going to be "on air"?

I'm not quite sure to tell you the truth since I don't know what the poster is advertising. My guess is that 'English in the air" might be referring to an open air event; but, then again, that's just a guess.

be "in the air" has two meanings (note, there's a BE verb):

1) undecided
Ex: My future is up in the air. (I've haven't decided what I'm going to do when I graduate from school).

2) the smell or feeling of the seasons changing
Ex: Spring is in the air. (I can smell Spring)
Ex: Winter is in the air. (I feel cold)

There's also "love is in the air".

:D

[RonBee]

The breezes of autumn are in the air,
Bringing thoughts of my love so fair.

:D

[Hong Kong Chinese]

Thank you very much for your expert advice as well as correcting my grammatical mistakes!
Here is the link: http://www.hkedcity.net/english/

Please note the pop-up window!

Underneath the "English in the Air", there are some Chinese characters. It says, "To learn English by watching TV."

[RonBee]

Thank you very much for your expert advice as well as correcting my grammatical mistakes!
Here is the link: http://www.hkedcity.net/english/

Please note the pop-up window!

Underneath the "English in the Air", there are some Chinese characters. It says, "To learn English by watching TV."

Thank you! That is very helpful. :D

It is, I think, not a typical usage of in the air, but it is perfectly understandable in context. It probably alludes to watching TV programs, since we "air" TV programs. The TV signal comes thru the air, thus "English in the Air". What do you think? :)

(I edited your posting to make the link work.)

:)

[Hong Kong Chinese]

RonBee, many thanks!
My opinion is that the relevant Governmental Department which spends so much on promoting English should hire someone more competent to design a good slogan in more formal and idiomatic expression in instead of doing a inferior job because students or the public interested in English would learn by heart through seeing the posters when commuting by train daily.

[Casiopea]

Here is the link: http://www.hkedcity.net/english/ Underneath the words "English in the Air", there are some Chinese characters, which transate as "To learn English by watching TV."

Gotcha. "English in the Air(waves)". Sounds great! Nice poetry.

:D

[whl626]

Can it be " English is everywhere " since everybody breathes the air :)

[RonBee]

RonBee, many thanks!
My opinion is that the relevant Governmental Department which spends so much on promoting English should hire someone more competent to design a good slogan in more formal and idiomatic expression in instead of doing a inferior job because students or the public interested in English would learn by heart through seeing the posters when commuting by train daily.

Maybe you are right. While the expression is not difficult for native speakers to understand (especially in context) it might not be so easy for learners to understand. But it got you go come to this forum, didn't it? :D

Maybe you were supposed to wonder what that expression means and come here and ask us. (Just kidding.) :wink:

Thank you for the question. :D

English Idioms
http://www.usingenglish.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=1697

Brief Verse (Couplets)
http://www.usingenglish.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=1579

Prepositions
http://depts.gallaudet.edu/englishwo.../main/prep.htm

:D

[Hong Kong Chinese]

To: Ronbee

Maybe you were supposed to wonder what that expression means and come here and ask us. (Just kidding.)

You guessed it right (rightly?)! My main purpose of coming here is to seek expert advice on English which is not easy to obtain in Hong Kong English forums for the quick and in-depth responses. My deepest thanks to Red5 who set up this forum and also to Casiopea who corrects my grammatical mistakes which I don’t know that I have made so much of them..

Last but not least, Ronbee, I doff my hat to you!

Oops! I almost forget my thanks to Tdol too!