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Old 07-Apr-2008, 02:28
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Default start all over

hi,
how do you say in english when something goes wrong and we need to start all over again?
its an expression with the word "sketch".
thanks.
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Old 07-Apr-2008, 02:33
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Default Re: start all over

'back to the drawing board'
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Old 07-Apr-2008, 02:34
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Default Re: start all over

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Originally Posted by jctgf View Post
hi,
how do you say in english when something goes wrong and we need to start all over again?
its an expression with the word "sketch".
thanks.

I'm not a teacher, but I think the expression you're after is, "start from scratch".
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Old 07-Apr-2008, 03:06
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Default Re: start all over

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Originally Posted by jctgf View Post
hi,
how do you say in english when something goes wrong and we need to start all over again?
its an expression with the word "sketch".
thanks.
I can't think of anything with that meaning that has "sketch" in it, JC, but here are some others with a similar meaning.

[let's] take it from the top / be back to the beginning / be back to square one

Oh, something just came to mind, If things are "sketchy", that means that a plan/something isn't working well, the necessary details are well-known.
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Old 07-Apr-2008, 03:07
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Default Re: start all over

Stuart's nailed 'er. How come I missed such an easy one, with such a huge hint?
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Old 07-Apr-2008, 03:19
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Default Re: start all over

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How come I missed such an easy one, with such a huge hint?
The advantage of speaking Zild is that one is ALWAYS being told that one's accent is incomprehensible, making the jump from "sketch" to "scratch" a tiny shuffle rather than a huge leap.
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Old 07-Apr-2008, 09:18
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Default Re: start all over

Quote:
Originally Posted by riverkid View Post
Stuart's nailed 'er. How come I missed such an easy one, with such a huge hint?

hi river,
i am used to hearing it on the movies. it's a sentence with 'from s...tch'.
Stuart has just suggested 'start from scratch' and i think that's what i want.
sometimes my foreigner ears/brain can't distinguish perfectly a word from the other: 'sketch' and 'scratch' may sound similar to me, depending on the situation.
i wonder if 'start from scratch' is a common expression in Canada!
thanks
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Old 07-Apr-2008, 09:27
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Default Re: start all over

hi!
it's me again.
the funny thing is that - to my foreigner brain - "sketch" should fit the expression perfectly.
isn't ''sketch'' a draft, a initial plan or design?
i think now that's why i have always "heard" it incorrectly. i have associated the expression with a word that seemed to be a perfect fit to me.
very interesting!
regards
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Old 07-Apr-2008, 09:46
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Default Re: start all over

Quote:
Originally Posted by jctgf View Post
hi!
it's me again.
the funny thing is that - to my foreigner brain - "sketch" should fit the expression perfectly.
isn't ''sketch'' a draft, a initial plan or design?
i think now that's why i have always "heard" it incorrectly. i have associated the expression with a word that seemed to be a perfect fit to me.
very interesting!
regards
I think in this context, "scratch" is a synonym of "zero". So, "start from nothing", start all over again". When golfers reach a handicap of zero, they are termed "scratch golfers".
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