Are these idioms understandable for non British ?

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duiter

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Dear all,

Are these idioms understandable for non British ( ordinary non English teacher American, Australian ) ?


Dunkirk spirit


on Carey Street

set the Thames on fire

Many thanks
 

Barb_D

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Dear all,

Are these idioms understandable for non British ( ordinary non English teacher American, Australian ) ?


Dunkirk spirit -- I have no idea what this means.


on Carey Street -- I have no idea what this means.

set the Thames on fire -- I don't know this, but it sounds like "Paint the town red." What does it mean?

Many thanks

I read a reasonable number of British novels, and I don't know any of these.
 

riquecohen

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Dear all,

Are these idioms understandable for non British ( ordinary non English teacher American, Australian ) ?


Dunkirk spirit


on Carey Street

set the Thames on fire

Many thanks
While I've never heard the latter two, I think the term "Dunkirk spirit" or the "spirit of Dunkirk" would be understandable to some older Americans.
 

BobK

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'On Carey street' ("Carew"? - but with the same pronunciation) is pretty obscure, even over here; I think it's something to do with bankruptcy, but I've never used it.

'Set the Thames alight' is the version I've met. It's a bit like 'painting the town red', Barb, but more flamboyant (the idea of flames is there - that is,you needn't actually set light to anything, but you have to 'make a bit of a splash'). ;-)

'Dunkirk spirit' is the only common one.

b
 

Barb_D

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What does it mean?
 

duiter

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BobK

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Vidor

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not a teacher

Dear all,

Are these idioms understandable for non British ( ordinary non English teacher American, Australian ) ?


Dunkirk spirit


on Carey Street

set the Thames on fire

Many thanks

As an American...no, no, no, and yes. I know what "Dunkirk spirit" is, but my bookshelf is filled with books about WWII. No idea of Carey Street. I know what the Thames is but don't know what the idiom means. "Many thanks", however, is very common in American speech.
 
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