a hill to die on

[alpacinou]

Hello

I just learned a new idiom in this great forum.

I want to know if I have used it correctly in following examples:

1. I think this is the best job in the world. I will die on this hill. >I want to suggest that I am willing to defend my opinion.

2. I think we should only have one language in the world. That will make the world a better place. I will die on this hill.

3. This is the best economic system that can help people achieve prosperity. I will die on this hill.

4. He is the most qualified person to run the company. I will die on this hill.

5. My love for her is real. I will die on her hill.

Also, are they natural sounding?

 

[GoesStation]

It only works when you express an opinion you expect to be at least a bit controversial. It's especially apt when you're defending a position which has strong opposing arguments.

Number 5 sounds a little vulgar, and it's wrong anyway. The expression evokes the image of a soldier racing up a heavily-defended hill, rallying his comrades. "This hill" is "the hill I'm standing on". You can't replace it with some other hill, no matter how alluring it may be.

Read the thread you found the expression in again and see if you can get a better feel for how it's used there.

 

[GoesStation]

This post, where jutfrank concedes that he's been defending a cause which is quite likely lost, may shed some light. The expression is a light-hearted way to say "I may very well lose this argument, but I really wish I wasn't."

 

[alpacinou]

It only works when you express an opinion you expect to be at least a bit controversial. It's especially apt when you're defending a position which has strong opposing arguments.

Number 5 sounds a little vulgar, and it's wrong anyway. The expression evokes the image of a soldier racing up a heavily-defended hill, rallying his comrades. "This hill" is "the hill I'm standing on". You can't replace it with some other hill, no matter how alluring it may be.

Read the thread you found the expression in again and see if you can get a better feel for how it's used there.

Okay. I'll forget number 5. What about these?

1. A lot of people disagree with me. But I think this is the best job in the world. I will die on this hill. >I want to suggest that I am willing to defend my opinion.

2. A lot of people disagree with me. But I think we should only have one language in the world. That will make the world a better place. I will die on this hill.

3. This system has a lot of opponents but I think it is the best economic system that can help people achieve prosperity. I will die on this hill.

4. So many people don't like him. But I think he is the most qualified person to run the company. I will die on this hill.

 

[jutfrank]

Think of someone defending a position, not justifying an opinion. As GoesStation says, the context would be when you're arguing a point.

Remember that the metaphor comes from warfare. The idea is that you fight to the death, even when the battle is lost.

 

[alpacinou]

Think of someone defending a position, not justifying an opinion. As GoesStation says, the context would be when you're arguing a point.

Remember that the metaphor comes from warfare. The idea is that you fight to the death, even when the battle is lost.

So, if I am arguing with someone and they strongly disagree with me and I want to strongly defend my ideas and my position, would these work?

1. A lot of people disagree with me. But I think this is the best job in the world. I will die on this hill. >I want to suggest that I am willing to defend my opinion.

2. A lot of people disagree with me. But I think we should only have one language in the world. That will make the world a better place. I will die on this hill.

3. This system has a lot of opponents but I think it is the best economic system that can help people achieve prosperity. I will die on this hill.

4. So many people don't like him. But I think he is the most qualified person to run the company. I will die on this hill.

 

[jutfrank]

Number 1 is not right at all. How could anyone possibly argue with the fact that you think this is the best job in the world?

 

[alpacinou]

Number 1 is not right at all. How could anyone possibly argue with the fact that you think this is the best job in the world?

Imagine you say being a nurse is the best job in the world. And someone says you are delusional and owing to the fact that it has a low pay and long hours, it's a lousy job.


And what about others? Are the rest okay?

 

[jutfrank]

No. I'd say they all misuse the idiom.

Take a look at some dictionaries to see if that helps. Maybe start here.

 

[Rover_KE]

As an elderly native English-speaker and voracious reader for nearly 70 decades, this is the first time I have encountered this idiom.

I don't think I'm going to use it in the future, and suggest it's not worth the trouble of ESL students getting to grips with.

Life's too short.

 

[SoothingDave]

I think the expression became common only with the Vietnam war.