The meaning of phrases including "accident"

Status
Not open for further replies.

Shamsiyan

Member
Joined
Nov 20, 2009
Member Type
Student or Learner
Native Language
Persian
Home Country
Iran
Current Location
Iran
What is the meaning of the following phrases:

an accident of birth
an accident of geography
an accident of history
 

emsr2d2

Moderator
Staff member
Joined
Jul 28, 2009
Member Type
English Teacher
Native Language
British English
Home Country
UK
Current Location
UK
What is the meaning of the following phrases:

an accident of birth
an accident of geography
an accident of history

Which words don't you understand?
 

Shamsiyan

Member
Joined
Nov 20, 2009
Member Type
Student or Learner
Native Language
Persian
Home Country
Iran
Current Location
Iran
Which words don't you understand?

I understand the meaning of "accident", but I do not understand the meaning of the whole phrase.
I ask you to explain the meaning of the whole phrase.
 

Chicken Sandwich

Senior Member
Joined
Jun 20, 2010
Member Type
Interested in Language
Native Language
Russian
Home Country
Russian Federation
Current Location
Netherlands
NOT A TEACHER

An accident of birth/geography/history is, as the Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English puts it, an event or situation caused by chance. Here's an axample of an accident of history An accident of history | World news | The Guardian.


 

Shamsiyan

Member
Joined
Nov 20, 2009
Member Type
Student or Learner
Native Language
Persian
Home Country
Iran
Current Location
Iran

bhaisahab

Moderator
Staff member
Joined
Apr 12, 2008
Member Type
Retired English Teacher
Native Language
British English
Home Country
England
Current Location
Ireland
I ask you to give a clear example for "accident of geography" and "accident of history".

Chicken Sandwich gave you an example of "an accident of history". Did you read it?
 

Shamsiyan

Member
Joined
Nov 20, 2009
Member Type
Student or Learner
Native Language
Persian
Home Country
Iran
Current Location
Iran
Chicken Sandwich gave you an example of "an accident of history". Did you read it?

Yes I did . I ask you to give a clear example for "accident of geography".
 

5jj

Moderator
Staff member
Joined
Oct 14, 2010
Member Type
English Teacher
Native Language
British English
Home Country
Czech Republic
Current Location
Czech Republic
Yes I did . I ask you to give a clear example for "accident of geography".
I suggest that a simple 'thanks' to Chicken Sandwich before demanding another answer might encourage resposes.
 

emsr2d2

Moderator
Staff member
Joined
Jul 28, 2009
Member Type
English Teacher
Native Language
British English
Home Country
UK
Current Location
UK
Now that you have been given an example of how such a phrase is used, we ask you to write an example. We will then comment on it. You have to do some work yourself.
 

Shamsiyan

Member
Joined
Nov 20, 2009
Member Type
Student or Learner
Native Language
Persian
Home Country
Iran
Current Location
Iran
Now that you have been given an example of how such a phrase is used, we ask you to write an example. We will then comment on it. You have to do some work yourself.

Example for “accident of geography”:

When wandering the streets, we go to the places to which went before.
What is your opinion?
 

emsr2d2

Moderator
Staff member
Joined
Jul 28, 2009
Member Type
English Teacher
Native Language
British English
Home Country
UK
Current Location
UK
What part of that is an accident? I should point out though that I think I know what you meant, and it is not an example of an accident of geography.
 

Tdol

No Longer With Us (RIP)
Staff member
Joined
Nov 13, 2002
Native Language
British English
Home Country
UK
Current Location
Japan
I was born in the UK so I speak English- if I'd been born in Iran, I'd speak your language. That's the sort of thing that's an accident of geography to me.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Top