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/define.asp?key=1816&dict=CALD&desc=in the air , 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".

 

[RonBee]

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

 

[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.

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.

 

[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?

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

Thank you for the question.

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

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

Prepositions
http://depts.gallaudet.edu/englishworks/grammar/main/prep.htm

 

[Hong Kong Chinese]

Thank you

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!

 

[RonBee]

Re: Thank you

Say:

• You guessed it.

Or:

• You got it right.

Thanks to you from all of us. We will be looking forward to more of your questions.

 

[Casiopea]

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

The pop-up ad refers to teaching English by watching TV programmes. TV programmes are sent via signals that pass through the airways. Notice also that the main site shows a picture of a huge satellite, which is beaming down on areas you can click on to learn more about how to improve your English.

"Air" refers to airways. "English in the Air" means, English is brought to you by satellite feed. English is all encompassing thanks to satellites.

 

[Hong Kong Chinese]

Dear Casiopea

No! No! No!

They just use terrestrial TV stations, i.e. TVB Pearl and ATV world, which are TV stations assigned to air English programmes. Before 1997 all English programmes are subtitled by Chinese, now they do the same. Because of the complaints of the decline of English among University graduates by business sectors, one influenced person (people) raised the question that English programmes should be subtitled in English about one or two years ago so that the students can follows the dialogues by recording them, so the Government asked the TV stations to subtitle the English programmes in English for the conditions on renewal of their licences. The TV stations had many excuses to subtitle the English programmes in English because they have already subtitled them in Chinese.

So, I think, it maybe under the table, they select some English programmes suitable for youngsters, subtitled them in English and have some quiz about (on?) English on that website with which I have provided.

The phase ‘English in the Airwaves’ is good to me, but it seems to be too
technical.

P.S. please keep on correcting my grammatical mistakes or re-phrasing my message so that I can learn!

 

[whl626]

 

[RonBee]

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

I agree with Cas (because she's right), but I rather like the idea of breathing English.

:wink:

 

[Casiopea]

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

I agree with Cas (because she's right), but I rather like the idea of breathing English.

:wink:

I was thinking "awesome", but on second thought drummed up "Osmosis", it appearing to be more apropos in this context.

 

[RonBee]

:wink: