shoot off one's mouth

[vectra]

Hello everyone,
These are the last of the idioms for my freshman students I would like you to clarify.

Shoot off one's mouth - the definition in the book to express one's opinion loudly
Example sentence - You are not supposed to shoot your mouth. You must be self-possessed.
Jump down one's throat - the definition is to become angry with somebody
Example sentence is She always jumps down her son's throat when he comes home late.

Some time ago a native speaker pointed out the wrong example with the expression to pencil something in. The sentence in the test was John did not have any problems passing his exam because he had penciled in all the lectures.
I had to redo the sentence into: 'I had penciled in a meeting with you on Tuesday, but we need to arrange a suitable time.'
As you can see, double-checking is quite useful, especially when you are given a set of idioms prepared by someone else.

Thank you very much for your time and help.

 

[TheParser]

Hello everyone,
These are the last of the idioms for my freshman students I would like you to clarify.

Shoot off one's mouth - the definition in the book to express one's opinion loudly
Example sentence - You are not supposed to shoot your mouth. You must be self-possessed.
Jump down one's throat - the definition is to become angry with somebody
Example sentence is She always jumps down her son's throat when he comes home late.

Some time ago a native speaker pointed out the wrong example with the expression to pencil something in. The sentence in the test was John did not have any problems passing his exam because he had penciled in all the lectures.
I had to redo the sentence into: 'I had penciled in a meeting with you on Tuesday, but we need to arrange a suitable time.'
As you can see, double-checking is quite useful, especially when you are given a set of idioms prepared by someone else.

Thank you very much for your time and help.

***** NOT A TEACHER *****
************************


Vectra,


I believe that "shoot off one's mouth" is a little more than

simply "expressing one's opinion loudly." I feel that it is

closer to:

Expressing your opinion (loudly or quietly) without

due consideration. In other words, giving your opinion

before you have had time to consider all the facts.


THANK YOU

 

[BobK]

:up:... so the example sentence is wrong: 'You are not supposed to shoot your mouth OFF. You must be self-possessed.'

b

 

[vil]

Here are two examples of the usage and my interpretation of the expression in question:

Oh, he’s something of a demagogue…. He shoots off his mouth a lot about how he’ll jack up the income tax and grab the banks, but he won’t… (S. Lewis, “It Can’t Happen Here”)

What the hell did you do now? Shooting off your mouth to a clown like that -! (M. Wilson, “My Brother, My Enemy”)

shoot off one’s mouth = shoot off one’s face = twaddle, talk nonsense, flap one’s mouth, prattle, wag one’s tongue

V.

 

[BobK]

...
shoot off one’s mouth = shoot off one’s face = twaddle, talk nonsense, flap one’s mouth, prattle, wag one’s tongue

V.

Be careful: 'talk nonsense' and 'prattle' are verbs, as is 'wag one's tongue (although it is usually used in a nominalized form: 'Then he moved in with her, which really set tongues wagging - and wagging of the tongues doesn't denote nonsense; it refers to the spreading of rumour). 'Flap one's mouth' is also (formally) verbal, although if it exists somewhere in cyber-space it is a mistake; mouths don't flap, tongues do.

This leaves 'twaddle', which isn't a verb at all. You may know this vil, but lists that lack parallel structure are often misleading.

b

 

[vil]

This leaves 'twaddle', which isn't a verb at all. (BobK’s pearl)

twaddle (v) = (twŏd'l)

intr.v., -dled, -dling, -dles.
To talk foolishly; prate.

Read more: http://www.answers.com/topic/twaddle#ixzz1AH6gPidq


V. from the cyber space

 

[5jj]

This leaves 'twaddle', which isn't a verb at all. (BobK’s pearl)/QUOTE]
The Corpus of Contemporary American gives only 47 citations for 'twaddle, none of them verbs. I think I'll stick with BobK and COCA.

 

[vil]

twaddle Twad"dle, v. i. & t. [See {Twattle}.] To talk in a weak and silly manner, like one whose faculties are decayed; to prate; to prattle. --Stanyhurst. [1913 Webster]

V.

 

[5jj]

twaddle Twad"dle, v. i. & t. [See {Twattle}.] To talk in a weak and silly manner, like one whose faculties are decayed; to prate; to prattle. --Stanyhurst. [1913 Webster]

V.

Keep up your research, Vil, and you'll find it as a verb in the 1961 Webster's Third and in the 1989 Oxford English Dictionary. You'll even find it in the 1995 Concise Oxford Dictionary.

I know this, as BobK probably knows it. We also know that it is not used as a verb today by enough people for it to appear in either the Corpus of Contemporary American or the The British National Corpus. Bob therefore said, as I would have done: "This leaves 'twaddle', which isn't a verb at all".

Such a statement is probably more useful to learners than, "Technically twaddle must be a verb, because it is listed as such in some of the world's leading dictionaries. The last citation for it as a verb in the OED is 1826, Webster's 3rd gives no citations, and two leading corpora don't mention it. As no native speaker appears to use it, it is probably wise not to use it, but don't forget: IT IS A VERB; IT IS IN THE DICTIONARY."

Personally, I'll stick with BobK's shorter version.

 

[vil]

Since you are so insistent and stand adamant on your statement I yield to your arguments.

I have fear that later another English teacher will try and probably will find a way to persuade me that there aren’t such verbs as “dance” and “tea”.

V.

 

[5jj]

Although 'tea' can be found in many large dictionaries meaning 'take or give tea', it is not used seriously by 99.8% of the sane native-speaking population.

Students are strongly recommended not to use 'tea' as a verb, as most English teachers will, rightly, tell them that it is not acceptable.

 

[vil]

Hi fivejedjon.

Thank you again for your kindness.

I hope you may finally see the great benefit, it goes without saying, certainly to the advantage of me from those persistent remarks.

I'm glad that we finally reached an agreement.

I beg your pardon for my urgency.

V.

 

[vectra]

Hello everyone,

Thank you a lot for enlightening me about the expression to shoot off one's mouth. Now I have enough food for thought.
But, Vil, please do not forget that my students major in economics, not in languages.
My dictionaries give the following definitions:
Longman Dictionary of idioms, 1980
shoot off one's mouth coll 1 coll to express one's opinion loudly: During the six months that he had occupied a desk in our office, I had never heard him shooting off his mouth on subjects about which he knew nothing. (James D. Watson) 2 to reveal a secret by talking loudly or carelessly: the soldier had been heard shooting his mouth off about the camp's defence system.
Sometimes (for 1 and 2) shortened to shoot off.
Dictionary of American slang by Richard A. Spears, 1991
shoot one's mouth off and shoot off one's mouth tr. to brag; to tell secrets.
Stop shooting your mouth off. Nobody believes you anymore.
So you had to go and shoot off your mouth about the bankruptcy proceedings!

So, i will try to include sentences which meet these definitions in the upcoming test.

Thank you once again for your time and help.

 

[BobK]

Hi fivejedjon.

Thank you again for your kindness.

I hope you may finally see the great benefit, it goes without saying, certainly to the advantage of me from those persistent remarks.

I'm glad that we finally reached an agreement.

I beg your pardon for my urgency.

V.

:up:

b

 

[BobK]

PS Note on ironic usage of 'pearl' ('BobK's pearl')

When you want to say that someone has made a flagrant and gross mistake, I think it'd be better to use the word 'gem' - 'gem of an idea'/'gem of a proposal'... is commonly used in this ironic sense for something that is unwelcome, inappropriate, or useless.

Because of the contradictory connotations in expressions such as 'pearls of wisdom' and 'casting pearls before swine' I don't think 'pearl' is le mot juste (as we English say ;-))

b

 

[vil]

When you want to say that someone has made a flagrant and gross mistake, I think it'd be better to use the word 'gem' - 'gem of an idea'/'gem of a proposal'... is commonly used in this ironic sense for something that is unwelcome, inappropriate, or useless.

HJi BobK,

Thank you for your suggestion.

I agree 100% with you. (also "pearls of the faith" or "a pearl of great price")

Regards,

V.