How did the idiom 'round the bend' originate?

To Linguistics and Educators

Ever wondered about the origin of idioms? Morphology is actually quite an interesting area of linguistics (there aren't many)...and for those of you with morphological interests - you might be interested in this link.

http://www.bbc.com/news/blogs-magazine-monitor-29761017

It describes how the aforementioned idiom came into common usage. What's striking in this instance is the connection between past realities of a harsh, visceral situation and the effects they caused.

This article aptly describes the evolution of the phrase - starting from a geographical description to a metaphorical reality.

Have a read...and if you come across any other examples, let me know.

Regards

andrewmilewskteacher

Vocabulary Discussion...

Hi Folks,

A different (more boring) kinda post today. I read this query on LinkedIn and thought I'd pose it.

What's the difference between 'under' and 'below' & 'beneath' and 'underneath'? Both are sometimes used interchangeably in spoken English.

Any ideas are welcome!
A

Venetian Delights

Hi Folks,

So just the latest update. Just returned from a lovely trip to Venice with my wife. Ate some lovely food, saw some unique architecture, went on a Gondola ride and enjoyed/endured a tour of St. Marks Square. The Italians certainly made us welcome, although their weather was as changeable as the UK's - one meal was interrupted by a mini-storm!

Just a couple of pics of the surroundings, enjoy...

Dubai - October 2013

Hi Folks,

Okay - so we did Abu Dhabi, then Dubai two months later. I'd heard much from friends about this place; famed for its luxurious beaches, opulent buildings, smokin' hot cars and ridiculously extravagant hotels!

So why not we thought? Why not sample a taste of the best the ME has to offer? So, we packed our bags, serviced the Mercury, a.k.a 'The Boat' (due to it's soft suspension that produces a sailing sensation) and hit the UAE highway. Twelve hours later, we arrived, having booked the cheapest possible fleapit of a hotel in 'little India', Dubai (otherwise known as Jebel Mina).

The next four days were a mix of hotel lunches, sightseeing, relaxation, live music, cafe's, shopping malls and some live entertainment with a Lebanese belly dancer thrown in for good measure!

All good clean fun. Enjoy the pics

Over & out
A

Jeddah - Feb 2013

Hi folks,

Welcome to my new blog! As this has been set up toward the end of my Saudi stint, you'll see retrospective posts that start from the beginning of 2013. This trip is the first post.

At the time, our company gave us a week off owing to some Kuwaiti National holidays. Since we only had 4 days on this occasion, we decided to stay in Saudi - but go somewhere nicer

! My friend and I decided on the historic port city of Jeddah.

We touched down in quite warm temperatures of 30+ deg. After navigating through the total chaos that is King Abdulaziz Airport, we embarked on some interesting and fun sightseeing. We started by visiting old Jeddah, the 'Balad' district and wandering through the mazy markets and relaxing by the old outdoor cafes.

The following day we visited the ancient settlements of Taif, a historic Bedouin stronghold during the First Saudi State. Here we looked around some antiquities and visited a 'Dawiniyah' - an outdoor cafe/resting place in the hills. On Sunday we returned to Jeddah and witnessed a traditional Saudi antiques auction with some beautiful pieces. As this was the last day, we treated ourselves to an expensive meal in the Sofitel hotel.

And that was that! Just a couple of photos attached.

More to follow...
Andrew