English for Today by Ganiu Abisoye Bamgbose (Dr GAB)
Ours versus Theirs
- As you lay your bed so you lie on it (Nigerian English)
You’ve made your bed and must lie in it (British English)
If you say that someone has made their bed and must lie in it, you mean that since they have chosen to do a particular thing, they must now accept the unpleasant results of their action. - I-don’t-care attitude (Nigerian English).
Devil-may-care attitude (British English).
If you say that someone has a devil-may-care attitude, you mean that they seem relaxed and do not seem worried about the consequences of their actions. - To fight a lost battle (Nigerian English)
To fight a losing battle (British English).
If you are fighting a losing battle, you are trying to achieve something but are not going to be successful.
GAB
3 Comments
I really achieved something today
Dr Gab, more power to your linguistic elbow. E kú isé.
Thank you so much for adding value.
How do I get your book in Lagos?