One of my most valuable English lessons came out of a book.
“You alarm me!’ said the King. ‘I feel faint—Give me a ham sandwich!’
On which the Messenger, to Alice’s great amusement, opened a bag that hung round his neck, and handed a sandwich to the King, who devoured it greedily.
‘Another sandwich!’ said the King.‘There’s nothing but hay left now,’ the Messenger said, peeping into the bag.
‘Hay, then,’ the King murmured in a faint whisper.
Alice was glad to see that it revived him a good deal. ‘There’s nothing like eating hay when you’re faint,’ he remarked to her, as he munched away.
‘I should think throwing cold water over you would be better,’ Alice suggested: ‘or some sal-volatile.’
‘I didn’t say there was nothing better,’ the King replied. ‘I said there was nothing like it.’ Which Alice did not venture to deny.”
(Through the Looking-Glass, and What Alice Found There by Lewis Carrol)
I read it years ago when I still learned English and fell in love with the phrase. Still to this day, you will hear me say “There is nothing like it,” when I am not sure about something, or when I eat a dish that I just don’t care for.
It works like a charm, and I never have to lie. Just because something isn’t my taste, doesn’t mean it is not good. Why offend a host or a chef? “There is nothing like it” accompanied by a smile, leaves the door wide open for all kind of interpretations. It seems to make people happy and I don’t have to be rude.
English is a tricky language!
Sandwich
Now I’ll be on the lookout for that phrase being used on me!!
Don’t tempt me 🙂
🙂
yes it is so impossible! great phrase! 🙂
Very tricky, but a great book. 🙂 I re-read it recently. My husband was involved in the garden design of a house that Lewis Carroll had lived in, and he took the book out of the library to look at the illustrations for inspiration. I couldn’t resist it. 🙂
No wonder you love plants, flowers and gardens so much, it runs in the family. 🙂
It does 🙂 🙂
Much better than – it’s very interesting!
A great thought
Lovely
Excellent use of the maddeningly ambivalent English language! I must try it.
“Maddening ambivalent English language” no kidding 🙂
Oooh. That’s handy. I’m going to use it 🙂
Use it and abuse it. Studying people’s reaction to it is very entertaining.
I like that. “There’s nothing like it.” May have to try that one myself 🙂
Yes, and let me know how it went.
haha I’ll have to remember that phrase – it’s a good one!
It looks like you have a pretty smile as well, give it a try. It works like a charm. 🙂