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Sheryl
Do you use "gem" in your conversation?
Do you usually use a word of “gem” as a good person?
Recently, I bought a book on survival English. I didn't notice it was American English conversation version. This time, I knew for the first time that they use "gem" as a good person. Is this a local or global English word? I think that, as well as Japanese has many intonations and slangs, English also has many. I hope to learn simple and global English, but I have a idea that languages are just a tool for communication and I need to adjust my words for others. If you are a native English speaker, how do you deal with this dialect issue?
P.S. I'd found a funny comment on my Facebook before. It was SMS between my American friend and an Australian. Australian guy said "Corial"(I don't know the meaning either), and my friend sent back "Cordial?"... At last, he commented "Yes thats me, people of Australia I've never had Cordial, please send me some"
2012년 8월 26일 오전 12:16
답변 · 7
2
It's usually said, "A gem of a "______ ." Or, " _____" is a real gem.
Besides being a precious stone, gem can have this meaning: A person or thing held to be a perfect example; treasure. "Susan's father donated so much money to charity over the years, people should know he's a gem of a person." "This young basketball player has the talent and class to be a real gem."
2012년 8월 26일
Australians call a good person 'a treasure'
2012년 8월 26일
"Gem" is a standard English word - you simply found a figurative usage. Any English speaker would be able to see the analogy.
Don't worry too much about dialectical differences - we do understand each other well enough, and if we don't... well, we ask. :)
I have no idea what the message exchange between the Aussie and the American meant, but it sounds like the Aussie was being a little smartalecky. Actually, they probably both were.
2012년 8월 26일
아직도 답을 찾지 못하셨나요?
질문을 남겨보세요. 원어민이 도움을 줄 수 있을 거예요!
Sheryl
언어 구사 능력
중국어(북경어), 영어, 일본어
학습 언어
중국어(북경어), 영어
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