Foreign mistakes using English expressions

[JPablo]

I will like to start a thread here with common (or not so common) errors you have seen or heard. (Normally with people more or less acquainted with English... Spanish or any other language.)

I heard, for example, things like, "I am going to roll my arms and get to work", instead of "roll up my sleeves".
Or "Do not believe what these politicians say... it is just cake in the air", instead of "pie in the sky".

On the one, “It pounded the nail in the wood.” I guess it may have to do with "hit the nail on the head"? (You can give me your take on this one, as I am not totally sure what it actually means or has to do with my guess, or otherwise...)

At any rate, while these may be funny and almost fall in the category of 'puns', I'd like to read some of these mis-steaks... Because, even if one doesn't always learn from these mis-steaks, one always can have some fun...

[chileno]

"Of coors"

(prosit)

[Cheshire]

Hmmm, can't think of too many off-hand.

I had a Turkish friend who used to say a lot of funny things. I remember he used to always say things were "very decent", he never would use "good", and he would put the stress in funny places, like "look AT this"...

My bf speaks English as a first language but he still messes up every now and again "That's all squirt away" (squared away)... can't think of any others atm.

[JPablo]

Originally Posted by chileno

"Of coors"

(prosit)

Okay, Chileno, but do not drink too much to find more inspiration... Prosit, anyhow. (Somewhat you made remember that thing of "I used to be dyslexic, but now I am K.O." I guess due to the K sound of Coors...

Originally Posted by Cheshire

My bf speaks English as a first language but he still messes up every now and again "That's all squirt away" (squared away)... can't think of any others atm.

That's an interesting Juan! (Never heard it before!)

[Perikles]

My ex-wife had English as a second language and would consistently get set expressions the wrong way round. This is of course not grammatically incorrect, just incredibly annoying after decades hearing things like

chips and fish
mash and sausage
socks and shoes
toes and fingers

[JPablo]

Ah! So I guess I know "fish and chips" as the right way.
On the other ones I am a silly sausage, as I don't know what is right. Can you educate us? (I mean 'me', with Royal 'we')

[Perikles]

Originally Posted by JPablo

Ah! So I guess I know "fish and chips" as the right way.
On the other ones I am a silly sausage, as I don't know what is right. Can you educate us? (I mean 'me', with Royal 'we')

By implication, all the above are 'the wrong way round'. There are plenty of such expressions which have an expected sequence: Black and Blue; Left and Right; Up and Down; etc.

[JPablo]

Kind of figured that, but I'd rather ask, just to be shush.
Better sorry than safe... I mean, worser sorry than safe.
I pardon your begging, just ask me for pardoning. (Uff, I'd better get a good night of wrest and slip... as I am loosing it!) They are going to think I am a lush.
I guess the above, reads a bit lamely recherché... but what do you expect at these small 'ours'?
I guess it is a salutary, salubrious and healthy prac-tease.

[poli]

Among foreign English speakers there is sometimes a subsititution of
very for too.
For example: I like you very much is sometimes incorrectly said: I like you
too much (a sentence easily misconstrued).

I don't know if you consider mistakes in pronunciation to be languange mistakes but accents can cause confusion.
The Christmas carol Silent Night in a heavy Spanish accent is funny to me
when it gets to the part that goes: sleep in heavenly peace. Foreign
accents in any language can cause laughs, but if taken in good nature,
these laughs shouldn't be too harmful. On the other hand in English a
French accent can sound really good. British usually sounds good to Americans too, and that's a very foreign language.

[Perikles]

Originally Posted by poli

On the other hand in English a
French accent can sound really good. .

I actually find that very irritating when a man is speaking, and very attractive when it is a woman.

Originally Posted by poli

British usually sounds good to Americans too, and that's a very foreign language.

Hmmm - I don't quite see how English can have an English accent.