LOS Idiomania

Whether you're a tech enthusiast or passionate about language, this episode offers valuable insights and learning opportunities. So, let's dive in and together uncover the fascinating intersection of technology and colloquial English!

Can we borrow you for a minute? It won't take ages and it will be worth your while. In fact, it's no stretch to say that the 'Time' idioms awaiting you are second to none!

You watch too much TV and way too many movies! Or is that just us? Either way, the moving image plays a central part in 21st century life, so building up a relevant vocabulary is essential, even if only to understand what the bores are talking about.   

When English sings, what joy it brings. This episode gives an insight into how rhyming creativity can inject fun into the majority of situations. Give it a go. You may be a poet and just don't know it!

Are you familiar with 'alliteration' ? If so, perhaps productivity and performance have played a part. Maybe managers have made it meaningful. Whatever, this episode will combine creativity, collaboration, communication and critical thinking to cultivate your competencies.

What phrase do you use when giving approximations? 'More or Less'? This makes Angels cry. 'Give or Take'? Better, but the Angels are still unhappy. Want to make them smile? This episode tells you how.

Is someone the centre of your Universe? Or maybe they live on a different planet? Perhaps they need to be brought back down to Earth. More importantly, will the Metaverse be a Betterverse? Listen in to the podcast which kicks off the conversation.

Let's keep this real. Or should we? What language should we use when we're not sure? The most relevant Idiomania to date explores what it means to be in the here and now. Or not. You decide.

Are you strategic or reactive? Is your thinking conservative or free-ranging? Irrespective of your current mindset, you'll benefit from the idiomatic language of innovation within this episode, so important to any kind of debate.

Do you sometimes engage your feedback mouth before your feedback brain? Just say what's on your mind before factoring in the recipient? This episode gives some great tips on how to deliver the same information in different ways to different audiences.

Are you paying attention to the art of communication? You need to lend us your ears, and understand how those organs are regularly used in English idiom. You won't be sorry to have given this episode a fair hearing.

We all think home is special, right? No wonder, then, that language tends to reflect this importance in idiom. English certainly does, and this episode highlights some examples that we are sure you'll enjoy. In fact, we'd bet our house on it!

Are you hungry to learn English? Then feast right here on some  food-inspired idioms which will invoke the Idiomania Paradox. You'll be left satisfied yet wanting more.

Are you the spitting image of someone, or cut from the same cloth as anybody? Same difference, perhaps? Personal and professional comparisons are a feature of everyday life , and this episode will help your confidence in expressing these in English idiom.

English words crop up in many other languages, with varying degrees of acceptance, but the reverse is also true. Check out this episode to see if any of your native vocabulary has made it into the Lingua Franca. Ciao Bella!

Frightened of kicking the bucket or popping your clogs before you bite the dust? This episode looks at some of the less reverential ways to talk about death, whether of mice, men ... or parrots.

Have you ever made a song and dance about singing and dancing? Maybe when you weren’t on song? This episode injects some music into your idiomatic repertoire.

What do old dogs and sucking eggs have in common? Or grandmothers and new tricks? Listen in to find out, as we turn the mirror on ourselves with a look at some regularly-used teaching idioms. 

Are there any phrases in your native language that are so well-known that you only need to say part of them to be understood? English is full of proverbs like that, and this episode will teach you how to play around with some fun ones that are in everyday use.

What are maxims? They are well-known phrases that express something that is usually true or that people think is a rule for sensible behaviour. In this episode you're going to take it to the max. 

Is your word your bond, or are you as bent as a nine-bob note? You will love this episode. Trust us!   

Is it hard to say how a cat can look like it's got the cream? Only if you can't pronounce 'Anthropomorphisation'! In this episode we're going to take another look at the impact of animals on language. 

Is punctuation a neglected art-form? You will be astonished how one little dash, or the lack thereof, has the power to make or break the meaning of written English. In this episode you're going to learn and practise a number hyphenated idioms. 

How do you emphasise that something is legally binding? Or express your frustration with pettifogging regulations? This episode will show you what a native speaker would say in these and other situations; maybe even to a bigwig!

Do you fancy a few minutes' escape from the humdrum into the fantastical, whilst simultaneously improving your English? Then this episode is for you! You'll learn and practise a number of idioms relating to the spooky. 

What are the pros and cons of having a trusted confidant? It's not always easy to build personal and professional connections, especially when work is virtual. In this episode we're going to learn and practise a number of idioms relating to friendship. 

How do you cope with rapidly changing circumstances? Can working from home be adapted and 'photoshopped' like any other image? In this episode we're going to learn and practise a number of idioms relating to the new normal. 

What is a binomial? It's a phrase containing two words that are joined together. In music we can listen to "rock and roll" and a popular British meal is "fish and chips". In this episode we're going to introduce a number of commonly used binomials. 

We’re all looking to the future, right? But expressing our thoughts in this regard can be a bit tricky. This episode will help you optimise your language skills when talking about the days to come.

What do you call a piece of advice given to someone in advance? Can you describe a typical water-cooler conversation? In this episode we're going to learn and practise a number of idioms relating to business language. 

You'll probably know what 'moron' means. What about 'oxymoron'? Oxymorons are phrases that combine two words that seem to be the opposite of each other. In this episode we're going to learn and practise some of these.  

What do you do to keep fit? Have you ever thrown a sickie or swung the lead? In this episode we're going to learn and practise a number of idioms relating to health. 

A lie can travel halfway around the world before the truth can get its boots on. Would you agree? In this episode we're going to learn and practise a number of idioms relating to announcements. 

Have you ever been caught with your hands in the till? We hope not. And do you know who Dirk Turpin was? We hope you do. In this episode we're going to learn and practise a number of idioms relating to crime. 

How does it feel when you're alone for a prolonged period of time? Are you comfortable in your own skin? In this episode we're going to learn and practise a number of idioms relating to loneliness. 

How good are you at speaking off the cuff and thinking on your feet? In this episode we're going to discuss and practise a number of idioms relating to spontaneity. 

How comfortable is it to make mistakes when you're trying to learn something new? Are you ready to take criticism on the chin? In this episode we're going to practise a number of idioms relating to errors and failure. 

Do you think we're out of the woods when it comes to the coronavirus pandemic? Do you know anybody who gets on their hobby horse when you mention Brexit? In this episode we're going to learn and practise four idioms that are loosely related to leisure activities. 

How difficult is it for you to keep a work-life balance in this time of crisis? Are you able to keep your head above water? In this episode we're going to learn and practise a number of idioms relating to workaholism. 

Have you ever encountered a jobsworth? Do you have any work colleagues whose performance is simply not up to scratch? This episode will introduce you to some useful, and regularly-used, workplace vocabulary.  

What happens if a particular issue is turned into a political footBALL? Is this good or bad? In this episode you're going to learn and practise a number of idioms relating to the word 'ball'. 

Are you feeling a bit down today? Have a laugh! In this episode we're going to cheer you up with four different types of humour. 

Would you call your newborn daughter Alexa? Or Corona which means 'crown' in Latin? If you did, it could go Pete Tong. In this episode we're going to learn and practise a number of idioms relating to names. 

What's your favourite animal? Is there an English idiom that features this animal? In this episode we're going to learn and practise a number of colloquial expressions relating to the animal kingdom. 

What's your best strategy to connect with people on a personal level? How often do you get your wires crossed? In this episode we're going to learn and practise a number of idioms relating to effective communication.

Do you know where the abbreviation 'Xmas' comes from? Why do turkeys never vote for Christmas? Here's our last episode of Idiomania in 2019. 

There's one personal quality that people can use both for good and bad. Which one is it? Does a snake-oil salesman possess such a trait? In this episode we're going to learn and practise a number of idioms relating to charisma. 

Sometimes it is difficult to disagree productively. How often do you rock the boat? In this episode we're going to learn and practise a number of idioms relating to disagreement. 

How do you feel when someone's breathing down your neck? Does it help you to do a better job? In this episode we're going to learn and practise a number of idioms relating to productivity.   

How good are you at identifying problems and nipping them in the bud? In this episode we're going to learn and practise a number of idioms relating to bad habits. 

Are your communication skills a little rusty? They probably need brushing up. In this episode we're going to learn and practise a number of idioms relating to lifelong learning and CPD.