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Glitter

 
 
Reply Sun 8 Aug, 2004 03:53 am
A,B,C,D,E,F...X,Y,Z, each of them can glitter。 But only A,B,C,D,E are gold, and the rest of them are not。 So we say --

All that glitters is not gold。


But if A,B,C,D,E,F...X,Y,Z, each of them is gold and can glitter, how to express them?

All that glitters is gold?
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Type: Discussion • Score: 1 • Views: 718 • Replies: 12
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Phoenix32890
 
  1  
Reply Sun 8 Aug, 2004 05:18 am
"All that glitters is not gold" is an idiom that really does not have much to do with gold or glittering. Freely translated, it means something like, "just because something looks wonderful, does not mean that it is!"

Quote:
All That Glitters Is Not Gold ( it may not be as valuable as it seems ... )
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Something which seems valuable at first may turn out to be worthless. Example: "Be careful when shopping for your new car; all that glitters is not gold!" Just because something appears valuable does not mean that it really is valuable.


http://www.goenglish.com/AllThatGlittersIsNotGold.asp

Oristar- While I was checking out the idiom, I found this:

http://www.goenglish.com/Index.asp

I think that you will find this site useful!
0 Replies
 
Craven de Kere
 
  1  
Reply Sun 8 Aug, 2004 05:24 am
To answer your question Oristar, yes. Were the logic inverse that would be the way to express it.

And it's used that way in the Smashmouth All Star lyrics as a play on (or a bastardization of) the idiom Phoenix referenced.
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Phoenix32890
 
  1  
Reply Sun 8 Aug, 2004 05:27 am
Never heard THAT one before. Maybe 'cause I'm not "into" Smashmouth!
0 Replies
 
smog
 
  1  
Reply Sun 8 Aug, 2004 05:27 am
The saying actually comes from The Merchant of Venice and reads: "All that glisters is not gold." But, people don't really use "glisters" anymore.

http://www.allshakespeare.com/quotes/1175
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Craven de Kere
 
  1  
Reply Sun 8 Aug, 2004 05:36 am
Phoenix32890 wrote:
Never heard THAT one before. Maybe 'cause I'm not "into" Smashmouth!


You should listed to, Walkin' On The Sun it is a damn good song and much more meaningful than the music would imply (it's campy, but about a serious subject).

Listen to a clip of it here

But about OristarA's question, I don't think whether it's an idiom or not, or how the idiom goes is his query.

I think, and he can correct me if I am wrong, that he's trying to get a handle on how the structure of the idiom works, because it's in shorthand (for English).

-----

OristarA, here are some more examples of similar structure.

Not all that <verb> is <noun> (can also be adjective etc).

All that <verb> is <noun> (can also be adjective etc).

OristarA, I'll take another idiom and force it into this structure.

Idiom: If it walks like a duck, quacks like a duck.... it's a duck.

All that quacks is a duck.

Now that's not really true, and the opposite statement would be:

Not all that quacks is a duck.

Here is an expantion of the structure:

All [things] that <condition> is <whatever it is>.
0 Replies
 
Phoenix32890
 
  1  
Reply Sun 8 Aug, 2004 06:01 am
Craven- Nice sound and beat, but it was difficult to understand the words. (I think that my husband was playing with the equalizer again Laughing )

I found the words........you are right, it IS a serious song!



Quote:
Walking on the Sun by Smash Mouth

It ain't no joke I'd like to buy the world a toke
And teach the world to sing in perfect harmony
And teach the world to snuff the fires and the liars
Hey I know it's just a song but it's spice for the recipe
This is a love attack I know it went out but it's back
It's just like any fad retracts before impact
And it's just like fashion it's a passion for the with it and hip
If ya got the goods they'll come and buy it just to stay in
The clique

(CHORUS):
So don't delay act now supplies are running out
Allow, if you're still alive, six to eight years to arrive
And if you follow there may be a tomorrow
But if the offer is shun you might as well be walking on the sun

Twenty five years ago they spoke out and they broke out
Of depression and oppression and together they toked
And they folked out with guitars around a bon fire
Just singin' and clappin' man what the hell happened
Some were spell bound some were hell bound
Some they fell down and some got back up and
Fought back 'gainst the melt down
And their kids are hippie chicks and hypocrites
Because fashion is smashin' the true meaning of it

(CHORUS):
So don't delay act now supplies are running out
Allow, if you're still alive, six to eight years to arrive
And if you follow there may be a tomorrow
But if the offer is shun you might as well be walking on the sun


It ain't no joke when mama's handkerchief is soaked
With her tears because her baby's life has been revoked
The bond is broke up so choke up and focus on the close up
Mr. Wizard can't perform no god like hocus pocus
So don't sit back and watch the world get bushwhacked
News at 10:00 your neighborhood is under attack
Put away the crack before the crack puts you away
You need to be there when your babies are old enough to relate

(CHORUS):
So don't delay act now supplies are running out
Allow, if you're still alive, six to eight years to arrive
And if you follow there may be a tomorrow
But if the offer is shun you might as well be walking on the sun


might as well be walking on the sun
might as well be walking on the sun
might as well be walking on the sun
might as well be walking on the sun
0 Replies
 
Craven de Kere
 
  1  
Reply Sun 8 Aug, 2004 06:07 am
Phoenix32890 wrote:
Craven- Nice sound and beat, but it was difficult to understand the words.


I think the genre is called "Ska". But I'm not sure, cause names for genres are something I tend to ignore.
0 Replies
 
cavfancier
 
  1  
Reply Sun 8 Aug, 2004 06:18 am
Craven de Kere wrote:
Phoenix32890 wrote:
Craven- Nice sound and beat, but it was difficult to understand the words.


I think the genre is called "Ska". But I'm not sure, cause names for genres are something I tend to ignore.


Grrr, I totally agree. Genres are just a tool of record companies to sell artists in a package. It's always been that way. "Jungle Music" used to be a genre, pre-emancipation. Smash Mouth aren't really genre-specific, but they have a catchy sound, and good lyrics, so they had to be sold some way. Ska is a bit loose as a definition of their sound, but hey, they did sell, and ska really has changed in recent years. http://users.bigpond.net.au/lvisser/skahistory.html
0 Replies
 
stuh505
 
  1  
Reply Sun 8 Aug, 2004 07:28 am
No kidding...I always admired Tolkien for coming up with that little idiom...oh well. At least he did come up with the egg riddle...right? Please tell me he didn't steal that from shakespeare as well!
0 Replies
 
smog
 
  1  
Reply Sun 8 Aug, 2004 07:38 am
"A box without hinges, key, or lid, yet golden treasure inside is hid."

Yes, Tolkien wrote this one. Smile

But, that other idiom, he unfortunately borrowed from Shakespeare.
0 Replies
 
oristarA
 
  1  
Reply Sun 8 Aug, 2004 02:07 pm
I haven't got your point of views very well after reading through them. I think I'd carefully read them again later. Very Happy
0 Replies
 
fortune
 
  1  
Reply Sun 8 Aug, 2004 02:20 pm
Succinctly, "all that glitters is not gold" is a well known idiom in the English language. To say "all that glitters is gold" sounds wrong to a native speaker.
0 Replies
 
 

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