‘Pip pip’ among expressions at risk of being lost from English language | ITV News

ITV News published this video item, entitled “‘Pip pip’ among expressions at risk of being lost from English language | ITV News” – below is their description.

Some of our language’s most traditional sayings and expressions are at risk of falling out of dialect, with many people no longer using them – or not sure of what they mean.

A survey has identified the top 50 phrases most at risk of dying out.

Top on the list was the term to cast “pearls before swine,” with 78% of people never using it in conversation. If you want to start throwing it into your next conversation, it means you are wasting your time by offering something to somebody who doesn’t appreciate it. The term originally came from the bible.

Another term on the way out (with 71% of people not using it) is “nail your colours to the mast” – meaning to speak out openly about your beliefs.

It, unsurprisingly, has a nautical background dating back to the 17th Century when ships would either lower their flag as a mark of submission – or pin their battle colours onto whatever was left of a ship if they’d lost a battle.

ITV News YouTube Channel

Got a comment? Leave your thoughts in the comments section, below. Please note comments are moderated before publication.


About This Source - ITV News

ITV News is the branding of news programmes on the British television network ITV. Independent Television News (ITN) was founded to provide news bulletins for the network in 1955, and has since continued to produce all news programmes on ITV.

ITV Books & Apps #Ad

Recent from ITV News:

Sexual health services are at ‘breaking point’ #itvnews 1

Sexual health services are at ‘breaking point’ #itvnews

Tata Steel confirms plans to close furnaces at Port Talbot | ITV News

Duke of Sussex withdraws High Court libel claim against Mail on Sunday publisher | ITV News

In This Story: ITV

ITV (LSE: ITV) is a broadcasting company which was formed from a merger of Granada plc and Carlton Communications in 2004. It holds Channel 3 broadcasting licences in England, Wales, Southern Scotland and the Isle of Man.

2 Recent Items: ITV

Sexual health services are at ‘breaking point’ #itvnews

Tata Steel confirms plans to close furnaces at Port Talbot | ITV News

Leave a Comment

We don't require your email address, or your name, for anyone to leave a comment. If you do add an email address, you may be notified if there are replies to your comment - we won't use it for any other purpose. Please make respectful comments, which add value, and avoid personal attacks on others. Links are not allowed in comments - 99% of spam comments, attempt to post links. Please describe where people may find additional information - for example "visit the UN website" or "search Google for..." rather than posting a link. Comments failing to adhere to these guidelines will not be published.