Dec 8, 2008 06:39
15 yrs ago
English term
He shouldn’t beat me if there are four of him and I’m a drum
English
Art/Literary
Idioms / Maxims / Sayings
End of boxing match commentary: "Mike Punchson should not have beat me, he shouldn’t beat me if there are four of him and I’m a drum".
Is this a common idiomatic expression or an original one?
In the first case, what would it be its more common form?
How intentionally funny it sounds to a native speakers ear?
(Only native speakers with examples, please)
Is this a common idiomatic expression or an original one?
In the first case, what would it be its more common form?
How intentionally funny it sounds to a native speakers ear?
(Only native speakers with examples, please)
Responses
| 2 +3 | Original |
Jack Doughty
|
| 5 | It is missing "AS" |
Gary D
|
| 3 +1 | a possible alternative |
Ken Cox
|
| 1 | may be a saying exclusively within boxing... |
Wil Hardman (X)
|
Responses
+3
23 mins
Jack Doughty
United Kingdom
United Kingdom
Native in English
&
English
Specializes in field
United Kingdom
Translator since 1953
Native in: English
Works in: Russian to English, German to English, English
Related KudoZ points
:
80
Selected
Original
Never come across it & I'm a native speaker of UK English. Can't speak for US or other forms of English though.
Mildly amusing, brief chuckle rather than ROFL, is my rating.
Mildly amusing, brief chuckle rather than ROFL, is my rating.
4 KudoZ points awarded for this answer.
Comment: "cheers"
+1
2 hrs
a possible alternative
There's no way he should have beat me. If I was blindfolded and had one hand tied behind my back, he still couldn't beat me.
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Note added at 2 hrs (2008-12-08 09:17:04 GMT)
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Or of you insist on the (IMO forced) metaphor: If I was a drum and there was four of him, he still couldn't beat me.
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Note added at 2 hrs (2008-12-08 09:17:04 GMT)
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Or of you insist on the (IMO forced) metaphor: If I was a drum and there was four of him, he still couldn't beat me.
Peer comment(s):
| agree |
Tina Vonhof (X)
: With your explanation - the drum may be a metaphor specific to boxing.
17 hrs
|
2 hrs
may be a saying exclusively within boxing...
I agree with Jack in that it is not an idiom that is commonly used in the UK (among the general population).
However, as with many jobs / professions each develop their own set of expressions that are not used outside of that setting. Post-boxing match is probably not the ideal time to be making up idioms on the spot, so I'd say at the very least the boxer himself has used it before. It could be just among his immediate working community (i.e at his gym), it could be a phrase used generally in boxing or he could have pre-written exclusively for this occasion.
Without an inside knowledge of boxing it is impossible to say. When I worked as a chef there were many idioms that would have been unknown outside of that professional setting.
Also I'd say there is definately an intention of humour (how funny it is subjective) and the phrase it used to emphasise the boxer's point.
However, as with many jobs / professions each develop their own set of expressions that are not used outside of that setting. Post-boxing match is probably not the ideal time to be making up idioms on the spot, so I'd say at the very least the boxer himself has used it before. It could be just among his immediate working community (i.e at his gym), it could be a phrase used generally in boxing or he could have pre-written exclusively for this occasion.
Without an inside knowledge of boxing it is impossible to say. When I worked as a chef there were many idioms that would have been unknown outside of that professional setting.
Also I'd say there is definately an intention of humour (how funny it is subjective) and the phrase it used to emphasise the boxer's point.
1 day 2 hrs
It is missing "AS"
he shouldn’t beat me "as" if there are four of him and I’m a drum".
He should never beat me like there was four of him and I was a drum
I have heard this a few times.
One that is shortened..
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2008/11/03/mcconnell-on-dem-ch...
He should never beat me like there was four of him and I was a drum
I have heard this a few times.
One that is shortened..
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2008/11/03/mcconnell-on-dem-ch...
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