Hey, everyone. No episódio de hoje, falamos sobre expressões em inglês super comuns com a palavra thumb.

Transcrição

How’s it going, everyone? Today we have a new episode of the Inglesonline podcast. Please subscribe to this podcast using the Podcasts app for iPhone or iPad, or listen to the episodes using the Inglesonline Android app. To download or just listen to other episodes and download transcripts, go to inglesonline.com.br and click Podcast Inglesonline.

So how about we talk about the thumb? Thumb. What is that? The thumb is one of the fingers, or digits of our hands. It’s the shortest, thickest one, next to the index finger. Have you ever heard the expression thumbs up? It’s a very common term and it expresses, you guessed it, approval. Movie critics Roger and Ebert used to give some movies two thumbs up when they really liked them. You can give anything two thumbs up, or simply… thumbs up.

And actually, you can say thumbs down as well. Thumbs up, thumbs down. Think of the latest films you’ve seen at the theater. Would you give them thumbs up, or thumbs down? I’d give the film Gravity two thumbs up, I guess. It was a nice film for the most part. Now, I know I’m the exception, but I’m not THAT into movies, meaning I’m not crazy about movies and I’m not a movie buff by any stretch of the imagination. So, honestly, my opinion about movies is, well, I can’t really give an honest opinion about most movies ’cause I rarely watch a movie through to the end. Seriously! I get bored and I start fastforwarding, or I just give up. So I guess my overall opinion about movies is, boring.

Anyway,  I’m curious what your opinion about the latest blockbusters is. Transformers, The Hangover, Wolverine, Robocop and so on. Let us know in the comments: thumbs up or thumbs down?

And here’s another very common, very popular term with the word thumb: rule of thumb. What kind of rule is that? Well, it is not a rule per se, but more of a general principle that, more often than not, is correct. It’s something that hasn’t been proven by any kind of scientific research or anything like that, but through experience we can tell that if you follow this general principle… you’re good, meaning, you’ll do OK. That’s a rule of thumb

So here’s an example I found on Twitter – someone tweeted out the following: Rule of thumb… if something looks too good to be true, it probably is. So this person believes that when you look at something and you get that feeling, ‘This is just too good to be true!’, that’s because it is too good to be true. Most likely. What do you think? Here’s another rule of thumb for parking lots, and anyone who’s used to going to shopping malls, or movie theathers or any kind of busy areas on weekends where you have to find a parking spot, knows this. Rule of thumb: if you’ve just found a parking spot that is convenient and empty, you are probably not allowed to park there. I totally agree with this one, although sometimes we do get lucky.

So here’s what I want to know from you: what are your latest thumbs-up or thumbs-down in the movie and book departments; and one example of a good rule of thumb for you. Let us know in the comments and talk to you next time!

Keywords

* thumbs up

* thumbs down

* rule of thumb

 

Glossary

I’m not that into movies = eu não curto filme tanto assim

a movie buff = uma cinéfila

by any stretch of the imagination = nem de longe

per se = em si