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From: Enrico C <enrico.c@spamcop.net>
Newsgroups: alt.languages.english
Subject: Re: On the tin [An Idiom A Day #1]
Date: Thu, 25 Dec 2003 18:32:21 +0000 (UTC)
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wendyj | alt.languages.english
in <news:213bfb9f.0312250619.5c1580d0@posting.google.com>
> I think this phrase almost certainly originated from the TV advert for
> a varnish, which '.... does exactly what it says on the tin..........'
>
> I did not realize it had actaully passed into common usuage, but I
> suppose the ad must have been round for a couple of years.
Hi wendyj!
Thank you for your explanation.
As you can see in my other posts, I found exactly that, later on...
:)
The meaning, actually, could be understood even not having heard the
ad.
Well, I didn't get it at once --but then I am not an English native
speaker!
But, generally speaking, I think that TV and advert slogans used in
everyday language are quite difficult to catch, if you don't live in
the same country, as the new idioms are not recorded in books or in
lists on the web.
Ciao!
--
Enrico C
~ Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year! ~
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