Are American idiomatic expressions and slang really important?

What are some common American idiomatic expressions and slang? See if you can remember any.

Here are some:

*Blood is thicker than water. (Family ties are stronger than other ties, i.e. friendship, romance.)
*Break a leg! (Good luck!)
*Don't add fuel to the fire. (Don't make the situation worse.)
*That costs an arm and a leg. (It's expensive.)
*The man's dog rode shotgun. (The man's dog rode in the front passenger seat.)

If you are an English learner, you can easily survive in America without knowing these expressions. When you are speaking, you can use simpler sentences, such as the sentences in parentheses next to the expressions. However, when you are listening, you might not understand the message if an idiomatic expression is used.

The idiomatic expressions above are in popular use today. In fact, I have heard all of them used in the past two weeks, either on tv, radio or in conversation. If you want to understand tv commercials, sitcoms, and talk radio shows, then you should learn some idiomatic expressions.

Another reason for learning idiomatic expressions is to understand your American friends and co-workers. Idiomatic expressions are used casually, in small talk (which Americans are famous for) and in the American workplace. Sports is a common theme for small talk at the office, and its a theme for many idiomatic expressions. For example, if you ask your co-worker how the sales meeting went, he might say "Touchdown", meaning that it was a success. (Origin of touchdown: a goal in American football.)

In casual friendships among Americans, we also use idiomatic expressions very frequently. For example, let's say a friend comes to pick you up at your house and you are not ready yet. After some time, your friend might say "Come on, let's hit the road." This means, "let's get going". This is a polite way of saying "Hurry up because we need to go now."

So, in conclusion, it is important to know American idiomatic expressions to increase your understanding of what you hear from tv, radio, and from people. Good luck!

Self-reliance is important in the US

According to the American Heritage Dictionary, self-reliance is defined as a reliance on one's own capabilities, judgment, or resources. Typically, when people first move to the US from another country, they may feel overwhelmed by all the things they need to do to settle in: open a bank account, get a driver's license, enroll their kids in school, get a car, a home, etc. The transition is made easier when there is someone here to help-someone to help the new arrivals, often accompanying them to the places they need to go. If there is already an established community of people from their home country, new arrivals can speed up the process of transition. However, if there isn't a community established, most foreigners new to the US have to figure out how to establish a new life by themselves.

The difficulty for newcomers to the US lies in the speed with which they are expected to adjust to the American lifestyle. When they look for help, they are given phone numbers and emails to contact. They must find the information themselves, which takes longer than having someone do it for them. They must decide what is the best neighborhood and school for their children. Experts will give them advice, but they will not push newcomers to make a decision. The decisions must come from the individuals themselves. This can put pressure on newcomers.

Americans are good at this: they are accustomed to moving more frequently than people from other countries. They have learned from a young age how to get information when they need it and how to make decisions for themselves. They have developed the social skills necessary to talk about themselves immediately, when they are introduced, and to ask questions to get to know a new person they have met. They are also responsible for helping themselves. This is reflected in the numerous "self-help" books available to learn a variety of skills such as typing, carpentry, gardening, even dieting and quitting smoking.

Because of the history of how the United States grew and developed, many people learned to rely on themselves. When pioneers explored unknown lands in the West, they came in covered wagons, and they had to survive on the land. When they established themselves, they felt an immense feeling of success at being able to create a new life by themselves. This value of self-reliance is deep in the American culture. Those who can "make it" on their own, can be truly free from dependence on others. And independence is desirable in the US. It gives people the freedom to choose what they want and create their own lives.

When in doubt, ask!

If you are new to this country, you may not know this: The United States is a country where information flows to those who ask for it. It is not considered rude for you to ask for more information or clarification when you don't know something. For example, if you go to the bank and speak to an account representative about opening an account, he or she will begin to tell you about all of the account choices you have. After explaining the different types of accounts, you may still feel that you have some questions. (Most people do.) This is because, although the representative probably gave you the basic information about each type of account, it would take quite a while to explain everything to you. So, there is an opportunity, then for you to speak up and ask any questions you may have. You might not feel comfortable doing this in a formal situation such as at a bank, so you may have to start with informal situations. If you meet someone new, who has told you where he or she is from, you may ask further questions about his or her hometown. When you go into a grocery store, and you see a store clerk, you may ask, "Could you tell me where the ......is?" Call up a local store and ask, "What are your hours?" Become familiar with the way people respond to your questions. Each time you will be more comfortable.