Lesson 89 A slip of the tongue

Summary

Making a slip of the tongue is common in our daily lives. The reasons that people commit  mistakes of a slip of the tongue are various such as lack of confidence or feeling nervous. Let me share with you a story that you may feel extremely funny. It is possible for people to do anything for a free show, although they don't know whether the show is good or not. A comedy show would be presented at the local cinema by the P. and U. Bird Seed Company, which is known for the high-quality shows. People had to queue for several hours to get in and there must have been hundreds of people before the show began. However, the show was one of the dullest we have ever seen. People who failed to get in shouldn't have to feel disappointed, for some of the artistes who should have appeared did not come. The only funny things we heard that evening came from the advertiser at the very beginning of the show. He was apparently nervous and stood awkwardly before the microphone for some minutes. I guessed that he was a little stage fright. We all knew the poor man should have said, but he actually said: 'This is the Poo and Ee Seed Bird Company. Good ladies, evening and gentlemen!' People burst out laughing, but applauded for him.

Words and expressions

1. Slip of the pen 笔误

Slip off the tongue 顺口

A sharp tongue 说话尖酸刻薄

-tongued 说话...的Sharp-tongued

Keep a civil tongue in your head 说话讲礼貌

2. Stage fright 怯场

Mind go blank

Mentally paralyzed

Petrified 石化；恐慌的 (terrified)

3. Self-deprecating 自嘲

Be the butt of joke 笑柄

4.Boring:

Synonymous: tedious, monotonous, mundane, go flat