Quote:Well, it looks like you are actually learning that not everything you read should be taken literally since you say you do understand several of those idioms. There had to be a time that you did NOT understand them, but now, you have learned to not take them literally, but still understand what they all mean.

 

So there is hope after all for you to learn even more in this manner.

 

It is one thing to understand not all words and phrases should be interpreted literally, but that does not automatically allow me to recognize sarcasm or a joke every time I see it.

 

Imagine being deaf. You know music is playing by feeling vibrations, but have no idea what kind of song it is. Somebody would have to give you that information. AS is like that. It is why I asked people to use what I call the sarcasm emoticon (the upside down smiley) when they don't mean what they say. But for idioms, it is just a matter of not knowing what they mean. I know you don't literally knock on wood. But because you don't, I can't figure out why you say, "Knock on wood." Sarcasm, on the other hand, is something I can't recognize without that emoticon.

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