Reporter: "Excuse me, may I interview you?"
Man: "Yes!"
Reporter: "Name?"
Man: "Bubba Gimble"
Reporter: "Sex?"
Man: "Three to five times a week."
Reporter: "No, no! I mean... male or female?"
Man: "Yes, male, female... sometimes skunk."
Reporter: "Holy cow!"
Man: "Yes, cow, sheep... animals in general."
Reporter: "But isn't that hostile?"
Man: "Yes, horse style, dog style, any style."
Reporter: "Oh dear!"
Man: "No, no deer. Deer run too fast. Very hard to catch."
"Holy cow!" is an exclamation of surprise that is used in the same way as "Holy mackerel!" Both expressions are used to show amazement on the part of the speaker. It is interesting that English uses the cow, even as French uses the "vache" as in "Oh, la vache!" A common expression in French that would be appropriate, apart from "Oh, la vache!" is "Ça alors!"
We use "Oh dear!" to express worry, sympathy, and/or concern. "Oh dear!" corresponds to the French "Oh là!" Here are some examples:
+ John: "I failed my final exams."
Mary: "Oh dear! What are you gonna do?"
+ Nelson: "Holy mackerel! You won the match?"
Look at this dictionary entry: https://www.ldoceonline.com/dictionary/holy-cow-mackerel-etc
Man: "Yes!"
Reporter: "Name?"
Man: "Bubba Gimble"
Reporter: "Sex?"
Man: "Three to five times a week."
Reporter: "No, no! I mean... male or female?"
Man: "Yes, male, female... sometimes skunk."
Reporter: "Holy cow!"
Man: "Yes, cow, sheep... animals in general."
Reporter: "But isn't that hostile?"
Man: "Yes, horse style, dog style, any style."
Reporter: "Oh dear!"
Man: "No, no deer. Deer run too fast. Very hard to catch."
"Holy cow!" is an exclamation of surprise that is used in the same way as "Holy mackerel!" Both expressions are used to show amazement on the part of the speaker. It is interesting that English uses the cow, even as French uses the "vache" as in "Oh, la vache!" A common expression in French that would be appropriate, apart from "Oh, la vache!" is "Ça alors!"
We use "Oh dear!" to express worry, sympathy, and/or concern. "Oh dear!" corresponds to the French "Oh là!" Here are some examples:
+ John: "I failed my final exams."
Mary: "Oh dear! What are you gonna do?"
+ Nelson: "Holy mackerel! You won the match?"
Look at this dictionary entry: https://www.ldoceonline.com/dictionary/holy-cow-mackerel-etc
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