Advanced English: How to Use Plant Metaphors in English
I love English, and I love teaching this amazing language. I know what you might be thinking now: But the vocabulary! The phrasal verbs! They are horrible!
Let me say something that might be controversial in some circles of English language learners: Don’t panic! That’s a quote from the wonderful book: A Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy. All you need is an understanding of how English vocabulary works; of how metaphorical it is and how, for example, phrasal verbs have almost always a literal and a metaphorical meaning.
Also, to look at the bright side (=the positive side), you are not the hero in the aforementioned (=mentioned earlier) book, who not only realizes that his home planet Earth has been turned into a highway but who also finds himself on a spaceship with aliens and nothing else but a towel and the Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy. Believe me you are much better off (=in a much better situation). You only have to navigate the murky (=muddy, unclear) waters of English vocabulary instead of an unknown galaxy. And yes, I know sometimes it feels a bit like you actually have to explore completely unknown terrain (=land). Again, don’t panic!
To help you with some idiomatic language, I have decided to focus on the use of plant metaphors and their cultural associations in English today. Knowing what those associations are can be the deciding factor between a successful presentation or speech in English, or a perplexed (=confused) or even indifferent audience. Imagine making a product pitch and not clicking (=connecting) with your target audience. That would be terrible. To help you avoid situations like that by setting the right tone (=setting the right mood by using the right tone), I intend to demystify (=make clear) the cultural components of the English language and unveil (=unmask, reveal) what English native speakers already know because they grew up within a specific cultural context.
Now, let’s get started on our idioms:
“Seed(s)”: We often use “seeds” to talk about the beginning of an idea or feeling.
Example: The seeds of her success lie in her work ethic.
Also: the seeds of discontent, the seeds of revolution
There is even an expression: To sow the seeds of (=to create fertile ground* for) discontent, the politician decided to focus only on the negative aspects of the new reforms.
Culturally speaking, this word is quite neutral. It simply stands for the start of something.
*Oops, that’s another plant metaphor.
2. “Root(s)”: This word is used to describe the origins of something, and can also come as a verb often used in the passive voice (to be rooted in).
Examples: When you talk about going back to your roots, you are referring to the place where you grew up or where your family originally came from.
Other examples: the root of a problem, the root of a tradition; the complexity of this problem is rooted in its sociological origins; this type of music is deeply rooted in the tradition of throat singing in Mongolia.
Culturally speaking, roots stand for a firm and strong connection to something.
3. “Putting down roots” refers to settling down and making your home in one place.
Example: After many years of living in different countries, Sarah was ready to put down roots in Stockholm.
When talking about ideas, we can say: Her idea took root in our discussions about the sociological phenomenon of identity formation.
4. “Grassroots”: When we talk about grassroots organizing, we refer to ordinary people organizing, for example, a social movement.
Other examples: to organize at the grassroots level; a grassroots movement; a grassroots organization
5. "To stem”: The verb signify that something originates in something else:
Examples: Her happiness stems from her positive attitude.
Cultural connotation: neutral
6. “Branch(es)”: A branch usually grows off a tree. Metaphorically speaking, it can also be used to describe how a company has decided to add new branches or how it is now pursuing a strategy of branching out into new markets.
Examples: This company has different branches in various countries.
We decided to branch out and added a new product to our product line.
I think I should branch out a bit and look for different opportunities.
Cultural connotation: neutral
7. “To blossom into”: Her business was blossoming into (=slowly turning into) a very successful company.
Cultural connotation: positive
8. Bud (a flower before it opens): to nip something in the bud (to stop something from developing into something)
Example: Our company was showing signs of losing some business in Asia, but we nipped that in the bud right away by investing in a new marketing strategy and by branching out into formerly neglected market segments.
Example 2: She is a budding (=up-and-coming) artist.
Cultural connotation: This word stands for the beginning of something.