07 January 2012 | MP3 at voaspecialenglish.com
Words and Their Stories: Heart to Heart
Now, the VOA Special English program WORDS AND THEIR STORIES.
Each week, this program explains the many meanings of English expressions.
Today’s expressions include a very important word – heart.
We will try to get to the heart of the matter to better understand the most
important things about words and their stories. So take heart. Have no fear
about learning new expressions. Besides, popular English words can be fun.
There is no need for a heavy heart. Such feelings of sadness would only break
my heart, or make me feel unhappy and hopeless.
Now, let us suppose you and I were speaking freely about something private. We
would be having a heart to heart discussion. I might speak from the bottom
of my heart, or say things honestly and truthfully. I might even open up my
heart to you and tell you a secret. I would speak with all my heart, or with
great feeling.
When a person shares her feelings freely and openly like this, you might say she
wears her heart on her sleeve, or on her clothing. Her emotions are not
protected.
If we had an honest discussion, both of us would know that the other person’s
heart is in the right place. For example, I would know that you are a kind-
hearted and well-meaning person. And, if you are a very good person, I would
even say that you have a heart of gold. However, you might have a change of
heart based on what I tell you. Our discussion might cause you to change the
way you feel about something.
But, let us suppose you get angry over what I tell you. Or worse, you feel no
sympathy or understanding for me or my situation. If this happens, I might think
that you have a heart of stone. And, if you say something to make me
frightened or worried, my heart might stand still or skip a beat.
Yet, even though you may be angry, I would know that at heart, you are a kind
person. In reality, you do care. And any argument between us would not cause
me to lose heart or feel a sense of loss.
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My heart goes out to anyone who loses a friend over an argument. It really is a
sad situation, and I feel sympathy for the people involved.
I promise that what I have told you today is true – cross my heart.
I really wanted to play some music at the end of this feature. In fact, I had my
heart set on it. So here it is, “Don’t Go Breaking my Heart” by Elton John.
(MUSIC)
This VOA Special English program, WORDS AND THEIR STORIES, was written by
Jill Moss. I’m Faith Lapidus.