Americans, they do make me smile...........
Just seen this on this US website. One of the best Americanisms I've ever come across. Can someone please explain what it means?
"Just hanging out your shingle"...................
Friday, January 12, 2007
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2 comments:
Sure, a shingle (in this context) is like the brass plate professionals used to put by their doors to indicate they were in business. So to hang out your shingle is to set up your business offering/ to indicate that you are ready for business.
I love the business expressions my American clients use - like "a full court press" (from basketball) to indicate that the whole team is going to go for it to get the deal done.
I got a client once when he said someone didn't know shit from shinola. I asked him what shinola was (I happened to know it was an old brand of boot polish). He said he didn't know, so I mildly observed that in that case he didn't know shit from shinola either.
To "hang out your shingle" is to set up a business, typically in a service profession (doctor, lawyer, accountant, therapist) rather than an actual store. I guess it's from putting up a wooden sign outside...
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