Essentially, it means doing something, and also failing to do that thing. You can literally have "an oversight due to a lack of oversight". I declare this to be stupid.
I'm always impressed when I hear people from around the world say they learned English by watching American films and television, because I watch a fair amount of foreign-language TV and aside from maybe a handful of basic words, I don't learn shit.
I'm good enough to write in plain English, but my main character uses a mix of slang and inventive idioms which baffles me as far as translating it goes.
I will expect questions during the translation process and will provide all answers needed, but be warned: I will probably retaliate with questions of my own. :)
“A man that flies from his fear may find that he has only taken a short cut to meet it.” -- The Children of Hurin
“If more of us valued food and cheer and song above hoarded gold, it would be a merrier world.”
“I wish it need not have happened in my time," said Frodo. "So do I," said Gandalf, "and so do all who live to see such times. But that is not for them to decide. All we have to decide is what to do with the time that is given us.” -- The Fellowship of the Ring
“A single dream is more powerful than a thousand realities.”
"Deserves it! I daresay he does. Many that live deserve death. And some that die deserve life. Can you give it to them? Then do not be too eager to deal out death in judgement. For even the very wise cannot see all ends.” -- The Fellowship of the Ring
“What do you fear, lady?" [Aragorn] asked. "A cage," [Éowyn] said. "To stay behind bars, until use and old age accept them, and all chance of doing great deeds is gone beyond recall or desire.” -- Return of the King
“Fantasy is escapist, and that is its glory. If a soldier is imprisioned by the enemy, don't we consider it his duty to escape?. . .If we value the freedom of mind and soul, if we're partisans of liberty, then it's our plain duty to escape, and to take as many people with us as we can!”
“But I have been too deeply hurt, Sam. I tried to save the Shire, and it has been saved, but not for me. It must often be so, Sam, when things are in danger: some one has to give them up, lose them, so that others may keep them.” -- The Return of the King
I'm talking to myself too much. Need to stop that. Does anybody know what to do? I don't have anyone to practice English with, neither I want to talk to random people in specialized chats. #english#speaking
OMG my new English teacher is awful. She speaks our native language half of the time. Speaking English, she has a huge accent. I mean, I'm patient, but enough is enough. English lesson has to be in English. Hey, teachers, leave the kids alone! #english#school#teachers