[champion]

I searched w-m and google, but still not sure its meaning. anyone can help? thanks

[Steve]

If you saw this expression somewhere there must be a context. Without the context it is impossible for me to answer.

[champion]

right, sorry for it. Here you go

Alfie himself made a similar point in a speech at our New Democracy MCAS conference last year; the difference, he said, between Ted Kennedy and George Bush on whether students should be pounded into submission with "high standards" is who should pay for the hammers.

[Steve]

[quote:1b104444bd="champion"]right, sorry for it. Here you go

Alfie himself made a similar point in a speech at our New Democracy MCAS conference last year; the difference, he said, between Ted Kennedy and George Bush on whether students should be pounded into submission with "high standards" is who should pay for the hammers.[/quote:1b104444bd]

If you pound someone into submission you can use hammers. In this case "hammers" refers to the high standards. The difference between Kennedy and Bush is their position on who should pay for the "high standards" or presumably, pay for the education. Probably this refers to whether the education should be privately or publicly financed.

It is difficult to say more without seeing more of the context. There is no such standard expression as "who should pay for the hammers."

My advice is to learn to accept that there will expressions that you do not understand. Not all of these expressions are worth learning.

[champion]

thanks

[容若]

[quote:db97463cac="champion"]right, sorry for it. Here you go

Alfie himself made a similar point in a speech at our New Democracy MCAS conference last year; the difference, he said, between Ted Kennedy and George Bush on whether students should be [color=red:db97463cac]pounded[/color:db97463cac] into submission with "high standards" is who should pay for the [color=red:db97463cac]hammers[/color:db97463cac].[/quote:db97463cac]

Using "hammers" rather than other tools as a metaphor is because the author used the verb "pound" . If you change "pound" into other words, I am sure you will have to change "hammer" at the same time.So, "Who should pay for the hammer" is not a fixed idiom, it just depends on idiographic situation. In fact, this phrase could be insteaded of any metaphor as long as its meaning is "who should pay for the action?"(谁来买单？）

As a result, I fully agree Steve's point: It is not worth to learn,for it is not a standard expression.

[Steve]

[quote:59adb3e64a="容若"][quote:59adb3e64a="champion"]right, sorry for it. Here you go

Alfie himself made a similar point in a speech at our New Democracy MCAS conference last year; the difference, he said, between Ted Kennedy and George Bush on whether students should be [color=red:59adb3e64a]pounded[/color:59adb3e64a] into submission with "high standards" is who should pay for the [color=red:59adb3e64a]hammers[/color:59adb3e64a].[/quote:59adb3e64a]

[b:59adb3e64a]THE REASON FOR [/b:59adb3e64a]using "hammers" rather than other tools as a metaphor is because the author used the verb "pound" .
[b:59adb3e64a](It is not the "using", but the "reason for using" that "is".)[/b:59adb3e64a]

If you change "pound" into other words, I am sure you will have to change "hammer" at the same time.So, "Who should pay for the hammer" is not a fixed idiom, it just depends on the SYMBOLISM BEING USED IN THIS SITUATION.

[b:59adb3e64a]"idiograph" means a distinguishing mark or signature peculiar to a person. From Greek "idio" meaning one's own. Note that "ideograph" means a symbol or representation of an idea. Neither word is appropriate here. The more abstract term "symbolism" fits better.[/b:59adb3e64a]

In fact, this phrase could be REPLACED BY any metaphor as long as its meaning is "who should pay for the action?"(谁来买单？）

[b:59adb3e64a]Instead is not a verb. You cannot say "insteaded by". You can say instead of meaning in the place of.[/b:59adb3e64a]

As a result, I fully agree WITH Steve's point: It is not worthWHILE to learn,for it is not a standard expression.[/quote:59adb3e64a]

I hope I have 容若's permission to make these observations on .容若's otherwise excellent English. Remember, it is not so much grammar as the use of words that causes trouble for non-native speakers.

[Steve]

I should add that only in making mistakes do we progress in our foreign language skills. I can say with lots of experience of saying things wrong in front of native speakers, sometimes even causing people to laugh at me while public speaking. It all helps!

[容若]

Hi, Steve,

Thanks a lot for your correction. I am happy to hear any good instruction from anybody.