the book is on the table

Hello, you have come here looking for the meaning of the word the book is on the table. In DICTIOUS you will not only get to know all the dictionary meanings for the word the book is on the table, but we will also tell you about its etymology, its characteristics and you will know how to say the book is on the table in singular and plural. Everything you need to know about the word the book is on the table you have here. The definition of the word the book is on the table will help you to be more precise and correct when speaking or writing your texts. Knowing the definition ofthe book is on the table, as well as those of other words, enriches your vocabulary and provides you with more and better linguistic resources.

Portuguese

Etymology

A typical sentence found in English coursebooks for beginners. Made popular by DJ MP4's The Book Is on the Table in 2000, and later by Open English commercials around 2012.

Compare Chinese I go to school by bus, French Bryan is in the kitchen, Ukrainian London is the capital of Great Britain.

Pronunciation

Noun

the book is on the table m (uncountable)

  1. (Brazil, humorous) Stock phrase used to denote a rudimentary knowledge of English.
    • 1998, Você S.A.: para o executivo do novo milênio, volume 1, Editora Abril, page 111:
      [] — tudo isso sem contar o fato de que ele poderia até achar que você, monoglota ou ainda na fase do The book is on the table, simplesmente mentiu.
      — all that without considering the fact that he could think that you, a monoglot or still stuck in basic English, simply lied.
    • 2001, Veja, numbers 1729-1732, Editora Abril, page 168:
      A única restrição é que a maioria das ofertas não serve para quem ainda está no the book is on the table.
      The only restriction is that most offers are not useful to those who have only a basic command of English.
    • 2001, Info Exame, issues 187-189, Editora Abril, unmarked page:
      Para quem ainda está na base do the book is on the table, os recursos não são tantos, mas ainda assim são significativos.
      For those who still have a basic knowledge of English, there are not that many resources, but they are still considerable.
    • 2017, Carlos Eduardo Drummond, Marcio Nolasco, Caetano: uma biografia, Seoman, page 211:
      Já haviam superado a fase do the book is on the table, mas ainda davam seus deslizes.
      They had already moved beyond beginner’s English, but they still stumbled.

See also