Introduction

It is well documented that people with Aspergers syndrome and other autism
spectrum disorders have difficulty interpreting everyday phrases that must be
interpreted symbolically rather than literally. For example, a little bird told me literally implies that a bird assumed the powers of speech and gave information,
whilst the symbolic meaning is of course rather different.1 However, it is worth
noting that everyone can have problems with dealing with phrases like this from
time to time. In practical terms, the only difference between someone with
Aspergers syndrome and someone without it is the frequency with which this
occurs.
Dealing with this problem is itself difficult. The most obvious solution is to
not interpret any phrase literally. However, not only is it the most obvious, it is
also the most stupid. This would make unambiguous language impossible to
understand. Advising people to use context to interpret the symbolic meaning of
something that is nonsensical if interpreted literally is likewise unworkable, even
for someone with very high linguistic skills.
Arguably the only practical solution is to use a dictionary such as this, which
gives definitions of at least the commoner everyday phrases. The phrases I have
chosen for inclusion are ones that appear to be the most often used amongst UK
English speakers. There are a considerable number of common American English
phrases, and some Australian phrases as well. Together, they cover the majority of
the everyday phrases that are potentially confusing for English speakers in most
countries. There are of course many other phrases that could have been included,
but arguably this is a case of diminishing returns. In other words, it was either a
dictionary this size or a truly enormous one (at least four times the size) with
many of the phrases being very rare indeed. In making my selections, I chose not
to include the following:
1. Contemporary slang, for the simple reason that most of it lasts a few
months and then is replaced by other slang.

The meaning of a little bird told me and other phrases used in the Introduction
are given in the dictionary.

8 / AN ASPERGER DICTIONARY OF EVERYDAY EXPRESSIONS

2. A lot of classical and literary references, on the grounds that these

cause everybody problems, and there is a large problem of where to stop.
This is meant to be a dictionary of commonly used idiomatic phrases,
not quotations. Where phrases that are in fact quotations (e.g. salt of the
earth) are included, it is usually because they are such a part of
everyday speech that most people are probably unaware that they are
quotations.
3. Phrases that are largely historical and/or little used.
4. Specialist slang from occupations and professions, unless it is so
common that it has entered everyday speech (e.g. pyramid selling).
5. Phrases which really are self-evident (e.g. fast as a hare simply means
fast).
6. Single ambiguous words (e.g. gay), for the simple reason that about
half the words in an ordinary dictionary fall into this category, and this
is intended to be a relatively portable book!
Inevitably there will be phrases that have been missed from this dictionary that
should have been included. This is the fate of every dictionary compiler in
history. Future editions will attempt to amend wrongs, but please do not contact
me with suggestions. This is not because I do not value readers comments (far
from it), but unsolicited suggestions create a difficult problem of copyright.
A detailed guide to using the dictionary is provided in the next section of this
book. I have tried as far as possible to keep things simple and intuitive. Thus,
phrases are usually listed as they are spoken, with key words from the phrase providing references back to the phrase.
In finishing this Introduction, I hope that this book is of use to people with
Aspergers syndrome, or of course anyone else who is puzzled by an apparently
nonsensical phrase.