ISSUE 25THE LIGHT-BULB MOMENT
Innovation is a creative process, which is probably why we like to use creative language
to talk about it. Here, we present some common “innovative” idioms.ESSENTIAL IDIOMSNow, more simply
Hugh: When did you have your inspirational idea?
Cherie: On a train. I’d just spent six months travelling around
the world with my boyfriend. We started sharing and
discussing ideas. His immediate reaction was to
focus on food — we hadn’t eaten well the whole trip!Now, more simply
Cherie: We had no experience, so we started from
the very beginning, with no resources.
Hugh: You didn’t see that as a problem?
Cherie: Not at all. We had to react very quickly
and effectively, without planning. And be-
cause we wanted to create an innovative
snack, we had to think in a creative way.SKILL UP!
First, read the two versions of the short conversations. Then
cover up the idiomatic version and read the simpler version
again. Can you remember how to say the same things idiomati-
cally? Check that you’ve understood them with our translations.I know: I’ve had
a light-bulb momentMoodboardiStockFirst, the idiomatic way
Cherie: We had no experience, so we started from
scratch.
Hugh: You didn’t see that as a problem?
Cherie: Not at all. We had to think on our feet.
And because we wanted to create an in-
novative snack, we had to think outside
the box.First, the idiomatic way
Hugh: When did you have your light-bulb moment?
Cherie: On a train. I’d just spent six months travelling around
the world with my boyfriend. We started bouncing
ideas around. His gut reactionwas to focus on food
— we hadn’t eaten well the whole trip!Check the translations
light-bulb moment ifml. Aha-Erlebnis
bounce ideas around mit Ideen
ifml. herumspielen
gut reaction Bauchent-
scheidungCheck the translations
start from scratch bei Null anfangen
think on one’s feet schnell denken und reagieren
think outside the box ifml. unkonventionell denkenYou have to think
outside the box12-13 EssentialIdiomsDD 14.01.14 14:10 Seite 12