[발췌] Language of anecdotes

자료: https://dictionaryblog.cambridge.org/2014/11/05/there-i-was-minding-my-own-business-the-language-of-anecdotes/

※ 발췌 (excerpts):

... However, the phrases that we use to tell these stories are often quite similar. ... Of course, to start with, we need to introduce our anecdote, (which often relate to a topic that is already being discussed). To do this, we often use phrases such as these:

• Did I ever tell you about the time I invited Al's boss round for dinner?
• I'll never forget the time I got locked in a public toilet in Portland.
• That reminds me of the time I gave a talk to some children at my daughter's school.

To start telling the anecdote, we often 'set the scene' (describe the situation where something is about to happen). A very common way of doing this is to use the past continuous tense:

• So anyway, Sam and I were strolling through the park, chatting away as usual, when suddenly ... 

A phrase that you often hear at this 'scene-setting' point is There I was ... / There we were ...

• Anyway, there we were sitting in the bar, wondering what to do with ourselves when ...
• So there we were, completely lost, unable to speak the language and, to make matters worse, my phone had stopped working.

( ... ... )


CF. there I was/we were (macmillian dic): used when you are telling a story and you want to give a summary of the situation that you were in at a particular stage.

• So there I was, up to my waist in icy water.

CF. Expressions used when telling stories (macmillian dic)