Pick somebody's brains

Question

Hi,Is this expression informal English? If it is, to what extent?If you could give me a few examples illustrating its "scope of usability" :-) mus-te

Mister Micawber · Accepted Answer

Yes, informal; I wouldn't call it slang.  Why don't you google for a range of examples in your estimation and then post them here?

MUSCOVITE · Answer

OK. Let me 'narrow down' my query then.(1) Based on my googling, it looks like this expression has two variants, 'pick somebody's brain' (1) and 'pick somebody's brainS' (2).Btw, my Longman only mentions (2). Both versions are equally common/correct English?(2) Following is an excerp from http://careerpassioncoach.com/general/id-like-to-pick-your-brain/QUOTE -> I’d like to pick your brain.Really? Does that even sound nice? Your mother might tell you that’s something nice people don’t say at the dinner table. It’s also something you shouldn’t say when asking for a networking meeting. <-UNQUOTEI am a little confused....On one hand, my Longman gives NO 'warning signs' (informal? taboo? etc) for this expression.On the other hand, this expression (as follows from the citation above) may well be out of place in some cases? And the reason behind that is very simple: this expression is (thought of by some people as) TOO informal?MisterMicawber: many thanks for your responses to my today's questions!

Prajwalkr · Answer

MUSCOVITEOK. Let me 'narrow down' my query then.(1) Based on my googling, it looks like this expression has two variants, 'pick somebody's brain' (1) and 'pick somebody's brainS' (2).Btw, my Longman only mentions (2). Both versions are equally common/correct English?(2) Following is an excerp from http://careerpassioncoach.com/general/id-like-to-pick-your-brain/QUOTE -> I’d like to pick your brain.Really? Does that even sound nice? Your mother might tell you that’s something nice people don’t say at the dinner table. It’s also something you shouldn’t say when asking for a networking meeting.

Your suggested link is not working for me. Yes, you got it right, this phrase is informal. Just find its usage and meaning here:
http://oxforddictionaries.com/definition/pick?q=pick+someone%27s+brains#pick__17

Some example sentences:
http://fraze.it/n_search.jsp?q=pick+his+brain&l=0&t=0&sugg=on

Prajwal

Mister Micawber · Answer

(1) Based on my googling, it looks like this expression has two variants, 'pick somebody's brain' (1) and 'pick somebody's brainS'(2).Btw, my Longman only mentions (2). Both versions are equally common/correct English?- Yes, just variants. A native speaker would not even notice which one s/he used.

(2) Following is an excerp from http://careerpassioncoach.com/general/id-like-to-pick-your-brain/QUOTE -> I’d like to pick your brain.Really? Does that even sound nice? Your mother might tell you that’s something nice people don’t say at the dinner table. It’s also something you shouldn’t say when asking for a networking meeting-- .No, the speaker in the dialogue is just being humorous (or the writer is creating a humorous character who would react like that). The character is being overly graphic about the image.

And the reason behind that is very simple: this expression is (thought of by some people as) TOO informal?-- No, not a at all.

Prajwalkr · Answer

Mister Micawber this expression is (thought of by some people as) TOO informal?-- No, not a at all.

But MM, Oxford's says it is informal. Is it not really so?

Many thanks,
Prajwal

MUSCOVITE · Answer

Hi Prajwal,Both the links pointed out are just great! Thanks a lot.I guess that FRAZE.IT is a good alternative to 'usual' googling in many cases...mus-te

Mister Micawber · Answer

But MM, Oxford's says it is informal. Is it not really so?-- I also said it was informal, but it is not 'too informal'—there is nothing rude or slangy about the phrase...which I use frequently.

CalifJim · Answer

MUSCOVITEI’d like to pick your brain.Really? Does that even sound nice? Your mother might tell you that’s something nice people don’t say at the dinner table.

Don't let this excerpt confuse you. The author is making an implicit comparison between "pick your nose" and "pick your brain" purely on the similarity of the grammar, and purely for comic effect. Picking your nose is definitely something that nice people don't do or even talk about at the dinner table, but there is no such objection to picking someone's brain, no matter how similar the grammatical pattern is. Picking your nose is literal; picking someone's brain is only metaphoric. When someone picks your brain they don't actually stick their finger into your brain!

CJ

Prajwalkr · Answer

Mister MicawberBut MM, Oxford's says it is informal. Is it not really so?-- I also said it was informal, but it is not 'too informal'—there is nothing rude or slangy about the phrase...which I use frequently.

Thank you very much.

Regards
Prajwal

Pick somebody's brains

Top answer

Get the Weekly English Kit 📬

Related Questions