Speaking with Accents – The Agenda TV Show
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Category Archives: Speak English Better
Shame, Shameless and Shameful
Let’s look at the root word ‘shame’ and explore its common uses.
Shame = sad feeling, guilt, or embarrassment.
I’m ashamed (of you/us/myself) = I’m embarrassed and perhaps dishonored.
“I’m ashamed to admit that it was me who stole the winning lotto ticket from you.”
Shame on you! = Scolding another person for a shameful act. The meaning is you should feel shame and embarrassment/regret for whatever you just did.
“I see that you have been gambling away all our money again! Shame on you!”
Shameless = no shame when they should have/feel some. Opposite of shameful.
“The criminal smiled shamelessly in court as the victims read their impact statements.”
It’s (such) a shame= It’s too bad, it’s a pity. Not necessarily meant to embarrass anyone; can be used just to politely express disappointment.
“It’s a shame you can’t stay longer and watch the UFC fights tonight with us. We’ll miss you.”
“It’s a shame you’re not legal drinking age yet, but next year we can party together!”
“It’s a real shame that you feel you are entitled to better service than us.” (Meant to embarrass or shame someone).
It’s so shame = This phrase is grammatically incorrect! Do not use it.
Try them out!
Why Teaching Idioms (Slang, Expressions) is Important in Business English
Like many of you I have a profile on the networking site LinkedIn. (You can find me at http://www.linkedin.com/in/communicationcoach ) One of the benefits of LinkedIn is becoming a member of a group related to our fields or interests. I subscribe to a number of groups, and sometimes feel compelled to add my two cents to the discussions. A few days ago was one of those times that I thought I could contribute.
In the group Business English Instructors, someone opened a discussion about President Obama’s recent slip-up when he mixed a Star Wars and a Star Trek pop culture reference together during a speech. (The exact expression he created was “a jedi mind-meld.”)
This posting in LinkedIn led to a discussion amongst the members of the Business English teaching community to debate the virtues of teaching or not teaching idioms, slang and pop culture references in their BE (Business English) classes.
I felt that due to my direct experience with teaching idioms I should reply, and so I did. Below is a copy of my comment on the subject, which may interest some of you:
“The question a teacher or trainer needs to ask is “what is the operating language of this location?” When I was teaching English in China a long long time ago there was very little need for idioms to be taught. The focus was on getting students to pass exams and communicate on a certain level with other Chinese or some foreign teachers, in China. The operating language was ‘functional and academic’ English, for the most part, and I adjusted my conversations and teaching style to match.
But when I was asked to do manager training many years later in Moscow, Russia, part of the requested curriculum was to teach business expressions and cultural notes to the North American style of office communications. They ‘operated’ in English with North Americans and some British, and wanted to better understand their counterparts’ words and culture.
As a Communication Coach working mostly in Toronto and the surrounding area, a number of my clients are immigrants and foreign workers. Typically they have excellent hard skills and education, but often lack the soft skills we would like them to have to fit in. I know that sounds harsh, but it is an unspoken reality – we want them to understand us and our way of business communications here. This is the location. This is where business is done. You need to understand us and our way of doing things.
I often teach everyday and business idioms and expressions to clients, even if it is for just 10 minutes at the beginning of the session, as a warm up. They want to be better equipped for the water cooler as well as the boardroom. Ignoring idioms and pop culture references limits their ability to build relationships, to fully understand those around them, to join in the discussion, to understand the nuances and contexts of conversations, etc. Remember – I am talking about working here in Toronto’s business world, not overseas.
As a last morsel of food for thought, I’ll share this with you too: When my company created an English Communication Skills Assessment for a prominent police service to be used in conjunction with the hiring process, idioms and expressions were tested for, in addition to the usual suspects of grammar, spelling, reading comprehension, writing and speaking/listening. Why would we do this? Because we were told by senior training officers that they found it frustrating when they spoke to new recruits in a casual, informal way (i.e. with idioms and slang) and some newbies didn’t understand them, and it slowed down communication. When you think about the seriousness of policing, you might imagine how miscommunication could impact the lives and the safety of officers and the public.
I know on one hand it sounds too strict or maybe too much focus is being given to idioms, but I think when you consider how prominent idioms, slang, lingo and pop culture references really are, especially in an English-speaking operating country/company, you will realize the benefits of teaching them to those that could use the knowledge to improve their personal and professional lives.”
Merry Christmas from MP Nina Grewal
Some People Have Real Difficulty With Public Speaking but Have No Choice!
I salute those that are striving to improve their public speaking and presentation skills. It’s not always an easy thing to do, especially if one was born introverted, with a learning challenge of some kind, is not a native speaker of the working language or simply was never used to or trained in how to handle “the spotlight.”
These days advancing your public speaking and presentation skill-set almost isn’t an option. In business a successful person needs great communication skills, now more than ever. In the old days there were those that were comfortable speaking, usually from sales and marketing departments for example, that were asked to do most of the public speaking and meeting running. Technical folks could sit in the back of the room silently, or just keep working away on their computer. Not so these days.
Many of my clients are technically brilliant people, who have achieved a high measure of success in their own right. But they have been asked (or told) by upper management or have learned through experience that to be truly successful these days one must attempt to master the soft skills as well as the hard skills. Job security seems to depend on adaptability and duo skill-set performance now.
These days I’m doing a lot of ‘Podium Power’ coaching. Clients range from doctors and lawyers to accountants and managers at various levels in the company. Some are immigrants with the additional challenge of having English as a second language. Some have speech impediments, get bad stage fright, or have Asperger’s syndrome/autism. I strive to teach them the finer points of how to quickly and efficiently improve their 3Vs (verbal, vocal, visual) of public speaking, presentations and PowerPoint, staying within my areas of expertise.
I just wanted to say that I really appreciate and applaud those that are struggling to learn a new way of communication that is out of their comfort zone, or that pushes them past their old, comfortable one. It takes courage, dedication and maybe even a little kick in the butt to take up the task of improving public speaking communication skills, but I believe it is good to challenge oneself and I also believe it will pay off handsomely in today’s business world, as well as with our social communications. Let’s be honest, they need some work these days too, right? Everyone is constantly staring at their smart phones and tablets, rarely looking up as they mumble? But that’s a topic for another day! 
Take care,
Coach Ric
Tweets: http://twitter.com/CommCoach
Some Sites to Learn Idioms (Expressions)
There is formal language and then there is informal or casual language.
For the school classrooms you need formal, i.e., ‘academic’ language. For the lunch room and with your friends you need informal/casual language skills.
At work, especially if it involves an office, boardroom and the like, you need formal i.e., ‘business’ language skills. Each job and career comes with a plethora of ISV (Industry-Specific Vocabulary), acronyms and lingo that you must learn to be successful.
Most people who speak ESL (English as a Second Language) Focus on formal language skills first, then ‘graduate’ to casual conversation, then if required learn Business English.
Do what you have to do to fit in, understand those around you, and succeed in your industry.
You may have a high TOEFL or TOEIC score, but how’s your understanding of casual chit-chat? Do you follow TV and movies easily? Do you follow casual conversations with your friends and co-workers well or do you get left out when they are not speaking about technical school or work stuff?
Time to evaluate your English language skills and maybe study more pop culture and more idioms.
Here are some random sites to learn idioms (there are many more out there!):
http://www.idiomsite.com/
http://everyday-idioms.blogspot.ca/
http://www.eslmania.com/students/idioms/Business_idioms.htm
http://www.idiomconnection.com/business.html
There are textbooks, Podcasts and eBooks too.
I put together an eBook of idioms! Here are the links, in case you want to check it out:
Everyday English Idioms
Apple iTunes/iBookstore: http://itunes.apple.com/ca/book/everyday-english-idioms/id461436000?mt=11
Barnes & Noble NOOK: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/everyday-english-idioms-ric-phillips/1105805016?ean=9781257563043
Enjoy your idiom study!
Don’t Be Gormless! Gen Up on British Slang | Visit Britain – Shine from Yahoo! Canada
Don’t Be Gormless! Gen Up on British Slang | Visit Britain – Shine from Yahoo! Canada
Communicating when you travel to Britain should be easy. After all, it’s an English-speaking country. But you will quickly discover nuances of the language that could catch you off guard (and make it all too obvious that you’re not familiar with British culture). Not only can the accent be difficult to decipher for an unaccustomed ear, slang terms and phrases sometimes make you feel as if you need an English-English Dictionary.
For example, if you need a washroom in Great Britain, you might be better off asking for the loo. To report a stolen wallet, you’re going to want to talk to a bobby. If you’re sweet on someone and looking for a kiss or a bit more, across the pond you’re looking for a snog, and if you’re engaged, you’re busy. Chuffed means pleased, while cheesed off means peeved.
A lorry is a truck, and if one cuts you off in traffic, you may hear more colourful swear words than the four-letter invectives we use. A welly is a rubber boot, but “give it more welly” means putting in more effort or going faster in your car.
Most of us know “cheerio!” as a cheerful greeting or parting word (like the Hawaiian “aloha,” it can work in both directions).
But how many of us understand that when looking for a tailor-made suit, you should ask for bespoke, and a bird isn’t just a flying animal, it’s also a slang term for a woman? Knowing a few simple phrases and words may not seem like much, but when you’re out on the town and chatting with local blokes (guys), it can keep things from going pear-shaped (that is, very wrong) because of how gormless (clueless) you’re being.
Some British terms mean the exact opposite of what they mean here. According to Mike Etherington, author of “The Very Best of British: An American’s Guide to Speaking Brit,” if an event “went down like a bomb, then it would mean that the people really enjoyed it.”
Of course, slang terms in any language are constantly evolving and changing, so learning just a few things will only take you so far. In the UK, this is even more true given how quickly slang terms emerge.
The structure of Cockney rhyme slang, which originated in the east end of London, relies on taking a word, finding a few rhyming words (usually no more than two or three) to go with it and then abbreviating that phrasing down and dropping not only the original word but also the word that rhymed, leaving the original meaning clouded in mystery for the uninitiated.
For example, “stairs” becomes “apples” in cockney rhyme slang from the rhyming phrase “apples and pears.” Though that particular example is rarely used in common speech today, it is often cited to help explain how cockney rhyme slang works.
Things can get further complicated when the original word is a British slang word. Working backwards to find a rhyme that makes sense is tough if you’ve never heard the original term in the first place!
If all this seems like too much to gen up on (learn about), don’t get shirty. Half of the fun of traveling is meeting new people and learning about differences. As long as you’ve got an open mind and a smile, you’re unlikely to encounter any serious difficulties in communication.
But just so everyone is clear: Not every Briton has an Auntie Beeb. That’s just the affectionate nickname they’ve given to their national broadcaster, the BBC.
By Leigh Bryant
(Original post: http://ca.shine.yahoo.com/blogs/visit-britain-ca/don-t-gormless-gen-british-slang-230446529.html )
ELC Study Zone: Adjective Order
ELC Study Zone: Adjective Order
Introduction
In English, it is common to use more than one adjective before a noun — for example, “He’s a silly young fool,” or “She’s a smart, energetic woman.” When you use more than one adjective, you have to put them in the right order, according to type. This page will explain the different types of adjectives and the correct order for them.
1. The basic types of adjectives
| Opinion | An opinion adjective explains what you think about something (other people may not agree with you). For example: silly, beautiful, horrible, difficult |
|---|---|
| Size | A size adjective, of course, tells you how big or small something is. For example: large, tiny, enormous, little |
| Age | An age adjective tells you how young or old something or someone is. For example: ancient, new, young, old |
| Shape | A shape adjective describes the shape of something. For example: square, round, flat, rectangular |
| Colour | A colour adjective, of course, describes the colour of something. For example: blue, pink, reddish, grey |
| Origin | An origin adjective describes where something comes from. For example: French, lunar, American, eastern, Greek |
| Material | A material adjective describes what something is made from. For example: wooden, metal, cotton, paper |
| Purpose | A purpose adjective describes what something is used for. These adjectives often end with “-ing”. For example: sleeping (as in “sleeping bag”), roasting (as in “roasting tin”) |
2. Some examples of adjective order
| Opinion | Size | Age | Shape | Colour | Origin | Material | Purpose | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| a | silly | young | English | man | |||||
| a | huge | round | metal | bowl | |||||
| a | small | red | sleeping | bag |
When you are sure that you understand the lesson, you can continue with the exercises.
Stephen Fry & Hugh Laurie Discuss Language
My Way – Using ‘Way’ in Expressions and Idioms
In my/the way – someone or something is blocking your path, usually a physical obstacle.
“Your car is in my way. Can you please move it so I can get out?”
My way – my style, according to my thoughts and plans.
“Frank Sinatra sang a very famous song where he talks about his life decisions, good and bad, and summarizes it all by proudly singing ‘I did it my way’. Very inspirational song!”
My way or the highway – expression that is an ultimatum.
“I’m sorry you don’t like my management style but at this company it’s my way or the highway. If you can’t adjust, then you’ll have to leave the firm.”
On my way – about to leave a place or begin a journey
“I just got your message asking for help and I’m on my way. I’ll be there soon.”
Up your way – very casual expression indicating geographic proximity
“Yesterday I was north of the city, up your way, and thought about stopping in for a visit but then I realized I didn’t have the time.”
Can you think of any others? Please add them with a short definition and even an example sentence in the comments section below. Thank you!