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Connection NOT Perfection™
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AEE Episode 706: What Do Typical Americans Eat at Home?
Announcer: This is an All Ears English podcast Episode 706: "What Do Typical
Americans Eat at Home?"
[Instrumental]
Announcer: Welcome to the All Ears English Podcast, downloaded more than 34
million times. We believe in Connection NOT Perfection ™, with your
American hosts Lindsay McMahon, the ‘English Adventurer’, and Michelle Kaplan, the ‘New York Radio Girl,’ coming to you from Boston and New York City, U.S.A.
[Instrumental]
Announcer: And to instantly download your transcript from today’s episode, go to
AllEarsEnglish.com/transcripts, AllEarsEnglish.com/transcripts.
[Instrumental]
Announcer: Today Sophia asked us what Americans usually eat at home. Are there any
dishes that most Americans eat? We'll break it down by region and we'll
show you what it's like to eat at a real American dinner table.
[Instrumental]
Lindsay: Hey (hi), Michelle. How you doing?
Michelle: Hey (hi), I'm good. How are you, Lindsay?
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Lindsay: Ohh, I'm exhausted. But, actually, I had a nice little wake-up call this
morning. I forgot my headphones for our recording session, so I had to...
Michelle: Yeah (yes).
Lindsay: Jump on my bike and bike like the wind across town to grab some
headphones, and now I'm back and ready to go. So, all good.
Michelle: Guys, ehh, Lindsay, she's really fast.
Lindsay: [laughter]
Michelle: ______ Biker
Lindsay: Yeah (yes), that was totally crazy. Well, Michelle, let's start today by
thanking our reviewers. So, guys, remember, when you review our show
on iTunes, you get your name announced on the show. So, I want to start
by saying thank you to... Actually, I'll just name them off, because we just
have a few today, guys. Thank you to _____ Wang, Christina from France,
and ______ from Japan.
Michelle: Thank you.
Lindsay: Thank you so much, guys. And, Michelle, how do you feel when we get a
good review?
Michelle: Ohh, really... I really, really love it. So, thank you, guys.
Lindsay: It is awesome. So, guys, go on over and review us on iTunes, please.
Michelle: Yes.
Lindsay: So, Michelle, I have a question for you today.
Michelle: Okay.
Lindsay: But I... Catch my breath here, and then I'll ask you a question.
Michelle: [breathes heavily]
Lindsay: Ohh. [laughter] So, Michelle, what do you and your husband like to eat at
home?
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Michelle: Ohh, it... It really depends, we... We... Uhh. We do a lot of, like... Well, I
mean, trying to make Mexican food. Like, I'll make tacos and we'll make
salad. We eat a lot of avocado.
Lindsay: Okay. Very cool.
Michelle: Yeah (yes).
Lindsay: Sounds like a pretty... Pretty healthy, pretty healthy meals overall.
Michelle: We try... I think... I think when we eat home; we eat healthier then when
we eat out.
Lindsay: Yeah (yes), I think maybe …..
Michelle: But that's for everyone.
Lindsay: Yeah (yes). There's always, like, hidden fats and oils and things when we
eat out, and the meals are always so big.
Michelle: I know. And, like, I... I mean, sometimes, do you ever go somewhere and
then they actually have the calories on the menu?
Lindsay: No. Well, I try not to go to those places because it scares me. [laughter]
Michelle: Some of those places just have them. Like, I was somewhere the other
day that I didn't think that it would have that. I can't even remember
where I was. And it...
Lindsay: Wow.
Michelle: And it had the calories on the menu. And it's, like, for a chicken sandwich,
I mean, you can't believe it, because, I think you're right. It's all that
hidden stuff, like, to make things delicious, right?
Lindsay: Ohh, I know. That's dangerous. I just came back from Nashville and we
ate out so much.
Michelle: Ohh.
Lindsay: So, I've got to, like, stay in now for the rest of my life. [laughter]
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Michelle: [laughter] Umm. So, what do you eat at home?
Lindsay: Well, I just learned to cook this vegetarian black bean chili, and I like to
cook it...
Michelle: Ohh.
Lindsay: You know, a large amount of it, and save it, and then eat it during the
week. But, umm, I also do, like, sal... Uhh. Salads with kale and avocado.
Michelle: Ahh.
Lindsay: Avocado's a hot thing right now in the U.S. Very hot.
Michelle: Yeah (yes), but there's, like, a shortage, actually, I think.
Lindsay: Ohh, no. Don't say that. [laughter]
Michelle: I... I don't know. Well, uhh, the... The place near me, it's, like, a little
farmers market, they keep on going up in price.
Lindsay: Ohh, interesting.
Michelle: And they said it was a sh... I don't know. So, I don't know. I'm hoping...
Lindsay: Alright.
Michelle: It's, like, my favorite food anyway.
Lindsay: Me, too, and it's a superfood, so good for you.
Michelle: That's right.
Lindsay: Yeah (yes). [laughter] Alright, guys. So, before we get into today's topic, I
want to remind you that if you love the podcast, you can subscribe to get
the transcripts every week and you'll actually save fifty percent. So, go to
AllEarsEnglish.com/subscribe. So, Michelle, why did I ask you today when
we started about what you like to eat at home?
Michelle: Uhh.
Lindsay: [sneezes]
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Michelle: I think because...
Lindsay: Excuse me. [laughter]
Michelle: [laughter] Was... That was sneeze?
Lindsay: Yeah (yes), that was a sneeze.
Michelle: Ohh, bless you.
Lindsay: Sorry. [laughter]
Michelle: No, no, no. It's okay. Umm. Well, umm, we have a question from a
listener about this, uhh, very topic.
Lindsay: We do have a question from a longtime listener, Sophia, and she's also a
student in one of our courses. So, Michelle, could you read Sophia's
question for us?
Michelle: Of course, here we go. "Thanks for the information in your email. I really
appreciate it. I have got some ideas about meals in the restaurants in the
city. Now, could you please focus more on what people eat or cook at
home?" Umm. "From movies and TV series, we also see you guys very
often make and eat sandwiches at home. Thanksgiving meals seem more
complex, but they are for special occasions. We've been wondering, in
your day to day life, generally, what do Americans cook and eat at home?
I'm sure, as you said, there's still much, uhh, cultural variety. So, you may
focus more on the typical American families, if possible. I'm a big fan of
your All Ears English podcast, and I have been following you guys for about
two years or more. You and Michelle make such a fun and lovely team."
Aww. "And I'm sure it'd be super-fun to hear you two talk about this topic
in your unique style..." "Style."
Lindsay: That's so cute.
Michelle: Ohh. Thank you.
Lindsay: So nice, so nice. Thank you for being a long-term... A long-time listener,
Sophia. And I'm excited because Sophia also joined our course, The
Secrets of the Connected Communicator, and in that course, I went
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around the U.S., and I did a lot of eating, and I showed you guys a lot of
different foods that we do eat. So, if you want more details on what we
talk about today, I would highly encourage you to go ahead and get into
our first lesson for free. Go to AllEarsEnglish.com/adventure, and then
we'll invite you into the course. But for today, we're going to try to break
it down for our listeners, Michelle. So, let me ask you a quick question.
Are you ready?
Michelle: Mhh hhm.
Lindsay: [laughter]
Michelle: I'm ready. [laughter]
Lindsay: Okay. So, to you, Michelle, what is American food? I mean, what is
American food that the average American would eat at home? Can we
even say that there is an average American?
Michelle: Umm. I don't think so because... I mean, I don't know, it's funny... The...
The... This is a great question, because I've talked about this with my
husband before that...
Lindsay: Ohh.
Michelle: American food, it's... It's really tough to say, because I think we have...
Because, right? We say America's a melting pot. Uhh.
Lindsay: Right, we say that. Mhh hhm.
Michelle: Right. So, it seems that because there are so many different cultures, you
know, you... There are so many different kinds of food. So...
Lindsay: Yeah (yes).
Michelle: I guess if some... If I were to ask someone what's the typical American
food, they probably would say, like, hamburgers, hot dogs, and French
fries.
Lindsay: Yeah (yes), but I mean...
Michelle: But...
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Lindsay: Do...
Michelle: I don't know that that's what people eat most of the time.
Lindsay: I know, that's the thing. That's why it's so hard. I mean, I understand
some of the ideas that are probably out there, that you guys have about
what Americans probably eat, but I would argue that many people that I
know don't really eat burgers and fries all that much.
Michelle: Mm. Yeah (yes).
Lindsay: I mean, I... I, personally, I'm more vegetarian-leaning. I don't remember
the last time I had a burger and fries. Although, I mean, I like to chew at
people's fries sometimes. I grab...
Michelle: Ohh.
Lindsay: It off their plate, like, my friends and stuff at restaurants. But, gosh, it's so
hard to answer this question. So, what we're going to do instead is that
we're going to break it down by region. We're going to tell you guys what
the regional trends in cooking are. That's another reason, that it's such a
big country. It's so hard to tell you what American food is.
Michelle: Right.
Lindsay: It depends on where you live, right?
Michelle: Right, right.
Lindsay: Yeah (yes). I mean, another thing I remember, it's so funny. When I
taught in New York, I remember some of my students telling me that they
would... They got off the plane in New York, and the first thing they
wanted to try was a candy bar, because that felt so American to them.
Michelle: Ohh, really?
Lindsay: [laughter]
Michelle: That's funny.
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Lindsay: Yeah (yes). So, they were, like, in the grocery store aisle eating Milky Way
and Snickers.
Michelle: [laughter]
Lindsay: [laughter] But I don't really eat candy bars much. Do you?
Michelle: No, no.
Lindsay: No, no.
Michelle: [laughter]
Lindsay: So...
Michelle: It's, like, little ti... Those little fun-size ones around Halloween.
Lindsay: Yeah (yes), the fun-size ones.
Michelle: [laughter]
Lindsay: Typically, like, I wouldn't go and buy a candy bar, you know...
Michelle: Yeah (yes).
Lindsay: As a snack. No way.
Michelle: Yeah (yes).
Lindsay: So, le... So, let's do it. I mean, you guys, I have a really cool Wikipedia
article, actually, that I'll put a link to on the blog. If you guys come back to
AllEarsEnglish.com and you type in 70... What's today, Michelle? What's
today? Today is...
Michelle: [laughter]
Lindsay: 706.
Michelle: 706.
Lindsay: You can find that article. But let's break it down. I mean, I just came back
from a trip to Nashville, Michelle. So, let's start with the South.
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[Instrumental]
Announcer: In order to participate, and enjoy, and connect in a real conversation, you
need culture, vocabulary, and listening skills. We give you that in our
Bridge to Connection method. Soon, we will release our course again. But
first, you can get the first lesson for free. Go to
AllEarsEnglish.com/adventure and meet Coleman, who is a gun salesman
from Texas. Go to AllEarsEnglish.com/adventure to get your video lesson
for free.
[Instrumental]
Michelle: Okay.
Lindsay: Have you ever been to Nashville?
Michelle: No, I might go this summer, though. I'd love to talk to you about it.
Lindsay: Yeah (yes), really cool place. Quite a hipster culture, but it's still very much
influenced by soul food, what they call soul food. Umm.
Michelle: Mhh hhm.
Lindsay: And what is soul food, Michelle?
Michelle: Well, that's things like, uhh, cornbread, right? Or...
Lindsay: Yeah (yes).
Michelle: Or grits, right? Which is made from corn, right?
Lindsay: Yeah (yes). It's... grits... We had grits, like, three times in Nashville to try
it in different bars and restaurants, and it's this, like, buttery kind of corn
mix. And it's good, depending on how it's got cheese in it sometimes.
Michelle: Mhh hhm.
Lindsay: Depends on... Depending on how it's made, but it's quite heavy.
Michelle: Mhh hhm. Or, here we have friend chicken.
Lindsay: Fried chicken. [laughter]
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Michelle: [laughter]
Lindsay: Friendly fried chicken. [laughter]
Michelle: [laughter] That's... That's one, if you're really... [laughter]
Lindsay: [laughter]
Michelle: You're really adventurous.
Lindsay: Yeah (yes). [laughter] And there's also barbecue. Barbecue is huge. And
we... In, uhh, one of the lessons in the Connected Communicator, I
actually went into a very typical Southern restaurant in Mississippi.
Michelle: Ohh.
Lindsay: Natchez, Mississippi. The most Southern town you could go to. And I
videoed my meal, and I also went around back and asked the guy to
explain to me how they use the barbecue.
Michelle: Cool.
Lindsay: Right? And so, that's a huge thing in the South. And another thing, for
alcohol that they like to drink in the South is what, Michelle?
Michelle: Uhh. Whiskey, bourbon, right?
Lindsay: Yeah (yes), exactly. Also, country ham is big in Virginia. So, these things
we would eat at home, or we might also eat them in a restaurant, right?
You can always find a restaurant that reflects home cooking.
Michelle: Right, right. Sure.
Lindsay: Have you ever had sweet potato pie?
Michelle: Ohh, yeah (yes). Yeah (yes), that's good stuff.
Lindsay: Yeah (yes).
Michelle: [laughter]
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Lindsay: Sweet potato pie. Yeah (yes), love it, love it. Umm. I... I went to college
in, uhh, Virginia and we had a friendsgiving. And so, a lot of my friends
were from Virginia, right, the Southern states. And one of them brought
this very sweet, sweet potato dish. It was the sweetest sweet potato dish
I've ever tried. [laughter] It was crazy.
Michelle: Ohh. That's cool.
Lindsay: And then, of course, if you go to, like, Louisiana, you get jambalaya with
the... the Creole influence. So, again, even within these regions, it
depends on, you know, where you are. But that is Southern food. And
Michelle, let's move to the Midwest now.
Michelle: Alright.
Lindsay: What do they eat in the Midwest?
Michelle: Umm. Well, I... I didn't know this, but I guess it's a... It's meat and
potatoes.
Lindsay: Well, yeah (yes). That's what I... I think of when I think of, like, the
Midwest. You know, I think of, uhh...
Michelle: Hmm.
Lindsay: Illinois.
Michelle: Right.
Lindsay: Uhh. Wisconsin. Kind of the... The meat and potato dishes. The basic
dishes. Yeah (yes), I think that's a common thing, or it has been in the
past.
Michelle: Mm. Okay.
Lindsay: Yeah (yes). Have you ever tried pasties?
Michelle: No.
Lindsay: Yeah (yes), this is actually also in our course, guys. And this is something
that the miners used to eat when they went into the mines, because they
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would last for days. They could carry them in. It's just, basically, ehh, uhh,
uhh, uhh, some meat that's... That's put within a pastry. So, it's very
portable. [laughter]
Michelle: Mm. That sounds good.
Lindsay: Yeah (yes). And what are the other influences in the Midwest, Michelle,
for food?
Michelle: Umm. German, Scandinavian, and, uhh, Slavic. Right? On the Northern
portion of the region is very strong. So, uhh, many of these, uhh,
emigrated to Wisconsin, Minnesota, Michigan, Ohio, Illinois.
Lindsay: Yeah (yes).
Michelle: In the 19th century.
Lindsay: Yeah (yes), this is straight out of Wikipedia, so... [laughter]
Michelle: Ohh. Okay. [laughter] So, yeah (yes), that's not my...
Lindsay: So...
Michelle: That's not my words, guys.
Lindsay: No, that's okay. It's funny, though. If you go to Wisconsin, like, you hear...
You almost can hear, like, the, umm, the Scandinavian accents. It's really
interesting. You can hear that baked into their American Midwestern
accent. It's fascinating, guys. I encourage you to travel to these parts of
the country and hear these accents, because it's just... it's just fascinating.
Umm. And, Michelle, in Chicago... I mean, have you been to Chicago
before?
Michelle: Yeah (yes), I have. Only for, like, uhh, a week. But it was... I loved it.
Lindsay: Yeah (yes). What did you eat there?
Michelle: Uhh. Pizza. [laughter]
Lindsay: Okay. Yeah (yes). What's... What kind of pizza?
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Michelle: I don't know. This was, like, eight years ago. So, I can't remember. But I
remember there was a lot of pizza. The... They had like their deep dish.
Lindsay: Right. Which is different from New York style, right?
Michelle: That's right.
Lindsay: Yeah (yes), sure. So, that's another piece of Chicago. Now, of course,
Sophia asked for home cooking and we don't... Probably wouldn't cook
deep dish pizza at home.
Michelle: Yeah (yes).
Lindsay: I mean, maybe you would, but that's just another thing that we would eat
in Chicago.
Michelle: Yes.
Lindsay: Let's move onto New England, another part of the... Of the, uhh, country.
Michelle, what do we eat in New England?
Michelle: Seafood, right? So, cod, salmon, haddock, clam cakes and clam chowder.
Lindsay: Chowder. And you said that with a very Boston accent.
Michelle: [laughter]
Lindsay: "And chowder." [laughter]
Michelle: That's right.
Lindsay: Have you ever had a Manhattan clam chowder?
Michelle: I don't think I have. I don't think I have.
Lindsay: Well, I am strongly against Manhattan clam chowder because it comes
with a tomatobased broth, not...
Michelle: Right.
Lindsay: A creamy broth, which I... Just doesn't make any sense to me.
Michelle: Right.
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Lindsay: [laughter]
Michelle: That's funny.
Lindsay: We also like to tap trees in the northeast. So, that's a big part of... you
know, even home cooking. We might buy some Vermont maple syrup,
take it home, and make a pancake breakfast on a Sunday morning. We
used to do that a lot when we were kids, when I was growing up. Right?
Family traditions.
Michelle: Ohh, that's fun.
Lindsay: Yeah (yes). And my brother used to tap trees in our backyard, too. So,
that's a big part of the food culture in New England. And what else,
Michelle?
Michelle: Uhh. Berry pies, right? So, I think in Maine there's a lot of blueberry
picking, right? And...
Lindsay: Yeah (yes).
Michelle: The blueberry pie or strawberry rhubarb pie.
Lindsay: Exactly. So, that's also something you might have at home. Like, your...
your mom or dad might cook a blueberry, strawberry pie, something like
that. And then we go back to the good old seafood, and we... we have
what, in Maine? What's big in Maine?
Michelle: Lobster.
Lindsay: Lobster. Lobster, as we say in English, but we're just having fun with the...
Michelle: Right.
Lindsay: Boston and New England accents here, guys. [laughter] And, umm, if you
come back to AllEarsEnglish.com, you type "Boston" in the search bar;
you'll get, uhh, a good demonstration of the Boston accent from a local.
Okay?
Michelle: Ohh.
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Lindsay: How about New York, Michelle? This is your domain. So, tell me what we
eat in New York as home cooking.
Michelle: Well, as home cooking... Umm. I don't know...
Lindsay: Sure.
Michelle: That could be all different. Umm. I mean, yeah (yes), sandwich, salads...
But as far as, like, uhh, what typical New York food is, I mean, there is just
all cultures. There is anything and everything you could possibly want
here.
Lindsay: Mhh hhm.
Michelle: Umm. Deli food is very, you know, is kind of a, maybe, a little bit of a
unique thing.
Lindsay: Yeah (yes).
Michelle: Umm. As well as... I'm not... I don't know, I'm thinking about even just,
like, the New York pretzel, right?
Lindsay: Okay. Yeah (yes). Sure, sure. That's more of, like, a street food-type
thing.
Michelle: Exactly. Yeah (yes).
Lindsay: Yeah (yes).
Michelle: So, yeah (yes). That's... That's basically... I mean, it... There's just
everything here. [laughter]
Lindsay: Yeah (yes), and... And another part of not home cooking, but home
eating, is ordering takeout, right? And, you know, we have these apps
now like Foodler, where we can order takeout from any country, right?
Indian food, Thai food... I mean, we do... We do that sometimes here in
Boston, order takeout. So, that's a big part. So, home eating, home
cooking is not just always preparing, sitting down and preparing. It could
be ordering out.
Michelle: Mhh hhm. Mhh hhm. Yeah (yes), for sure.
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Lindsay: Yeah (yes). And, Michelle, when was the last time you were on the West
Coast and tried the food out there? Have you been out there recently, to
California?
Michelle: Uhh. I was in California, like, five years ago.
Lindsay: Yeah (yes). What's... What struck you about the diet out there, what they
eat?
Michelle: It's very healthy. More, like, natural foods.
Lindsay: Yeah (yes), yeah (yes). There's a huge health wave. I remember the
summer when I was out there as part of my trip, just, a lot of salads, a lot
of adac... Avocados, a lot of fresh fruits.
Michelle: Yeah (yes), yeah (yes). Ohh, yeah (yes).
Lindsay: It's just in every dish you see, the fresh fruit. Huge dishes of salads. And
there's also the Mexican influence. We went to an incredible taco bar in,
uhh, L.A. And, again, what you see out of the restaurants is not always
exactly the same as at home, but you could make these things at home
too. Cobb salads.
Michelle: Sure, sure.
Lindsay: Do you like a Cobb salad?
Michelle: Ohh, yeah (yes). Yeah (yes).
Lindsay: What goes into a Cobb salad?
Michelle: Ohh, what goes into it? Uhh. Eggs, umm...
Lindsay: Yeah (yes).
Michelle: Usually avocados, something like chicken or turkey. Umm.
Lindsay: Yeah (yes). Mhh hhm. For sure.
Michelle: Yeah (yes).
Lindsay: Pretty much everything under the sun goes into a Cobb salad. [laughter]
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Michelle: [laughter]
Lindsay: Many things, right? You get your eggs... Yeah (yes), you said it best.
Exactly. So, Michelle, what is something that our listeners should keep in
mind, when they're visiting the U.S., to get a real good sense of the food?
Michelle: Umm. Yeah (yes). I mean, just don't eat only at fancy restaurants. Like,
try a diner, right?
Lindsay: Mhh hhm.
Michelle: Or go to, you know... That would give you a really authentic dining
experience, right?
Lindsay: Yeah (yes).
Michelle: And since the... Our listener, you asked about eating at home, right? So,
you could try Couchsurfing like Lindsay.
Lindsay: Mhh hhm.
Michelle: So, maybe you could eat with a local at their home.
Lindsay: Yeah (yes), exactly, Couchsurfing. We... We want to always, when we
travel, I mean, we look for ways to meet locals and, you know, we need to
be safe when it comes to Couchsurfing, but it is a good way to meet local
people and you might get lucky enough to get invited, uhh, into their
home for dinner, not just for a place to stay.
Michelle: Yeah (yes).
Lindsay: And also, in our course, which you guys are going to hear about a bit more
this spring, we do have a very cool lesson on American diners. That's
actually lesson one. So, Sophia is actually in that course and she's taken
that lesson. So, very cool. You guys will have a chance to do that, too,
very soon. So, Michelle, this was good. I mean, do you think that we
summed it up here in terms of what …
Michelle: Ohh, yeah (yes). We have. We went through a lot of food, yes.
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Lindsay: We went through a lot. But again, I feel like it's just so hard to say what
the typical American... See, because I don't really think there is a typical
American.
Michelle: Ohh, yeah (yes). I completely agree with you.
Lindsay: Yeah (yes). So, we've taken our best shot today for you, Sophia, and for
our other listeners. And, guys, if you have follow-up questions, just come
back to the blog and ask a question in the comment section, right? And
also, don't forget, if you're taking the IELTS exam, go and download the
IELTS Energy podcast and subscribe there. Okay?
Michelle: Alright. Awesome. Great question. Thank you so much.
Lindsay: Alright. Very cool, Michelle. Thanks for hanging out. And I'm going to go
have some, uhh, lunch pretty soon here.
Michelle: Ohh, yeah (yes). Now I'm hungry.
Lindsay: It's ______
Michelle: [laughter] Alright. Bye, Lindsay. Have a good one.
Lindsay: Bye.
[Instrumental]
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AEE Episode 707: How to Transition into the Topic at Hand Using 'Dive
In', 'Hone In', And 'Get Into It' in English
Announcer: This is an All Ears English podcast Episode 707: "How to Transition into the
Topic at Hand Using 'Dive In', 'Hone In', And 'Get into It' in English."
[Instrumental]
Announcer: Welcome to the All Ears English Podcast, downloaded more than 34
million times. We believe in Connection NOT Perfection ™, with your
American hosts Lindsay McMahon, the ‘English Adventurer’, and Michelle Kaplan, the ‘New York Radio Girl,’ coming to you from Boston and New York City, U.S.A.
[Instrumental]
Announcer: And to instantly download your transcript from today’s episode, go to
AllEarsEnglish.com/transcripts, AllEarsEnglish.com/transcripts.
[Instrumental]
Announcer: Today Rodolfo asks us how to show the person we're speaking with that
we're ready to get into the topic. How can you do it while smoothly
maintaining the connection? Listen to this episode to find out.
[Instrumental]
Lindsay: Hey (hi), Michelle. What's... What's going on?
Michelle: Hey (hi), Lindsay. I'm good. How are you?
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Lindsay: I'm good, I'm good. What'd you do over the weekend?
Michelle: Ohh, what did I do over the weekend? Ohh, it was a beautiful weekend.
So, I spent a lot of time outside. How about you?
Lindsay: Ohh, I was in Nashville over the weekend and...
Michelle: Ohh, right.
Lindsay: Yeah (yes), we got in on Friday morning, ehh, super early and it was 80
degrees when we landed. And that was great. [laughter]
Michelle: That's awesome.
Lindsay: Yeah (yes). So, we enjoyed going around Nashville that day, and then it got
colder. But we did some fun stuff. We listened to live music; we took a
long hike; we went to three breweries; and it was very cool. Cool city, I
got to tell you.
Michelle: That's awesome. I'd like to go.
Lindsay: I know, Michelle. You should some day.
Michelle: Yeah (yes).
Lindsay: So, Michelle, let's get into it. Let's dive right in. Let's dig in.
Michelle: Okay.
Lindsay: [laughter]
Michelle: Okay. [laughter]
Lindsay: And today we have a really good question from a listener from Brazil, who
actually asked us about those three phrases that I just said. What did I
say, Michelle?
Michelle: You said 'dig in', uhh, 'dive in', and I think you said 'get into it'.
Lindsay: Yeah (yes), "let's get into it". So, what do those mean? I mean, why am I
using those phrases?
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Michelle: Well, they're a great way to get something started, right? To...
Lindsay: Yeah (yes).
Michelle: To... To... Yeah (yes). "Let's go." Right?
Lindsay: Exactly, and I love that our listener noticed these phrases. I mean, guys, in
the beginning of the episodes, we do chat a little bit, but it's not a waste of
time. And this is a perfect example of the value of paying attention right in
the beginning when we just start. We just chat, because Rodolpho here
figured out that these are important phrases to transition into something
and to build a connection, right? You can't just stop the small talk and talk
about the topic; you've got to use some kind of phrase to move into it if
you want to maintain the connection.
Michelle: Absolutely, absolutely. So, should I read the question?
Lindsay: Yeah (yes), let's do it. Let's do it. Let's read the question...
Michelle: Alright.
Lindsay: From Rodolfo. Please.
Michelle: Okay, here we go. "Hi, Lindsay and Michelle. I'm Rodolfo from Brazil, who
lives in the city of Sao Paulo. I have been listening to this podcast since
late 2015 and have been mastering my listening and my English quite a
lot." Ohh, thanks.
Lindsay: That's good.
Michelle: That's great. "In most episodes, after you introduce the subject, greet the
listeners and yourselves, you generally say phrasal verbs such as 'dive in',
'dig in', and 'honey in'."
Lindsay: [laughter]
Michelle: "Or even an idiom, which is 'roll up our sleeves'. I guess all of them mean
the same thing, which is to go deeply into the subject, except 'to roll up
the sleeves', this one means to be ready for something I bet." [laughter]
Lindsay: [laughter]
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Michelle: "I just wanted to know when to use this..." "Use one and another or it
doesn't matter. Would you mind, uhh, clearing this up? Thank you and
congrats for your tremendous podcast." Thank you.
Lindsay: Awesome.
Michelle: That is a great question.
Lindsay: Excellent question. Love this question. This is an especially great... I love
the questions where our listeners have been listening carefully, and they
ask some kind of a follow-up question. I love that. It tells us that you guys
are really tuned in, and that is super cool. So, good question. I mean,
today's angle, again, as we said, is going to be how to show the person
that you're ready to transition from small talk into business or into the
topic. It doesn't have to be in the business space, but we're going to show
you guys which ones would be better in the business space. Okay?
Michelle: Absolutely.
Lindsay: Ha... Have we done any related episodes on this, Michelle, before?
Michelle: Yeah (yes). Well, on episode num... Number 523, we did "How to jump
into a business conversation that is already going".
Lindsay: Yeah (yes). So, that's a related but a different skill, because we know one
thing you guys struggle with is when you're in a round table meeting and
people maybe... Maybe Americans or other English speakers are speaking
fast, you want to know how to get in. So, that's a related episode. Go to
523 to get that, guys. Okay? Cool.
Michelle: Mhh hhm.
Lindsay: Umm. And today, we're talking about kind of... Again, as we said, moving
into the topic at hand. But, Michelle, does this vary across cultures in any
way?
Michelle: Umm. Yeah (yes), I mean, this is ve... You know, very cultural, right? So,
what we're saying, it's... It's... Umm. You know, we're talking about how
to say that you're ready to talk.
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Lindsay: Yeah (yes).
Michelle: And in the U.S., it’s been observed that we tend to do this quickly. Right,
Lindsay?
Lindsay: Exactly. I mean, you can talk on... You can go on over to 192, Episode 192,
and we'll show you how to captivate people with your small talk in the U.S.
But the point is, you know, when I did my master’s degree in Cross Cultural
Communication, I read a lot of studies. Like, HBS, Harvard Business School,
put out some case studies and they taught... They touch on this; this idea
that the amount of time that we spend doing small talk and what that
means to us, how important that is, varies across cultures.
Michelle: Mm.
Lindsay: Right? So...
Michelle: That's interesting.
Lindsay: It is interesting. It's actually very important to know, too, right? So, in
Ame... In the United States, we might do five minutes of small talk and
then it becomes very obvious that we both want to get into it, right?
Michelle: Mhh hhm.
Lindsay: Whereas, in other cultures, you guys might do twenty minutes, twenty-
five minutes, of building a relationship, learning about each other's
families. I mean, this varies from country to country, but it's very
important in other countries to build that personal relationship first. And
that's actually considered building business, too. Doing business.
Michelle: Sure, sure.
Lindsay: Yeah (yes). So, we want to know, we want to keep in mind, that that can
be different. So, we want to not bring in our... our old cultural frames
from our culture. Try to think about how the other person's seeing this
moment, right?
Michelle: Right, right.
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Lindsay: Yeah (yes). So, interesting. Have you noticed that, Michelle, as you've
talked to anyone? I mean, I don't know. I mean, you're not having
international business meetings necessarily, but maybe with...
Michelle: No.
Lindsay: Students or something. Have you noticed that all, that difference?
Michelle: Uhh. In the small talk?
Lindsay: Yeah (yes).
Michelle: Yeah (yes), yeah (yes). I think so. I think we put a big value on small talk.
[laughter] Big value, small talk.
Lindsay: [laughter]
Michelle: Yeah (yes). No, I have... I have noticed that. I mean, I feel that it... It's
definitely important to have small talk and, like, if we just... If we just
went right into everything every time, it would feel funny.
Lindsay: Yeah (yes), yeah (yes). And some cultures even more so than... more than
us, right? Would do that longer and it would be more... even more
important. So...
Michelle: Mhh hhm.
Lindsay: Cool.
[Instrumental]
Announcer: Guys, if you need to improve your business English, then you must focus
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plus twenty percent off your first month. AllEarsEnglish.com/SPOKEN, and
we'll see you there.
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[Instrumental]
Lindsay: Okay. So then, let's dig into the phrases. Ohh, I used it again.
Michelle: Alright. Here we go. Good job.
Lindsay: [laughter] Alright. So, keep in mind, guys, these ones are casual, and we'll
show you a few that are more formal. Okay. So, the ones that Rodolfo
shared, right? What's the first phrase, Michelle, that we could use?
Michelle: Mhh hhm. The first one is, "Are you ready to dive in?"
Lindsay: Ohh. Okay, good, good.
Michelle: Right? So, that's just "begin", "Let's get going." Right?
Lindsay: Yeah (yes), and it also has of a sense of like, "We're going in one-hundred
percent into this." Right?
Michelle: Right.
Lindsay: We're literally diving in. Like, we're not just...
Michelle: Right, like, to the full.
Lindsay: Going to put one foot in. Right? We're not just wading in the water, we're
diving in.
Michelle: Right, right, right. Exactly.
Lindsay: And the next one we could say is, "Shall we dig in? Shall we dig in?" Right?
Umm.
Michelle: Do we say that?
Lindsay: "Shall we dig in?" Yeah (yes), I think you could. I mean, I kind of like the
'shall' because it feels a little bit more formal. Umm. Or if you don't like
'shall', then that's okay. You could say 'should', right?
Michelle: No, that's not the... That's not what... Uhh. My question is... Uhh. I...
Uhh. Yeah (yes), I... I... I feel like I always think of this with food.
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Lindsay: Mm.
Michelle: But, like...
Lindsay: That's interesting.
Michelle: Like... I don't know. No, but I mean, maybe it is used. I... I think I'm
looking it up. Yeah (yes), I think it can mean, like, 'to begin'. For me, the
difference is that this... This, I feel like, is about food. Like, "Alright, let's
dig in."
Lindsay: Yeah (yes). Actually, I see what you're saying, uhh...
Michelle: But maybe it [00:09:02]
Lindsay: Yeah (yes), I think you can use it to actually talk about... Uhh. Yeah (yes).
I see what you mean, and definitely, I would... Yeah (yes), if I look it up in
the dictionary, it does say 'to begin to eat food', and the second definition
says 'to begin to process something or to go to work on something'.
Michelle: Right, right.
Lindsay: So, it can be used in both ways. But you're right. I mean, a lot of people
use it, yeah (yes), "Hey (hi), let's dig in. Here's the food." Okay? "Dig in."
Michelle: Right, right, right. No, but I...
Lindsay: Yeah (yes).
Michelle: Think you could use it in both ways.
Lindsay: Totally, totally.
Michelle: Mhh hhm.
Lindsay: But it is a little bit casual, right? So...
Michelle: Yeah (yes).
Lindsay: If you're in a formal place, I mean, don't use that because it seems kind of
casual.
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Michelle: Yeah (yes), yeah (yes).
Lindsay: And then, Rodolfo said that we use the phrase 'honey in', but that's not
actually the right phrase, Rodolfo.
Michelle: Ohh, 'hone in'. That's it. Ahh. Yeah (yes). Okay.
Lindsay: That's why we want the transcripts, guys. Right?
Michelle: Right.
Lindsay: So, go on over and subscribe to the transcripts if you are confused about
what words we’re actually using. Because you don't want to be going to go
and take a word that you think we're using, but it's not that word. Go to
AllEarsEnglish.com/subscribe to save fifty percent there. Okay?
Michelle: Mhh hhm.
Lindsay: So, what would we say there in that phrase, Michelle?
Michelle: So, "Let's hone in on the... On our episode titles. I think we need
changes." or something like that. That's like, "Let's focus."
Lindsay: Exac... Yeah (yes), "Let's hone in." And I like this one, because it could be
casual, could be formal. It's also kind of advan... Like, it's kind of... It's
one that most native speakers know that most non-native speakers
wouldn't know. So, it's a good one to set you apart, guys.
Michelle: Mhh hhm. Yeah (yes), yeah (yes), absolutely.
Lindsay: Yeah (yes), another one is, "Let's roll up our sleeves..."
Michelle: Mhh hhm.
Lindsay: And this is one Rodolfo asked about before.
Michelle: Mhh hhm.
Lindsay: Uhh. So, any thoughts on this one, Michelle?
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Michelle: Yeah (yes). I mean, it let's, you know, it starts a question here, right? So,
it's like... It could be like, "Well, let's roll up our sleeves." But you could
also just say, "Let's roll up our sleeves and get going." Right?
Lindsay: Yeah (yes), exactly. You don't have to create a question. You can just put
a question at the end. Again, this is very native and probably not what
your textbooks say.
Michelle: Right?
Lindsay: Right. But "Let's roll up our sleeves." or "Let's roll up our sleeves and get
going." Both would be okay.
Michelle: Right.
Lindsay: Okay?
Michelle: Right, right, right, right, right.
Lindsay: Yeah (yes), how about another?
Michelle: Another one is, "So, are you ready to get into it?"
Lindsay: Yeah (yes).
Michelle: And I like this one, or like just saying, "Let's get into it." Right? This one to
me sounds, like, very natural.
Lindsay: Yeah (yes), I'm adding that to our list here. We use that a lot here. "Let's
get into it." "Alright, let's get into it."
Michelle: Yeah (yes).
Lindsay: Yeah (yes).
Michelle: [laughter]
Lindsay: Okay.
Michelle: So, yeah (yes), that's a good one. Yeah (yes), for sure.
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Lindsay: And the next one is, "Shall we get started?" Right? This sounds more
formal to me. What about you?
Michelle: I agree. "Shall we get started?" Yeah (yes), sounds more formal. But
definitely, uhh, a good one.
Lindsay: Yeah (yes), sounds very refined and even toned and that sort of thing. So,
okay, two more, Michelle. What are they?
Michelle: Okay. Well, we have, "Are you ready to get started?", which is also formal,
but not as formal as 'shall', I think.
Lindsay: Yeah (yes), 'shall' is more formal, right?
Michelle: Mhh hhm. Mhh hhm.
Lindsay: Yeah (yes), 'shall' is more formal than 'should' as well.
Michelle: Mhh hhm. Right, right, right.
Lindsay: Okay. And the last one.
Michelle: "Shall we begin?" That's also...
Lindsay: Ohh.
Michelle: A more formal.
Lindsay: Sounds very formal, very fancy.
Michelle: Yes, yes, yes, yes.
Lindsay: Okay. So, we've given you guys a variety here. And, again, remember,
these aren't just for business meetings, and they aren't just for chatting
with friends. They could be for both, either. You can use the ones that
we've told you. You know, we've designated them as being refined,
informal or more casual. So, take your pick. Alright?
Michelle: Mhh hhm.
Lindsay: Okay, Michelle, here we are. We're at an All Ears English business
meeting. Are you ready?
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Michelle: Alright, here we go. Let's do it. Alright.
Lindsay: Okay.
Michelle: "Hi Lindsay. How are you doing?"
Lindsay: "I'm doing well, Michelle. How about you? How was your trip to
Maryland this weekend?"
Michelle: "Ohh, thanks for asking. It was great. I had a chance to see my nephew
and the whole family. How was your trip to Nashville?"
Lindsay: "Amazing. I ate too much, though." [laughter]
Michelle: [laughter] "Ohh, wow. Cool. So, should we get started?"
Lindsay: "Yeah (yes), let's get into it. Let's take a look at the download numbers
from last week."
Michelle: "Alright, awesome."
Lindsay: Nice. So, Michelle, here I like how you actually... you actually changed
what we had written and you said.
Michelle: I did?
Lindsay: Yeah (yes), I think you said 'should we'. I had written, "So, shall we get
started?", but you said, "Should we get started?"
Michelle: Ohh, sorry. I guess it was the most natural...
Lindsay: Yeah (yes), that's the point. So, we can point that out to our listeners that
maybe 'should' is more natural for many native speakers then 'shall'. Uhh.
Michelle: Yeah (yes), I didn't even notice that. That's so funny.
Lindsay: That's fine, though. That's cool, that's alright. And we want to show our
listeners natural English to connect here. That's what we're doing. So, you
could say, you know... You could have said, "So, shall we get started?" or
"So, should we get started?"
Michelle: Right, right, right. Yeah (yes).
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Lindsay: And then, what did I say?
Michelle: And then you said, "Yeah (yes)." or "Yes. Let's get into it." Right?
Lindsay: Right. Obviously, we couldn't use all the phrases in one conversation.
Michelle: [laughter]
Lindsay: But we showed you guys two of those. So, I think this was so good that
Ro... Rodolfo picked up on this, he heard this, he asked us the question.
Umm. Any final thoughts on this, Michelle? Like transitioning into kind of
the topic with someone?
Michelle: Umm. Yeah (yes), just, uhh, don't... You know, keep it natural. Think
about how formal you want to be or informal. And... And I think any of
these phrases would be good.
Lindsay: Yeah (yes), exactly. And also, don't overthink it. Because I think where we
get into trouble, where we get into perfectionism, is overthinking whether
we're using the right phrase. And we want you guys to connect, so focus
on connecting, right? Keep the eye contact with the person. Don't look
down if you're embarrassed, if you think you chose the wrong phrase.
There is no right or wrong when it comes to connection. Okay?
Michelle: For sure. Awesome. Well, thank you for that great question.
Lindsay: Very cool, guys. And remember, if you're taking the IELTS exam, go
download IELTS Energy podcast. Don't download, subscribe to it. That's
what we want you guys to do. [laughter] And also, if you want the
transcripts, go to AllEarsEnglish.com/subscribe to save fifty percent. Very
cool. Michelle, we are out of here.
Michelle: Alright, have a good one, Lindsay.
Lindsay: Take care.
Michelle: Bye.
Lindsay: Bye.
[Instrumental]
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Announcer: Thanks so much for listening to All Ears English. And if you need a seven or
higher on your IELTS exam to achieve your life vision, then our “Insider Method” can get you there. Start with our free video series master class.
Get video one now at AllEarsEnglish.com/INSIDER. And if you believe in
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or on your computer. See you next time.
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AEE Episode 708: 'Yeah. No.' Why Do Native Speakers Agree and
Disagree in the Same Sentence?
Announcer: This is an All Ears English podcast Episode 708: "'Yeah. No.’ Why Do Native Speakers Agree and Disagree in the Same Sentence?"
[Instrumental]
Announcer: Welcome to the All Ears English Podcast, downloaded more than 34
million times. We believe in Connection NOT Perfection ™, with your
American hosts Lindsay McMahon, the ‘English Adventurer’, and Michelle Kaplan, the ‘New York Radio Girl,’ coming to you from Boston and New York City, U.S.A.
[Instrumental]
Announcer: And to instantly download your transcript from today’s episode, go to
AllEarsEnglish.com/transcripts, AllEarsEnglish.com/transcripts.
[Instrumental]
Announcer: Do you ever hear a native speaker say, "Yeah (yes). No." and then say
what they think? In this case, did they agree with you or did they
disagree? Find out how to deal with his weird native speech pattern
today.
[Instrumental]
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Lindsay: Hey (hi) Michelle, how's it going?
Michelle: I'm good, how are you?
Lindsay: Good. Michelle, I want to jump into it real quick today, because we have a
quick role play that we're going to use to introduce our topic.
Michelle: Okay.
Lindsay: So, here we go. "Michelle, don't you just love how crazy it is when you sit
up in the Starbucks in Shibuya Crossing and watch all the people in
Tokyo?"
Michelle: "Yeah (yes), no, Lindsay, it's insane. I love it."
Lindsay: [laughter]
Michelle: [laughter]
Lindsay: Michelle, do... Do you love it or do you not? You said, "Yeah (yes). No."
Then you said, "I love that." I'm so confused. What are you trying to say?
Michelle: Ohh my gosh. That's so funny. That's true. That... Umm.
Lindsay: [laughter]
Michelle: Yeah (yes), I was trying to say 'yeah (yes)'.
Lindsay: [laughter] But you said 'no'.
Michelle: I don't know. It... Gosh. That is... Uhh. That's weird.
Lindsay: Ohh, that's very weird. That is the weirdest communication style that I've
ever seen in anyone before.
Michelle: [laughter]
Lindsay: [laughter] Ohh. This is going to be a fun episode today because we got a
great question from a listener. And, guys, you're definitely going to want
the transcripts from today. So, go on over, AllEarsEnglish.com/subscribe.
Actually, before we get into it, I want to say a very special thank you to the
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listener who sent in this question. What did we get from Kowry and her
daughter, Michelle?
Michelle: We got an amazing, amazing video. Umm. And it was... It totally made
my day. I watched it twice, I will confess. Thank you for that.
Lindsay: Beautiful.
Michelle: Umm. Your daughter is ad... is adorable and that you guys sang 'Happy
Birthday'. I love the whole thing.
Lindsay: Yeah (yes). So, they... They sang 'Happy Birthday' to my niece, Emery.
Because we've talked about on the show that she just had a three-year
birthday. And they also asked this great question. So, we love... So, if you
guys ever want to send in video messages, that is very cool. I mean, we
love your reviews, we love your emails, we just love the love. [laughter]
Michelle: That's right.
Lindsay: We love it, we love it, guys. Thank you so much. And so, let's actually
read part of the question that Kowry asked us here. We're going to focus
on the piece about how natives say, "Yeah (yes). No." Right? Very weird.
Okay, guys. We're going to clear that up, because we actually hadn't
thought about that until Kowry wrote in this question. So, great question.
But it starts with one kind of related question that we're going to answer,
then we're going to talk about the, "Yeah (yes). No." thing. Okay?
Michelle: Okay. [laughter]
Lindsay: Okay. So, Michelle, could you read, uhh, this part of Kowry’s question for
us?
Michelle: Sure, sure. Alright. So, it says, uhh, "Hi Lindsay, Michelle. I should have
sent you a voicemail via your website, but I really wanted to talk to you
face to face in person. So, my daughter and I made a video to say ‘thank
you’ for your awesome work and ask a question. Actually, I have wanted
to ask this question for a year or so, but it was tough to ask since it's a
really complex one. I made a lot of mistakes on the video. So
embarrassing. Please never mind and I hope you go easy on us. Here is
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the video that we made." Umm. First of all, I think you did an excellent
job.
Lindsay: Yeah (yes).
Michelle: Like, I...
Lindsay: The video's fantastic.
Michelle: You're being hard on yourself. I thought it was excellent. And you didn't...
Lindsay: Yeah (yes).
Michelle: Make a lot of mistakes. And just, umm, thank you.
Lindsay: I actually thought Kowry’s accent sounded very natural, very natural.
Michelle: Umm. Yeah (yes). Kowry, I'll be honest with you. I s... I s... I sou... I
played it to my husband, because I was so excited, and I was like, "I have
to show you this."
Lindsay: Yeah (yes).
Michelle: And he said, "Ohh my God. She sounds so natural and her... her..." Yeah
(yes), your... your pronunciation, your... Uhh. So... It... It's so... You're
so easy to understand. And that was coming from, you know... Like...
Lindsay: Mhh hhm. Mhh hhm. Mhh hhm.
Michelle: Yeah (yes). So, I just want to say, excellent job and really impressed with
everything.
Lindsay: Yeah (yes).
Michelle: Just how sweet you are and your English.
Lindsay: Yeah (yes). I mean, I think for a lot of our listeners here, guys. You... You
probably speak a lot better than you think. And it's good that you have
this mentality that you always want to get better. And sometimes, it's also
good to sit back and say, "Hey, I speak English pretty well. And now, I'm
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going to build on that." Right? We want to stay positive about our skills,
okay?
Michelle: For sure. So anyway, then she says, "In this video I mentioned, uhh, a
couple of episodes. I mentioned to you a couple of episodes to ask a
question. Your episodes ask a question. From Episode 689 around 16:20
and Episode 689 around 9:30. And here is another corresponding
question. How do you answer this question?" Umm.
Lindsay: Mhh hhm. Okay.
Michelle: Yeah (yes).
Lindsay: The question is, "I don't need to go to the party tonight, right?" "I don't
need to go to the party tonight?" without 'right'. When we take the 'right'
off of that.
Michelle: Right.
Lindsay: Right? And she said... He... Here's what Kowry said, "If she..." "If she or
he doesn't need to go to the party, would you say 'yes' or 'no'? Correct me
if I'm wrong, but I've heard native speakers answer 'yes' to those kinds of
questions, even though they meant 'no'. You know? Thank you for
watching that long video. It's still cold here in Japan. I guess that it's the
same on the East Coast. So, please stay warm. Take care, Kowry and
Anna with warm hugs." Very nice.
Michelle: Thank you.
Lindsay: Very nice. So, we're not going to go too much into this particular piece of
the... Umm. Of the question, because we have done other episodes on
how to answer negative questions. Episode 145, we told you guys to stick
with 'yes' or 'no' that match your answers. Right? I know that in different
languages you guys answer this differently, okay? But in English, basically,
the 'yes' or 'no' should match your answer. Okay? Not so much the
question. And I think, Michelle and I, you got... The two of us have
already do... Actually touched on this, too.
Michelle: Mhh hhm.
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Lindsay: But then, let's answer her question directly.
Michelle: Okay.
Lindsay: So, Michele, with this phrase, "I don't need to go to the party tonight?"
Michelle: Mhh hhm.
Lindsay: If that's true, what would we say?
Michelle: Umm. I would say, "No, you don't." or "No, you don't need to." Or you
could say, "Yeah (yes), that's right. You don't need to." Yeah (yes).
Lindsay: Ohh. So, you could actually answer both. I mean, what I just told you
guys, you want to match your answer. So, my inclination here, my most
natural answer, would be, "No, you don't."
Michelle: Right, right.
Lindsay: Because that matches your answer. Okay? The answer is 'no'.
Michelle: Mhh hhm. Mhh hhm.
Lindsay: And the reason we're saying this is because we don't want you guys to get
too wrapped up... wrapped up into the correct or the incorrect answer,
because you could also say, "Yeah (yes), that's right. You don't need to."
But you can't... But I would just add the full information. Don't just say
'yeah (yes)'. Right? Say, "Yeah (yes), that's right. You don't need to."
Michelle: Right. And I think, Kowry, you mentioned that you're... you have a friend
who said, "Just don't worry about it too much. Don't stress about it." I
would agree with that. You know, that... listen to this episode; we're
going to give you some ideas. But I... I agree, don't... don't worry about it
so much. It is important to be able to understand it, though. So, I could
see why... Of course, I understand why you want to... Why you have this
question. It's very confusing. But I agree with your friend, don't stress
about it too... too much.
Lindsay: Yeah (yes), and the point is, look, and this is what's going to come out as
we talk about this next point that's even more confusing, the "Yeah (yes).
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No." thing. The point of today is going to be, guys, "Context is king." And
connection is king, but context is king. So, look at the whole message, not
just the first response right after the question. What's the whole thing we
say? Right?
Michelle: Mhh hhm. Right, exactly.
Lindsay: Just look at the whole thing in context. So, let's move into Kowry’s next
question. And if you guys are still confused about the "Yes. No." thing,
we're not going into that so much today. So, go to AllEarsEnglish.com, type
145 in the search bar, and you can go to town on that topic.
Michelle: Mhh hhm.
Lindsay: But today we're going to go into a slightly different topic.
[Instrumental]
Announcer: Are you ready to take a trip around the United States with Lindsay,
improve your listening skills, understand American culture, and learn how
to connect with natives? Get started with your first video for free. Go to
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[Instrumental]
Lindsay: Michelle, what's the next question?
Michelle: So sh... Kowry. Sorry.
Lindsay: Kowry
Michelle: Am I saying it right? Kowry, Sorry.
Lindsay: Yeah (yes).
Michelle: Asked another important question, and that's more the topic of today's
episode. So, she said, "Strange thing, when natives say, 'Yeah (yes). No.' I
think, 'Why do we say both?'"
Lindsay: I know.
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Michelle: So, Kowry heard me or you?
Lindsay: Both of us, yeah (yes).
Michelle: Both of us say in Episode 689, when we were talking about 'raise', 'rise'
and 'arise'. So, let's say what we said, Lindsay.
Lindsay: Yeah (yes). Okay. Yeah (yes), I went into our transcript and actually
copied this right out of our transcript. So, this is exactly what we said.
Here we go. "So, you know, it's... I don't know. It's a tricky question to
me."
Michelle: "Yeah (yes). No, I mean, there's obviously... It's not just a black and white
kind of thing."
Lindsay: So natural, love it. [laughter]
Michelle: [laughter]
Lindsay: I love this. So, Michelle, again, I'm going to ask you [laughter] Why did you
say 'yeah (yes)' and 'no' in the same sentence? [laughter] Did you agree
with me or not?
Michelle: Umm. So... Uhh. Uhh.
Lindsay: You did agree with me.
Michelle: I agreed with you.
Lindsay: You did.
Michelle: And then, I was switching topics quickly. Like, I... I was... It... It's... I don't
know, it's a weird thing.
Lindsay: No, I think you agreed with me.
Michelle: I agreed with you.
Lindsay: And...
Michelle: For sure. And then, I was... I don't... Gosh.
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Lindsay: Yeah (yes). Right, so I did a little bit of thinking about this, and, Michelle,
you can tell me if you agree. I was sitting in Starbucks yesterday, and it's
hilarious. I was thinking about what you said, and I say this, I do this all the
time, too. I say, "Yeah (yes). No." And I was thinking about why we do it,
and I think it's when natives want to say that... When someone states
their opinion clearly, kind of str... Relatively strongly, and you are left to
respond, it's a way of showing that you're in line with someone.
Michelle: Yeah (yes).
Lindsay: Umm. So, I was in Starbucks and I was listening, and it came out in
someone else's conversation. And I can go into that a little bit later, but it's
so funny. As I was trying to figure out why we do it, the people next to me
said it. They used that... This... This... This kind of pattern as well, right
there in that moment. It was weird.
Michelle: Mm.
Lindsay: I was listening to their conversation.
Michelle: [laughter]
Lindsay: [laughter]
Michelle: That's so funny.
Lindsay: Okay. But context is king here, right? Think about what Michelle said
after that. What did she say after that? She said, "Yeah (yes)." Right? Do
you want to say the whole thing again one more time?
Michelle: I said, "Yeah (yes). No. I mean, there's obviously... It's not just a black and
white kind of thing."
Lindsay: Right. So, you're agreeing with me. I mean, I'm saying it's a tricky
question to me. It's the question about 'arise', 'rise', that confusing set of
verbs, right? And you... You agreed. You said, "It's just not a black and
white thing. So, I think the mistake that you guys are making is you're
looking at 'yeah (yes)' and then you're looking at 'no', and then you're
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looking at what she says after that and you're taking them as separate
pieces. So, you're getting confused.
Michelle: Yeah (yes).
Lindsay: But if you look at the whole message together, she's agreeing with me.
Michelle: Yeah (yes), right.
Lindsay: And "Yeah (yes). No." is just a weird speech pattern. If you said 'yeah
(yes)' first, you're probably agreeing with me. So, it's really what comes
first.
Michelle: True, true, true.
Lindsay: Right? What... Wou...
Michelle: That's a good point.
Lindsay: Would you say that that's true?
Michelle: Yeah (yes), I would.
Lindsay: It's very strange.
Michelle: Yeah (yes). No. See? [laughter] Just did it. Just kidding.
Lindsay: You just did it.
Michelle: I know, I did it on purpose.
Lindsay: [laughter] Okay. [laughter]
Michelle: [laughter]
Lindsay: So, this is what natives do, right?
Michelle: Mhh hhm.
Lindsay: And don't get caught up, guys, by... Don't get paralyzed by looking at
words individually. Language is not about individual words, it's about the
whole message.
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Michelle: Mhh hhm. Yeah (yes), that's a good point.
Lindsay: And what's the other piece here that matters?
Michelle: Well, your tone of voice matters, right?
Lindsay: Exactly. And we're going to show you exactly how much it matters,
because we're going to... We're going to show you guys a role play using
two different tones of voice. Okay, Michelle? So, in the first role play,
Michelle, let's actually use the tone of voice to show them the correct...
How it normally would be. The right way. Okay?
Michelle: Right. Alright.
Lindsay: Alright. "So, Michelle, it's been a relatively mild winter, hasn't it?"
Michelle: "Yeah (yes). No, it hasn't been that bad. Uhh. Not nearly as bad as the
winter of 2014."
Lindsay: Okay. So, you see how you used that tone of voice? You said, "Yeah (yes).
No, it hasn't been that bad."
Michelle: Mhh hhm.
Lindsay: Okay? Okay, now let's do it in a more kind of static tone of voice, where
the 'yeah (yes)' and the 'no' are kind of just alone. Does that make sense,
Michelle, what I'm saying?
Michelle: Uhh. Yeah (yes).
Lindsay: Okay. "So, Michelle, it's been a relatively mild winter, hasn't it?"
Michelle: "Yeah (yes). No, it hasn't been bad. Not nearly as bad as the winter of
2014."
Lindsay: Yeah (yes), it's like, "Yeah (yes). No, it hasn't been bad." So, those are ta...
That's taking those words in isolation.
Michelle: Right. Ohh, I didn't know if I did it right. But I tried.
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Lindsay: That's okay; that's okay. So, I guess the point here is, guys, you don't
necessarily need to replicate this when you're speaking, unless you want
to. But you want to listen for that tone of voice. She's agreeing with me.
She's saying, "Yeah (yes). No, it hasn't been that bad."
Michelle: Right.
Lindsay: She's not saying 'yes' and then 'no'. And she's not agreeing and then
disagreeing. She's agreeing with me.
Michelle: Yeah (yes), I'm agreeing with you... Yeah (yes), I'm agreeing with you in
the sense that "No, it hasn't been bad."
Lindsay: Yeah (yes), exactly, exactly.
Michelle: Right.
Lindsay: Let's do another one. [laughter]
Michelle: Okay.
Lindsay: With the tone of voice. [laughter]
Michelle: Okay, here we go. Umm. Okay. "So, Lindsay, what did you think of the
live music scene in Nashville? Wasn't it amazing?"
Lindsay: "Yeah (yes). No, I loved it. I was surprised that it's not just country music,
it's also bluegrass and folk music."
Michelle: Ohh my gosh.
Lindsay: Yeah (yes), so...
Michelle: What a mess. [laughter] This is really hard.
Lindsay: I don't know. I... I just... I don't think it's a mess, because I... I don't want
our listeners to get paralyzed here.
Michelle: No, don't get paralyzed, but just realize that, you know, yeah (yes), don't
stress.
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Lindsay: Don't stress, it's the... I... I guess follow what we say first, okay? Because
I said...
Michelle: Right, right.
Lindsay: 'Yes' and then...
Michelle: That's a really good way to do it.
Lindsay: I... I think maybe that's going to be the primary message coming out of it
today, is what we say first is the answer, and then the rest is just agreeing.
Right? It's just adding some weird [laughter] other words to agree, right?
"Yeah (yes). No, I loved it."
Michelle: Right, right, right. Good.
Lindsay: Okay. How about another?
Michelle: Okay.
Lindsay: "So, Michelle, New York's not an easy place to make it, is it?"
Michelle: "No. Yeah (yes), it can be really tough to make it in New York." Right.
Lindsay: So, are you... What are you saying? I mean, you're saying, "No, it's not
easy to make it in New York." Right?
Michelle: Exactly.
Lindsay: Right? And then you added a 'yeah (yes)' because you're basically
agreeing with me. [laughter]
Michelle: Right, right. I think you've really figured this one out, Lindsay. That's
good.
Lindsay: I hope so. Or I'm just spinning my wheels here, I don't know, Michelle.
Michelle: No, I think... Ehh. I think it's good.
Lindsay: Okay. So, yeah (yes). So, the word 'no' is agreeing, and then 'yeah (yes)',
it can be tough is... Is offering more back-up information. And again, the
main point, "Context is king." Look at the whole context, look at the whole
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thing we're saying; not just the 'yeah (yes)'', not just the 'no', it's the whole
message. Okay?
Michelle: Mhh hhm. Right.
Lindsay: And then... And then, another example, as I said before, the funny thing is
we know that this is common. Because when I was writing this episode
yesterday, I was in Starbucks. And the two girls, I was, uhh, right near
Harvard University, and the two girls next to me were Harvard students.
And they were talking about dorms, because it's that time of year that you
choose your dorm. Remember that time of year, Michelle?
Michelle: Ohh, yeah (yes). Mhh hhm.
Lindsay: A little nerve-wracking. Did you have, like, a lottery at your school or
what?
Michelle: Yeah (yes), yeah (yes). I didn't do so well, but that's okay.
Lindsay: [laughter] Did you end up in a bad dorm?
Michelle: No, not bad. Just not the best.
Lindsay: Yeah (yes), yeah (yes), totally. It was a nerve-wracking time because you
want to be with your friends, you want to be in a good place. You don't
know if you're going to end up with total strangers in the worst place on
campus. So... So, this is what they were talking about. And here's the role
play. I'll be, uhh, B, Michelle...
Michelle: Okay.
Lindsay: And if you want to be A.
Michelle: Sure. "Are you in a quad?"
Lindsay: "Yeah (yes). No, I can't wait."
Michelle: Right?
Lindsay: Right. So... So, that's what I heard. Umm. Another example of how...
And she's excited. And actually, we could add on to this. Let's try this one
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more time. Say, "Aren't you excited? Right?” Let's try one more time with
what I just added, Michelle. So...
Michelle: "Are you in the quad?"
Lindsay: Go for it.
Michelle: "Aren't you excited?"
Lindsay: "Yeah (yes). No, I can't wait. Right?” So, it's usually when someone voices
an opinion, asks you a question with their opinion, right? "Aren't you
excited?"
Michelle: Mhh hhm. Mhh hhm. Right, right.
Lindsay: And you're saying, "Yes, I'm excited." and 'no', you're adding more
information to say that you agree.
Michelle: Exactly. Good.
Lindsay: Whoo. I hope we didn't just confuse our listeners. I feel like we may have
made it more confusing, but guys, listen for this. Just start by listening for
this. That's what you want to do after today. Listen for natives when they
do this "Yeah (yes). No." thing or the "No. Yeah (yes)." thing and try to
put it into context. Think about, "What are they saying?" And don't
paralyze. Don't get freaked out. Okay?
Michelle: Right.
Lindsay: Focus on connection.
Michelle: Great. Well, thank you for this question. This was great. And thanks again
for your sweet message. And yeah (yes), great.
Lindsay: Yeah (yes), thank you so much, Kowry. And thanks, guys, for listening
today. Take care.
Michelle: Bye.
Lindsay: Bye.
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AEE Episode 709: Don't Bail on This Episode. Listen to Get Native
Phrases to Say That You're Going to Leave.
Announcer: This is an All Ears English podcast Episode 709: "Don't Bail on This Episode.
Listen to Get Native Phrases to Say That You’re Going to Leave."
[Instrumental]
Announcer: Welcome to the All Ears English Podcast, downloaded more than 34
million times. We believe in Connection NOT Perfection ™, with your
American hosts Lindsay McMahon, the ‘English Adventurer’, and Michelle Kaplan, the ‘New York Radio Girl,’ coming to you from Boston and New York City, U.S.A.
[Instrumental]
Announcer: And to instantly download your transcript from today’s episode, go to
AllEarsEnglish.com/transcripts, AllEarsEnglish.com/transcripts.
[Instrumental]
Announcer: Today our listener Alicia asked us a great question about what 'to bail on'
means. Find out today and get a bunch of handy related phrases that you
can use to connect.
[Instrumental]
Lindsay: Hey (hi), Michelle. How you doing?
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Michelle: I'm good, Lindsay. How are you?
Lindsay: Well, I'm good. I have a quick question for you. Umm. When you and
your husband go to parties, do you guys, like, have some kind of a code
word or code-like movement in... in case one of you wants to bail?
Michelle: That's so funny.
Lindsay: Like, how do you communicate with each other if you want to bail, if you
want to leave?
Michelle: That's really funny. We don't. But maybe we should. That sounds like a
lot of fun.
Lindsay: It sounds like a lot of fun, I know. Yesterday, I took the day off, actually,
and I went up with my friend to see another friend up in New Hampshire.
And we hung out in the hot tub, and the invitation was for us to stay over,
but we weren't sure if we would want to. Right?
Michelle: Mm.
Lindsay: So, we were... We thought, "Ohh, should we develop a code that... That
tells us that the other one wants to bail?" Right? [laughter]
Michelle: Right, right.
Lindsay: It's a good thing to have, yeah (yes).
Michelle: Right, right, right. That's so funny.
Lindsay: It's a good thing to have. Michelle, what are we talking about today?
Michelle: Okay. So, today we're talking about, right, some new... New vocab, right?
Basically, about bailing and the... These different kinds of situations, right?
To bail, to be stood up, right? And all of...
Lindsay: Exactly.
Michelle: These have to do with getting out of a situation, right? So... Which can be
dangerous, because it can come off as rude, right?
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Lindsay: Exactly. A lot of these can come off as rude today. So, it's all about how
you voice it, what... And what you do, of course, right? So...
Michelle: Right.
Lindsay: We... This comes out of a question from one of our longtime listeners,
Alicia. And she's a big fan of the podcast and we love her, she's awesome.
So, let's go ahead and read Alicia's question.
Michelle: Alright, here we go. "Hello, my lovely, beautiful girls." Ohh my goodness.
You're making me blush.
Lindsay: Yeah (yes), yeah (yes).
Michelle: Thank you, Alicia.
Lindsay: [laughter]
Michelle: Umm. "As always, thank you so much for creating those great podcasts.
Not only that they are very educational and informative, but also very
uplifting, positive, and energizing."
Lindsay: Mhh hhm.
Michelle: Thank you, Alicia. That is so sweet. "Lately, I've been hearing very often
this phrase 'bail on'. Can you elaborate on this word 'bail' and this phrase
a little more? Give some examples how to use it in a sentence. 'Bail on',
'bail out', 'bail up'. And what's the difference between 'to be stood up by
someone' versus 'to be bailed on by someone'? Thank you, ladies. Alicia."
Great question.
Lindsay: Yeah (yes), great question. And I can tell that this is someone that's living
in the U.S. I mean, I know... I'm pretty sure that Alicia is living in Florida.
So, we know that this is not something we'd hear if we're living in our
home country. This is a very native phrase, right? So, you've got to be in
the community with native speakers to hear these phrases. So, this is
great. I love the way that you're learning here, Alicia. Awesome. So, let's
dive into it, Michelle. 'To bail on' is what? What does that mean?
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Michelle: So, 'to bail on' is to leave on someone. So, to leave when someone is still
there, right?
Lindsay: Exactly, exactly. So, Michelle, "Hey (hi), why did you bail on me so early on
Friday? I needed you as my wing woman."
Michelle: "Ohh, sorry, Lindsay. I didn't mean to bail on you. I was just tired."
Lindsay: [laughter] My wing woman. What does that mean?
Michelle: [laughter] It's funny.
Lindsay: Wing woman. What does that mean? What does that mean, real quick?
Michelle: It's, like, someone who helps you try and pick up people at the bar.
Lindsay: [laughter] Right. We go out with our friends and our friends are our wing
men, our wing women, if they help us when we're trying to meet people.
Right? Potential dates. Okay?
Michelle: Right, right, right, right. Exactly.
Lindsay: Good native phrase. But the...
Michelle: For sure.
Lindsay: The term 'bail', actually, has quite a few meanings, right? The first one is
to leave, usually because the place is not fun or the person is not feeling
good.
Michelle: Mhh hhm.
Lindsay: But we also can say 'to bail someone out', which is a different meaning
from what we're going to talk about today. But what does that mean?
Michelle: So, this one means to save somebody, right? So, it can mean to get them
out of jail, literally.
Lindsay: Mhh hhm. Mhh hhm. Mhh hhm.
Michelle: Or to get someone out of a tough situation.
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Lindsay: Exactly. So, these... these ones are unrelated for today, but just to let you
guys know, it jus... doesn't just mean what we're saying. There are other
meanings. And then, we have 'bail' as a noun, right? The amount of
money you need to pay to get someone out of jail.
Michelle: Right.
Lindsay: Okay, so, a lot of meanings here. And she also asked about 'bail up'. Now,
does that ring any bells for you, Michelle?
Michelle: That one I don't know. I don't think that that one.... I've heard that one.
What about you, Lindsay?
Lindsay: Yeah (yes), I don't think it's a thing. It's not a thing. [laughter]
Michelle: No.
Lindsay: We're going to do an episode on "It's not a thing." I love that expression.
Michelle: [laughter] That is... That's...
Lindsay: Doesn't exist.
Michelle: It’s not a thing. Yeah (yes).
Lindsay: Yeah (yes). And... And you may have heard something different, Alicia,
but no, that... That really doesn't exist as far as we know, 'to bail up'.
Okay? So...
Michelle: Right.
Lindsay: What are some expressions, then, if we want to use this 'bail' in our native
language, Michelle? As a native speaker with native speakers, what could
we say?
Michelle: Well, we could say, "I'm going to bail." So...
Lindsay: Yeah (yes).
Michelle: That's, like, kind of... In a way, a little bit slangy, right? So, like...
Lindsay: Mhh hhm.
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Michelle: "I'm gonna bail." Right?
Lindsay: "I'm gonna bail." Right? Street language, kind of. Right? And another one
would be, "I gotta bail." Right? "I have to bail. I gotta." Okay?
Michelle: Right.
Lindsay: Americans use the phrase "I gotta" all the time. British, not as much, but
Americans, yes.
Michelle: Mm. That's true.
Lindsay: Yeah (yes). And then, another one, which is more related to what we...
Uhh. Actually, this one's not really related to today. Let's take that one
out. Umm. That's not related to the topic. What's the next one,
Michelle?
Michelle: Ohh, you don't mean that one was related?
Lindsay: No, because it's to help someone. Right?
Michelle: That's true, that's true. Okay.
Lindsay: Yeah (yes).
Michelle: So, let's focus on... Right, right, right.
Lindsay: Yeah (yes).
Michelle: Okay. So, here we go. Umm. "I'm going to head out."
Lindsay: Yeah (yes). Okay. So, leaving, right?
Michelle: Right, "I'm going to leave".
Lindsay: "I'm going to head out."
Michelle: Right.
Lindsay: And... And it sounds kind of nice and polite. I use this one a lot, actually.
Michelle: I think this one is definitely used a lot, right?
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Lindsay: Yeah (yes), definitely. And then, another one is "I'm out." [laughter]
Michelle: "I'm out." [laughter]
Lindsay: You know what this made me think of? Ohh my God. The movie
“Clueless”, when she goes, "I'm outie."
Michelle: [laughter]
Lindsay: [laughter] That's horrible.
Michelle: I haven't seen that in so long, but that was a classic.
Lindsay: It's horrible. Don't use it, guys. That's so... That's Valley Girl talk, right?
"I'm outie." [laughter]
Michelle: [laughter] That's really funny.
Lindsay: Just made me think of the movie. I think that movie's awesome.
Michelle: Yeah (yes), yeah (yes), yeah (yes). I agree. It's great.
Lindsay: It's hilarious. [laughter] So, both of those are kind of, like, mm, very
slangy. I wouldn't personally use them, but you might hear them in a
movie or something. Okay?
Michelle: Right, right, right. Exactly.
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[Instrumental]
Lindsay: What's the next one, Michelle?
Michelle: It's great. The next one is, "I got to go."
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Lindsay: "I got to go." Very simple, very straightforward. Fast and casual. Okay?
Michelle: Yeah (yes), definitely. Umm. And then, the next one is, "I'm going to get
going."
Lindsay: Yeah (yes).
Michelle: Right?
Lindsay: And then... Yeah (yes), poli... I suppose it's not formal, because you're
saying, "I'm gonna..." Umm.
Michelle: True.
Lindsay: But it's polite. It's communicative, right?
Michelle: Ohh, yeah (yes). For sure.
Lindsay: Yeah (yes), you're just voicing what's going to happen. And then, the last
one is "Let's get outta here."
Michelle: "Let's get outta here." Yeah (yes), that's good.
Lindsay: "Let's get outta here." Yeah (yes). [laughter]
Michelle: [laughter]
Lindsay: Okay. And then, Alicia also asked about being stood up. Umm. What
does it mean? I think we've touched on this, Michelle, once before, but
what does it mean?
Michelle: Yeah (yes).
Lindsay: To be stood up.
Michelle: 'To be stood up' means to arrive somewhere and the person you planned
to meet didn't come. Right?
Lindsay: Ohh my gosh. So, check our blog. Go back to AllEarsEnglish.com and
check our blog for 'to be stood up'. I'm pretty sure we've talked about it.
Does it ring any bells for you?
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Michelle: Not really, but that doesn't... I mean, we've done... We're on over 700
episodes.
Lindsay: Yeah (yes), yeah (yes). We're not going to go too much into 'stood up', we
could do a different episode on that. Today, I want to keep it to the theme
of leaving somewhere and what you might say when you leave. But we
will throw this phrase into the role play here for you, Alicia. Okay?
Michelle: For sure, for sure.
Lindsay: Good. Okay. So, here is a role play where we show what happens when
someone wants to go home early.
Michelle: Okay. [laughter]
Lindsay: Michelle, do you tend to leave parties early? Is this the kind of thing that
you do sometimes?
Michelle: No, not really.
Lindsay: No.
Michelle: I'm... Because I'm... I like to stay up late. So, I'm, like, happy to be out
for... Until late. But, umm, it depends on the party. What about you?
Lindsay: Ohh, I like to go home early. I don't know. Sometimes, you know, when I
hit my limit, which is usually, like, 1 a.m. these days, I'm done. I don't
want to talk about...
Michelle: That's not early.
Lindsay: Ohh. Okay. [laughter]
Michelle: [laughter] In my world.
Lindsay: For New York standards, I thought that was early.
Michelle: Ohh, no. I don't go out until, like, 4 a.m. I haven't done that si... In, like,
five years. So...
Lindsay: Yeah (yes).
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Michelle: Not that... Not that. Like, I mean, yeah (yes), I'm not talking about, like, 4
a.m. [laughter]
Lindsay: Yeah (yes), [laughter] by midnight.
Michelle: I... I'm also with you on 1 a.m. So, if that's early, then call me early.
Lindsay: [laughter] Call me early.
Michelle: If being early is wrong, I don't want to be right. No, I...
Lindsay: [laughter] Alright. Cool. Anyway. Here we go. Are you ready? Here we
go. So...
Michelle: Okay.
Lindsay: So, "Hey (hi), Michelle. How are you doing? How are you enjoying the
party?"
Michelle: "Well, Lindsay, it was going okay until I ran into that guy, Steve, who stood
me up on OkCupid, on an OkCupid date last year. Ohh. I turned around
and he was just there. I didn't know what to say."
Lindsay: "Well, he's the one who should feel embarrassed. I remember that. That
was so rude. Who invited him?"
Michelle: "I don't know. I kind of want to bail. I have to take my dog to the vet early
tomorrow anyway."
Lindsay: "Ohh, Michelle, don't bail on me. I wanted to stay longer and meet some
new people."
Michelle: "Sorry, Lindsay. I'm going to get going. I'll call you in the morning. I'm
going to jump on the R train."
Lindsay: Okay. Very native, very natural. I like it, I like it. What... Just had a little
cultural reference here, "Steve, the guy who stood me up on Okay Cu...
On an OkCupid date last year." What are we talking about? OkCupid.
Michelle: Online dating.
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Lindsay: Online dating. I think OkCupid is probably right now the biggest online
dating site out there. It's gone mainstream now, right? Umm. And it's
just one of the main ways that people meet... Way that people meet each
other online, guys. So, that's what OkCupid is.
Michelle: Yeah (yes), that's a good one.
Lindsay: It's a good one.
Michelle: That's actually how I met my husband, so...
Lindsay: Ohh, really? That's so cool.
Michelle: Yeah (yes).
Lindsay: I didn't know that.
Michelle: Yeah (yes), yeah (yes), yeah (yes).
Lindsay: Ohh, beautiful, beautiful. Okay.
Michelle: So, I just... I will say that it's a good site.
Lindsay: Okay. Did you ever get stood up by someone on an OkCupid date?
Michelle: Not stood up, but canceled on before the date. Like...
Lindsay: Okay.
Michelle: Yeah (yes), that happened.
Lindsay: Yeah (yes), that happened.
Michelle: That's okay, I hadn't even met them before. So...
Lindsay: Yeah (yes), it's... It's online dating. Like, you can never be one-hundred
percent sure that the date's going to happen, you know? You just got to
go with it, see what happens.
Michelle: For sure, for sure.
Lindsay: So... So, okay, we used some of the phrases here, Michelle. What... What
did we say?
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Michelle: Okay. So, I said, "I ran into that guy, Steve, who stood me up on... On an
OkCupid date last year." Right? So, he didn't show up.
Lindsay: Exactly, exactly. Got it. And then I... And then, you said, "I don't know. I
kind of want to bail." Right?
Michelle: Mhh hhm.
Lindsay: "I kinda." "I kind of."
Michelle: "I kinda." Umm. So, even though I really do want to bail, I'm kind of
making it seem [laughter] kind of, umm, like it's not... You know, I'm
thinking about it.
Lindsay: Yeah (yes), you're kind of, umm, reducing the intensity. 'I kind of' reduces
the intensity of the word.
Michelle: Right, right, right, right, right.
Lindsay: Yeah (yes). And then, I said, "Ohh, Michelle, don't bail on me." Right?
"Don't leave." Okay?
Michelle: Mhh hhm. Mhh hhm. Mhh hhm.
Lindsay: Yeah (yes)?
Michelle: Right. [laughter] And then I said, "Sorry, Lindsay, I'm going to get going."
Right?
Lindsay: Okay. Yeah (yes).
Michelle: So, "I'm gonna leave." And then, I like how I said this, "I'm going to jump
on the R train." Which sounds so funny, like I'm actually going to jump on
it. But not, that's just what we say.
Lindsay: [laughter]
Michelle: [laughter]
Lindsay: It's a casual way of saying, "I'm going to get on the R train." Right?
Michelle: How funny that we say that, though? Right?
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Lindsay: It’s weird, we could do another episode on the weird things that we say
that don't actually mean...
Michelle: Yeah (yes), that would be fun.
Lindsay: Yeah (yes). It’s so funny.
Michelle: [laughter]
Lindsay: Okay. So, Alicia, good question. Hope this answers your question. Guys, if
you're confused about any words we use, or how to spell them, or what
we said, get the transcript. Go to AllEarsEnglish.com/subscribe and you'll
save fifty percent on the total price. Okay?
Michelle: For sure.
Lindsay: Thanks for asking us. Keep on hanging out with native speakers, get into
the local community. That is the way to become fluent.
Michelle: For sure.
Lindsay: And for everyone else, keep listening, guys. Thanks for hanging out with
us today.
Michelle: Thanks. Bye, Lindsay. I'm going to get going.
Lindsay: Alright, see you later, Michelle. Have a good one.
Michelle: Bye.
Lindsay: Bye.
[Instrumental]
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