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Connection NOT Perfection™

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© All Ears English www.allearsenglish.com

AEE Episode 610: Listen Today and Then Call It a Day

Announcer: This is an All Ears English podcast episode 610: “Listen Today and Then Call It a Day”

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Announcer: Welcome to the All Ears English Podcast, downloaded more than 16 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.

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Announcer: And to instantly download your transcript from today’s episode, go to

AllEarsEnglish.com/transcripts, AllEarsEnglish.com/transcripts.

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Announcer: Today find out how to use the super natural phrase "Call it a day," and find out when to use it, so that you can connect with the people around you.

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Lindsay: What up, Michelle? How are you doing?

Michelle: Hey (hi) Lindsay, I'm good, I'm good. How are you?

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Lindsay: Well, I am great. I did finish my big hike in the Presidential Range in the White Mountains. It was super intense, but I'm done. I accomplished… Well, we didn't quite finish the whole hike because we had bad weather the next day.

Michelle: Ohh.

Lindsay: We had to come down early, but we hiked about 50 percent of the whole thing.

Michelle: So how long did that take you?

Lindsay: It took us about 12 hours, 11-12 hours of kind of constant hiking.

Michelle: Ohh, my gosh.

Lindsay: We really didn't take too many breaks. The maximum break time we took was about ten minutes.

Michelle: Really? What?

Lindsay: Yeah (yes). It was five mountains.

Michelle: Wow.

Lindsay: So, you get to the top of Mount Washington, you look back and you see a massive mountain range of five mountains that you've just climbed.

Michelle: Wow.

Lindsay: It is insane. Yeah.

Michelle: That's cool. I did not do that. [laughter]

Lindsay: [laughter] What did you do over the weekend?

Michelle: What did I do? Ohh, I was home. I was home. [laughter]

Lindsay: Okay.

Michelle: So I got to hang out with my niece and nephew.

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Lindsay: Ohh.

Michelle: And being with my nephew, it sometimes feels like a hike, because he's very active.

Lindsay: Yeah (yes).

Michelle: And it's very tiring.

Lindsay: They do make you really tired. I'm going to go see Emory, my niece, on Sunday. I'm going to rent a car and her mom, my sister-in-law, is doing a marathon. So we're going to go watch her mom. And they're very tiring. I love hanging out with my niece, but it's exhausting.

Michelle: Ohh, my God.

Lindsay: With a four-year-old, three-year-old, two-year-old. Ohh my God.

Michelle: Yeah. I mean, he's the cutest. Ohh my gosh, I can't even believe how cute he is, but you definitely need to have the energy. [laughter]

Lindsay: [laughter] How old is, it's Jake, right?

Michelle: Jake. Yeah (yes), Jake. He's – umm -- he’s three years old.

Lindsay: Ohh. It's awesome.

Michelle: Yeah (yes), ohh my gosh. And he is just, I mean, so much energy. [laughter]

Lindsay: [laughter] That's so cool.

Michelle: Yeah (yes), he is hilarious. So funny.

Lindsay: I love that. I love that.

Michelle: Yeah (yes).

Lindsay: Well let's start off today, Michelle, saying thank you to some of our reviewers. Guys, we need your reviews in the iTunes store. Let's say thank you here to Hassan Dubarrari from the USA. Who else, Michelle?

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Michelle: Underground Learner in 50s from the USA. [laughter]

Lindsay: [laughter] Love these names. We have Humber Trope from Brazil.

Michelle: And Allen Gr 28 from Mexico.

Lindsay: And Micky 811 from Italy.

Michelle: And... Uhh ohh. I'm going to, let me, I'm trying. _____ from Indonesia.


Michelle: I'm sorry! [laughter]

Lindsay: That's hard, that's not easy. That's really not easy. Guys, we really need your reviews. We haven't had any reviews in the last few weeks, and we're wondering what's going on, guys.

Michelle: Where are you?

Lindsay: If you hear this episode today, right now, going over to the iTunes review store, leave your review and we will announce your name on the show. We want to know what you think of All Ears English. So guys, go on over there and do it. Alright. Cool, Michelle. So what are you talking about today?

Michelle: We are talking about calling it a day. [laughter]

Lindsay: [laughter] Well Michelle, we just started, why do you want to call it a day already? I mean, we just started recording today. [laughter]

Michelle: Lindsay, I'm just a really tired today. Like, I don't know. Let's call it a day. I don't know, I'm beat, hooh!

Lindsay: [laughter] Geez Michelle, we just got on this call, like, half an hour ago. You want to call it a day already?

Michelle: Let's call it a day. No, you know what, okay, fine. We can do it. We can do it, Lindsay.

Lindsay: [laughter]

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Michelle: I'm going to push through.

Lindsay: So that’s the expression that we're going to show you guys today is the expression "To call it a day." And I came up with this idea because I was just out in the world and observing what I say, and what other people say. So this is straight from native English on the street. This is not, you know, fabricated in the textbook; this is real for you guys.

Michelle: Mhh hmm.

Lindsay: So you can trust that when we teach you this expression today, it's real. And if you start using it, it really will bring you closer to the native speakers that you're talking with.

Michelle: Mhh hmm.

Lindsay: What do you think about that, Michelle?

Michelle: Yeah (yes), for sure. This is a really conversational phrase. I know I say this a lot.

Lindsay: Yes.

Michelle: Umm. And I really think that it's a good one. [laughter]

Lindsay: Okay. So good. Yeah (yes). So the phrase is "To call it a day."

Michelle: Mhh hmm.

Lindsay: And Michelle, how do we normally use it? I mean, where does it fall in the day, what else goes with it?

Michelle: Well, I mean, it's usually, you know, towards the end of the day, of course.

Lindsay: Mhh hmm.

Michelle: And 'Let's call it a day', it's really just, you know, "We're done. We're done." [laughter]

Lindsay: It's over. I want to -- It means, "I want to stop.” Right?


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Lindsay: And it's kind of a, like a, sometimes it's kind of harsh when you just say, "I want to stop."

Michelle: Right.

Lindsay: You know, "I want to stop working. I want to stop listening to this music or I want to stop eating here." Whatever it is. Like, just calling it a day is a much more casual, connected way to say it, I think.

Michelle: Right, right. Umm. And something, just to be clear, like, you don’t want to use it in all situations, just when you want to say to stop something. Like, my first image is like, "Oh, we're on a roller coaster." [laughter]

Lindsay: [laughter]

Michelle: And I'm like, "Let's call it a day!"

Lindsay: [laughter]

Michelle: Not in that situation. Guys, let’s be clear. Like, you know, it's more for like, oh, maybe at the end of the day, or maybe, like, you give that expression at a restaurant. Maybe you want to say, "Okay, let's leave."


Michelle: Or something like that. But if you're in the middle of eating a sandwich and you don't like the sandwich, you wouldn't say "Let's call it a day".

Lindsay: That's a good point. That's a really good point.

Michelle: I think it is a little more like the end of an event.

Lindsay: Yeah (yes), I think it's more for the end of an event, or like a project.

Michelle: Right, right.

Lindsay: A focused period where you're working or you're working on something.

Michelle: Right.

Lindsay: With someone else. Right?

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Michelle: Right, right, right, right, exactly.

Lindsay: So that's important.

Michelle: [laughter]

Lindsay: Yeah (yes). Or even maybe – maybe, you know, you're hitting the tennis ball with someone, and you're getting tired.

Michelle: Right.

Lindsay: And you're like, "Ohh, let's call it a day, let's go have a beer." Or something.

Michelle: Perfect. Perfect. Right.

Lindsay: Okay.

Michelle: Yeah (yes). That would be appropriate way to use it.

Lindsay: Yeah (yes), I like that. Okay, that's good. I'm glad that we specified there, because we want to make sure, part of this guys, is using it at the right time, and we're giving you the phrase that's natural. But if you're putting it in the wrong places at the wrong time, it's going to look very weird. [laughter]


Lindsay: We want to help you guys connect.

Michelle: For sure.

Lindsay: Okay, so the first phrase you can use is, “Let's call it a day.” That's the one I hear the most.

Michelle: Yeah (yes), yeah (yes).

Lindsay: And then, how else might we say it, Michelle?

Michelle: You can also say, "Want to call it a day?"

Lindsay: Mhh hmm.

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Michelle: Like, "What do you think?" You know, it's more putting it on the other person, more like a suggestion, you know?

Lindsay: Exactly. So it's, like, you could say 'Wanna', "Wanna call it a day?" Right?

Michelle: Mhh hmm.

Lindsay: Instead of 'Want to', "Wanna call it a day?"

Michelle: Right.

Lindsay: And we've talked about wanna, gonna, shoulda, coulda in other episodes, guys. So come back to AllEarsEnglish.com and type that in the search bar, and you'll find that. Okay?

[Instrumental]

Announcer: Guys, if you feel like you're listening today and you're hearing some phrases and you're not sure exactly how to use them, and you want to be able to practice them in a lesson, get the transcripts from today. Go to AllEarsEnglish.com/Transcripts. See you there.

[Instrumental]

Lindsay: The next one, Michelle, what is it?

Michelle: "Should we call it a day?"

Lindsay: Okay. Another way of just checking in with the person you're -- we're working with, or playing with, to see what they feel.

Michelle: Mhh hmm.

Lindsay: Okay?


Lindsay: And the last one is just, "I'm going to call it a day."

Michelle: Yeah (yes), yeah (yes), yeah (yes), yeah (yes).

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Lindsay: Okay. So these are not the only places that it could be used in, but these are just some examples to give you guys a little bit of context where is it used.

Michelle: Right, right, exactly. And yeah (yes), I mean, as you can see, we have two questions and two statements. So, obviously the question, it's more you're asking the other person, and the other one is more, "Okay, you're done."

Lindsay: Yeah (yes), it's good. I like that. Because again, it's kind of harsh if we just say, "I'm going to stop." Or, "Let's stop." Or, "Do you want to stop?" It's just a little too formal.

Michelle: "I'm done." Yeah (yes).

Lindsay: Little too abrupt. You need another way to soften what you're about to say.


Lindsay: Okay.

Michelle: That's so funny, like, "Let's call it a day." Like, what does that even mean? It's so funny to think of.

Lindsay: Yeah (yes). I guess it makes sense, though. I think it's kind of intuitive.

Michelle: Right.

Lindsay: It's like, "Let's call it the end of the day."

Michelle: Right.

Lindsay: It's end of the day. Like, it probably goes back to, like, I don't know, like, mining cultures or something on... Guys were in the mines all day and, you know, or some kind of heavy industrial work.

Michelle: Who knows?

Lindsay: That's my guess. I have no idea.


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Lindsay: Origin of the phrase. [laughter]

Michelle: [laughter] That's a good theory, yeah (yes).

Lindsay: It's a theory. [laughter] It's all a theory, Michelle. [laughter]


Lindsay: How do you pronounce it, though? How do we actually say it so that it sounds natural?

Michelle: Yeah (yes). So, you know, you really want to, you know, connect things together, right? To roll your words together. So, let's call it a day. Call it a day. Right? So, you're not going to say, like, "Let's call it a day."


Michelle: You know, like, "Let's call it a day." Call it a day. It sounds like one word.

Lindsay: Call-it-a-day. Good.

Michelle: It sounds like a medication or something.

Lindsay: Yeah (yes), exactly. And again, we're teaching you guys the American English. Not British English. So, British English, I'm not sure if they use this expression in British English.

Michelle: I don't know.

Lindsay: They would pronounce it differently, obviously. But if you're listening to this podcast, then you know that you're mostly getting American English. Occasionally, we have guests on the show who are British but…


Lindsay: Or Australian.

Michelle: I don't know if I just put on a little British accent there. I'm not sure.

Lindsay: You did. That's cool.

Michelle: I'm sorry. [laughter]

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Lindsay: [laughter] No, that's fun. I love accents, I find them really interesting.

Michelle: Yeah (yes), ohh, I especially love the British accent.

Lindsay: Yeah (yes)? You like it better than the Australian accent?

Michelle: Mmm, the two of them. They're both excellent. I don't know.

Lindsay: I love the Aussie accent.

Michelle: I don't know if I can choose one, but I love them both.

Lindsay: [laughter]

Michelle: I really do. I kind of wish I had one. [laughter]

Lindsay: That's awesome.

Michelle: Anyway, so call it a day sounds like, "Oh, don't take call-it-a-day if you are taking other medication."

Lindsay: [laughter] Sounds like a medication to you?

Michelle: Yeah (yes), yeah (yes), yeah (yes). So but yeah (yes), we do roll it together, right? Let's call-it-a-day. Anyway.

Lindsay: We do roll it together. And then, so we know that it means to finish whatever we're doing.

Michelle: Right.

Lindsay: If it's a project, or we're working on something, or playing a game, something like that. But then there's got to be a few other ways to say something similar in this kind of, like, casual way. Right? So we're going to give you guys three other ways to say something kind of similar, not to say exactly the same thing, but to say something similar.

Michelle: Okay.

Lindsay: So what would be the first one, Michelle?

Michelle: I like this one. "Let's throw in the towel."

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Lindsay: Yeah (yes). "Throw in the towel." So the difference, for you Michelle, is there any clear difference in the meaning? I mean, they're very similar, but what's the difference in the meaning "Let's call it a day" and "Let's throw in the towel?"

Michelle: "Throw in the towel" is more, like, maybe you're giving up. Right?

Lindsay: Yeah (yes). Yeah (yes), yeah (yes).

Michelle: You decide to quit something, right? "Ah, let's throw in the towel." Right?

Lindsay: Yeah (yes). Sometimes it can mean you completely quit trying to do

something.

Michelle: Mhh hmm.

Lindsay: Right?

Michelle: Mhh hmm.

Lindsay: And you can also use it in the same way, "Let's throw in the towel for

today." It doesn't necessarily mean that you are quitting the project, it

just means for the day you're quitting. Right?

Michelle: Right. Right, right, right, right.

Lindsay: Yeah (yes). So that could be used, this phrase could be used, to mean a

few different things. That's why we have to pay attention to the context

when we're talking to people and just really try to figure out what they're

saying, what they mean.

Michelle: Right.

Lindsay: [laughter]

Michelle: Yeah (yes), like somebody might say like, "Ohh, I'm not ready to throw in

the towel just yet." Right?

Lindsay: Mm, yeah (yes). That means you're not ready to give up on something.

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Michelle: Right.

Lindsay: Or to stop working on it, right.

Michelle: Right.

Lindsay: Okay. And then the next two are much more, well, are more similar to the

meaning of "Let's call it a day".


Lindsay: So the next one is what?

Michelle: "Let's wrap it up," I like that one.

Lindsay: Yeah (yes). "Let's wrap it up". Also, I think we have actually taught this

phrase, guys. We did an episode on this way back, like in the first 20

episodes. So if you come back to AllEarsEnglish.com and you type in

'Wrap up', we do have that. There's an article on that. So "Let's wrap it

up", and then the last one is, "Let's finish this up".

Michelle: Mm. Okay.


Michelle: Both good.

Lindsay: So again, guys, you learn this phrase and then you want to learn a few

variations, so you're not always saying the same thing. Because that's part

of becoming a more dynamic speaker. That's what we want to do.

Michelle: For sure. Yeah (yes). No, I really like all of these.

Lindsay: Yeah (yes). I think this… I think it's, like, sometimes it's these simple little

changes that we can make in our English, guys, they can really help us

connect. It's not the big, huge thing; it's not necessarily hours of studying

in the library with a textbook. It's the little things that you can insert, but

it only will happen if you try, if you experiment with these words.

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Michelle: Yeah (yes), yeah (yes), yeah (yes). So, give it a try and, yeah (yes), so

should we try it out, Lindsay?

Lindsay: Yeah (yes), yeah (yes), let's do it, Michelle. So, here we go. Let's see. So

I'll be A, and can you be B?

Michelle: I would love to be B. [laughter]

Lindsay: [laughter] Okay.

Michelle: I was hoping you would assign me B. [laughter]

Lindsay: Okay Michelle, you got it, you got it.

Michelle: I feel like I'm much more in touch with that character.

Lindsay: [laughter] Awesome.

Michelle: Okay.

Lindsay: Okay, so here we go. So, is this still a good time to chat about her new

project?

Michelle: Yeah (yes), definitely. Let me just close these browsers on my screen. I'm

so scattered these days.

Lindsay: Ohh, I know, me too.

Michelle: So we have a lot of things to get done now. We need to look at budgeting,

travel logistics, the teaching frameworks and food and lodging.

Lindsay: Wow, that's a lot.

Michelle: I didn't realize we'd have so much to go over today.

Lindsay: I know, it's a bit much. Why don't we get through food and lodging, and

then we'll call it a day. We can talk about the other stuff next week.

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Michelle: Sounds like a plan.

Lindsay: Okay. So two overwhelmed coworkers.


Lindsay: Trying to figure out what to do first.

Michelle: Yes, yes, yes.

Lindsay: Without realizing you have a mountain of work.

Michelle: [laughter] Ohh, yeah (yes).

Lindsay: Does that happen to you? Like, you start a project and then the work, your

awareness of how much work there is, just gets huge?

Michelle: Of course! [laughter]

Lindsay: Yeah (yes), it happens, right?

Michelle: Yes, yes it does. [laughter]

Lindsay: So, how did we use "Call it a day" in this conversation, Michelle?

Michelle: Mhh hmm. Well, yeah (yes), we're talking about all the things that we

need to do and then I said, "I didn't realize it’d be so much," and we both

kind of had this mutual realization of all the things we had to do. So you

said, you know, "We'll do this and then we'll call it a day." "So then we'll

call it a day."

Lindsay: Yeah (yes). I said, "Why don't we just get through food and lodging."

Michelle: Right.

Lindsay: Looking at those topics. Because we're organizing a trip, and then we'll

call it a day.

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Michelle: Right.

Lindsay: So that's it, but I think that's a pretty accurate use of that phrase. What do

you think, Michelle?

Michelle: Absolutely, absolutely. This is really natural. This is exactly how you might

hear it.

Lindsay: Yeah (yes), and I think that in this case it kind of builds rapport. Again,

we're showing you guys phrases that kind of build, bring you closer to

someone. It's hard to kind of articulate this, Michelle, but I do think that

using this phrase here we could build a rapport between the two

colleagues because... Well, I mean, it's like you're saying, "Yeah (yes), let's

finish it up, you know, it's a lot for both of us. We're together in this."

Michelle: Right. Right.

Lindsay: "And let's call it a day." There's a sense of togetherness in that statement.

Michelle: Right. Because it's not just one person saying, "You know what? I really

don't want to do this anymore." This is saying, like, "Okay, we're doing

this together. We're both kind of tired."


Michelle: And, you know, this is not just, like, you don't want to do it, and I want to.

Lindsay: Exactly. I love that. That's what I like about that. I think this phrase is

useful for you guys. And we also want to highlight a couple of other bonus

phrases today, Michelle, that we threw out in this role play that our

listeners could really make use of. Okay?

Michelle: Okay.

Lindsay: Just to give a little extension today, guys.

Michelle: Okay.

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Lindsay: So what do we have? We had "To go over."

Michelle: Right, right. Like to, ah, like, to review or to do. Right?

Lindsay: Yeah (yes). "I didn't realize we'd have so much to go over today." Right?

"To go through, to get through, to do, to take care of."

Michelle: Mhh hmm.

Lindsay: Guys, this again is a phrasal verb that you really could start using and you

could start using it very strategically. Okay?

Michelle: Yeah (yes), absolutely. So, yeah (yes), I like how you said, "It's a bit much."

Lindsay: Ohh, so natural.


Lindsay: So natural. [laughter]


Lindsay: I said, "I know, it's a bit much."

Michelle: Mhh hmm.

Lindsay: You guys use that. Seriously, I mean. You know, you will be really very

natural with your English. And I know that that's what you guys want. So

it's just so natural to me. Yeah (yes)? [laughter]

Michelle: Ohh, yeah (yes). I would definitely say this. "It's a bit much."

Lindsay: Yeah (yes). Absolutely. And then we said, "Why don't we just get through

food and lodging." Okay? So we're going to take care of those two topics,

we're going to organize those topics.

Michelle: That reminds me... Ohh, sorry.

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Lindsay: Yeah (yes), go ahead.

Michelle: No, it reminds me, didn't we do an episode about through and...


Michelle: What was it? Then we talked about, yeah (yes), what's the difference

between through and throughout.

Lindsay: Through.

Michelle: We said through was, like, from one end to the other, right?

Lindsay: That's a good point, yeah (yes).

Michelle: Guys, go back and search, I don't know what episode number it was but...


Michelle: Yeah (yes), go ahead and search it, search for it.

Lindsay: Yeah (yes), I just typed through, T H R O U G H in the search bar at

AllEarsEnglish.com and you guys will get that, come up with that. I like

that. That was a good episode, Michelle.

Michelle: Yeah (yes), that was fun. [laughter]

Lindsay: [laughter] And then the last thing that you said was...?

Michelle: I said, "Sounds like a plan."

Lindsay: "Sounds like a plan." Again, super natural, super native. Okay?

Michelle: Mhh hmm. Mhh hmm.

Lindsay: I love that. So we've given you guys, the core phrase today is, "To call it a

day." That's really the one that we want you to take away from today,

that's the most important, and we've given you three or four bonuses that

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I think you guys are ready for. You're ready to start inserting these bonus

phrases into your conversations. I know you can do it, guys. And

remember, the dialogues are not available on the website. So the only way

to get them is to grab the transcript. So go on over to

AllEarsEnglish.com/transcripts and download today's transcript today.

Okay?

Michelle: Okay, awesome. Well, should we call it a day?

Lindsay: Yeah (yes), I think we should call it a day, Michelle.


Lindsay: This has been great. Thanks so much for hanging out. [laughter]

Michelle: Alright. Thank you, and thanks you guys for listening and talk to you soon.

Lindsay: Take care!

Michelle: Bye!

[Instrumental]

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

Connection NOT Perfection ™, then subscribe to our show on your phone

or on your computer. See you next time.

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AEE Episode 611: How Connection Prevents Addiction and What It Means for Your Life

Announcer: This is an All Ears English podcast Episode 611: "How Connection Prevents Addiction and What It Means for Your Life"

[Instrumental]

Announcer: Welcome to the All Ears English Podcast, downloaded more than 16 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]



[Instrumental]

Announcer: Today we discuss an interesting TED talk about how connection between

people can reduce addiction in a community. What can you learn from

this as you design your ideal lifestyle? Find out today.

[Instrumental]

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Announcer: Guys, if you want to see real results with your English and if you need your

English for success in business or when you move abroad, it's important to

get yourself a native English tutor and set a study plan. Go to

AllEarsEnglish.com/italki and find your native teacher there. When you

register on that page we'll send you 10 dollars to go toward your second

lesson. AllEarsEnglish.com/italki.

[Instrumental]

Lindsay: What's going on, Michelle? How are you feeling today?

Michelle: I'm good. How are you, Lindsay?

Lindsay: Ohh, I'm feeling pretty good because I just found a really cool TED talk that

I thought was so kind of, pertinent, so key, so on topic for our podcast

because it's about connection. And our podcast is all about connection.

Did you see it, Michelle?

Michelle: I did, I did. Thank you for sending that to me. That was really, really

interesting and, for sure, made me think of our podcast. And we'll talk

about why.

Lindsay: Yes, we will. First of all, the name of the TED Talk, guys, is... It's by Johann

Hari and it's called "Everything You Think You Know about Addiction Is

Wrong". Okay?

Michelle: Mm.

Lindsay: So, speaking of addiction, one thing that comes to mind when I think

about addiction is it's really, I think, addiction right now, especially when it

comes to drugs in the US, like heroin, for example, like street drugs,

they've kind of moved from the inner cities to the suburbs. And I don't

know if you've seen this in your hometown area, Michelle, but what I've

seen in my hometown... I grew up in, like, a very kind of safe, traditional,

middle-class, hometown in the middle of southwestern New Hampshire

and nothing ever happened in that town.

Michelle: Right.

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Lindsay: But now they're, like... Last time I visited there were, like, drug addicts

kind of wandering around the downtown area.

Michelle: Hmm.

Lindsay: And I've heard about, like, my parents', like, friends' kids getting addicted

to heroin and painkillers. Like, the drugs are now no longer in the cities

because, well, they are, of course, in the cities still, but it's not that same

drug epidemic that it was in the 70's and the 80's because Soho, for

example, is now just yuppies, right?

Michelle: Mhh-hmm.

Lindsay: It's shopping and yuppies, whereas it used to be, there used to be a lot of

drugs downtown, right? So they've moved from the inner cities to the

suburbs. So that's a trend that we're seeing right now in the U.S. Have

you seen that in your area, like, the Maryland, Baltimore area?

Michelle: I for sure heard about it.


Michelle: I know, and I definitely have heard about things like what you're saying

umm.

Lindsay: Yeah (yes), yeah (yes).

Michelle: But, yeah (yes). I... Yeah (yes). You're right. I know about this.

Lindsay: Yeah (yes). It's shocking, shocking. And it's sad. I mean, just to see your

hometown... To go and see your hometown going down in terms of

safety, in terms of, like, the quality of the people that are around. But in

the end it comes down to addiction. These people are addicted. So that's

what we're talking about today. That's what we're talking about today

guys, is addiction. And, like, what creates it and how does connection kind

of prevent addiction.

Michelle: Mhh-hmm. Mhh-hmm.

24


Lindsay: Because our show is all about connection. And when I saw this topic I was

like, "Wow!" So, you know, connection is what we believe in. And it's not

only just great to have in our lives, but it could actually, maybe it could

actually even prevent addiction to different things.

Michelle: Right.

Lindsay: And we're not just talking about drugs when we talk about addiction,

right?


Lindsay: A lot of things we can become addicted to.

Michelle: Yeah (yes), absolutely.

Lindsay: [laughter]

Michelle: You can be addicted to food. [laughter]

Lindsay: Ohh, yeah (yes). We could be addicts to TV, movies, food, right? Netflix.


Lindsay: Even our email, which, I would admit I am addicted to checking my email.

[laughter]

Michelle: Yeah (yes). Ohh, I think I am, too.

Lindsay: Yeah (yes). So what was the TED talk about, Michelle? What was the

experiment? Do you remember when he talked about an experiment that

was done in the ‘70s...

Michelle: Yes.

Lindsay: With putting rats in cages. Can you kind of summarize that for our

listeners?

Michelle: Yeah (yes). So it was an experiment in the 1970s where there was a rat in

a cage and there were two bottles of water.


25


Michelle: One of the bottles of water had heroin in it and one of the bottles of water

was regular heroin.

Lindsay: I mean, regular heroin? [laughter]

Michelle: Regular water [laughter]

Lindsay: [laughter] Heroin and the one with water. No, no, no.

Michelle: Heroin or another drug, right?

Lindsay: Yeah (yes), yeah (yes), yeah (yes).

Michelle: And... Ohh, wait. No. I think it was just heroin in the water.

Lindsay: Sorry. Ahh. Yeah (yes), you either had water or drugs.

Michelle: Or heroin.

Lindsay: So what... Yeah (yes), exactly.

Michelle: And so, well, what happened was that the rats would tend towards the

heroin water, umm, and they, you know, the idea was that the rat would

become an addict and eventually die. Right?

Lindsay: Exactly.

Michelle: But then what happened, Lindsay?

Lindsay: But then they started to think, "Okay, what is going on?" Because this rat,

of course, this rat is becoming addicted to the heroin, to the drugs,

because the rat is alone, okay? So the rat's alone in his cage with nothing

else to do.

Michelle: Mhh hmm.

Lindsay: So then they tried a new experiment. And they found that when they put

the rats in a rat park, which sounded kind of cool the way you describe it.


26


Lindsay: You get a lot of cheese, a lot of other rats, rats just playing with each

other, having fun. What happened? They didn't like the drug water.


Lindsay: Right? They found that none of them used it compulsively, none of them

overdosed. So from what he said in the video, again, you guys can watch

the video yourselves, you can probably look up the study online, it went

from 100 percent overdose in the solo rat cage, when they were isolated,

to zero percent overdose when they were in the rat park with other rats.

Michelle: Mhh hmm. Mhh hmm. Mhh hmm.

Lindsay: So that's really interesting.

Michelle: Yeah (yes), yeah (yes). Definitely.

Lindsay: Yeah (yes). And then he talked a little bit about the Vietnam War. And I

didn't know that during that time 20 percent of American troops were

using heroin. I mean, that's what he quoted. So we have to do some

backup research to check on that, but apparently, that was what he had

found in his research.


Lindsay: Right?

Michelle: And...

Lindsay: Yeah (yes), go ahead.

Michelle: Yeah (yes), and they were, you know, they were worried that they would

have, you know, a lot of heroin addicts on the streets and, you know,

when they got back, but they didn't... They didn't go into withdrawal

actually, 95 percent of them stopped using drugs. I mean, again, that's

what the guy says in the video.


Michelle: I don't know.

27


Lindsay: Why was that? What did they say? that it was because they had a social

connection, the vets coming back?

Michelle: Umm. I don't remember. Is that what they said?

Lindsay: Yeah (yes), I don't remember that piece, but I think that must've been it,

because those vets must have had, they had families to come back to. I

think that's what it was. They had families to come back to, they had a

social kind of fabric of their lives, they had connection.

Michelle: Mhh hmm. Mhh hmm. Mhh hmm.

Lindsay: Okay. So then... So then the scientists are to going ask, like, "What if

addiction is really more about the cage that you create around yourself?"

Michelle: Right.

Lindsay: I mean, we have this natural need to bond, as he said in the video.

Michelle: Yes.

Lindsay: But if you're not able to bond because you're kind of in a bad place in life,

you'll probably bond with something else. And it could be a drug, it could

be alcohol, it could be food, it could be your cell phone. [laughter]

Michelle: Right.

Lindsay: Okay.

Michelle: Yeah (yes), we have this need for connection as human beings and even

the rats have it, right?


Michelle: And something has to fulfill that need.

Lindsay: Yeah (yes), and I thought it was really interesting where he talked about

the experiment that was done in Portugal. Do you remember that one,

Michelle? With... With prisoners?


28


Lindsay: Remember what they're doing?

Michelle: I remember the prisoners and something about when they had...

[laughter] Gosh, I remember the next part where he talks about how it is

in Portugal now, but...

Lindsay: Yeah (yes). So he said that they used to have a major addiction problem in

Portugal, right?

Michelle: Right.

Lindsay: And then they decided to decriminalize drugs.

Michelle: Right.

Lindsay: And instead of to... Instead of using that money to put the criminals, like,

in jail and lock them away...

Michelle: And punish them. Yeah (yes).

Lindsay: They spent that money... Right, to punish them. They spent that money

to, kind of, help people reconnect.


Lindsay: Like, to help them find jobs.

Michelle: Connect them to the community.

Lindsay: Connect them to the community, micro loans, starting small businesses.

And their idea was that every addict should have a purpose. I think that's

so interesting. That is so counter to what we do with our criminals.

Lindsay: Right.

Michelle: Because they're saying, you know, if you... I think they said something like

1 percent was addicted or something like that, which is...


29


Michelle: Which is pretty high and, you know, when you make it, like, "Ohh, you're

on drugs.", like, "You need to be punished", you know, these people really

need help.

Lindsay: Right.

Michelle: And so punishing them is only... It's really... seems counterproductive.

Lindsay: Right. And it's, like, what kind of help do they need? Apparently,

according to this TED talk, and these studies, the kind of help that they

need is actually connection and purpose.


Lindsay: Right. And that's, you know, that's so different from what we do. And he

shared the statistic that drug use in Portugal is now down by 50 percent.

Michelle: Wow, that's amazing.

Lindsay: So if any of our listeners here are from Portugal... I don't think I've ever

met a listener from Portugal, but we must have a few… I'd love it if you

would write in and tell us if this is really true. Like, what's actually, you

know... Because sometimes the story we hear from the U.S. is not the

story that's actually happening. Like, give us some real data, some real

information, your story. What have you seen in Portugal with this project?

While I like the idea of flipping the script on the way that we treat

criminals. And really understanding what causes addiction, it's lack of

connection. So if you go ahead and you keep these prisoners isolated

without a purpose and without connection, they're just going to continue

to stay addicted.

Michelle: Mm.

Lindsay: Right?

Michelle: Yeah (yes), very interesting. Very interesting.

Lindsay: So then it comes back to ourselves. Like, puts this all back on us. What

does this mean for us? You know, I mean, we want to encourage you guys

to think. Obviously, hopefully, we don't have a lot of drug addicts listening,

30


maybe a few here and there, people experiment with drugs and, you

know, that is what it is, but what are your addictions? You know, smart

phones? Are you addicted to your smart phones? What about your

connections on Facebook? Are they real connections?

Michelle: Yeah (yes), that's what... He talked about that, didn't he? About how, you

know, like really, really connecting with people and being in person, right?

Didn't he? I can't remember.

Lindsay: He did. Ohh, he did.


Lindsay: He talked about, you know, "You may have 500 Facebook friends, but if

you are in a real crisis, you'll... All of a sudden you'll see who your true

connections are."

Michelle: Right.

Lindsay: You'll see that only a few of them -- two, three, four maybe -- will actually

be by your side.


Lindsay: You know? And it really does, the crisis is where the clarity comes in.

Michelle: Mm. Mm. Yeah (yes).

Lindsay: And he also cited... He gave us an interesting quote about the number of

close friends the average American, yeah (yes), can call in, call on, in a

crisis. What did he say there, Michelle?

Michelle: Umm. He said that it's actually been declining since the '50s, but the

average amount of floor space... What does that mean?

Lindsay: Meaning average size of people's homes.

Michelle: Ohh, of people's actual...

Lindsay: [laughter] Yes.

31


Michelle: Ohh, wow. Has been going up. Hmm.

Lindsay: Yeah (yes), so isn't that interesting?


Lindsay: So what we've done as a culture is, like, we've put our dreams, our stock,

not into building a connected life, connections, social connections, we put

it into building a big house.

Michelle: Mm. Yeah (yes). I think... I just feel that, you know, we feel like we're so

connected with people online, on Facebook. And, you know, even people

from high school, like, I know what's going on in their lives, but I haven't

spoken to them since I graduated.

Lindsay: And would you... And if they all of a sudden posted like, "Ohh", like, "my

whoever just died." "Someone in my family just died."

Michelle: Right.

Lindsay: You might write a note, "I'm so sorry." But would you get on the phone

with them, if they called you? Would you really... How would you feel?

Would it be weird? Yeah (yes), of course it'd be weird.

Michelle: Yeah (yes), I mean, especially, I mean, that there are a couple of people

that I really do stay in touch with.

Lindsay: Sure. Of course.

Michelle: And yeah (yes), but out of all those people that, you know, you graduated

high school with, and you're like, "I'm going to be friends with you

forever." Like, I would say that I could in a crisis call on two, which is

actually not bad.

Lindsay: It's not bad. And that's fine. I mean... So it's... It's a little bit freaky and I

think it's a little eerie the fact that Facebook can give us this false sense of

connection.


Lindsay: In some ways, and I don't know. I just find the statistics fascinating.

32



Lindsay: The way that, in the U.S., we've put so much emphasis on what we have.

And I think this is starting to change. Like, you see people... You see the

Tiny House movement, right? You see how people...

Michelle: Ohh, right. Wait. Did you do that?

Lindsay: Yeah (yes), yeah (yes). We didn't talk about that last week.

Michelle: No, you talked about that, but I didn't get to hear about how it went.

Lindsay: Ohh, I did it, yeah (yes).

Michelle: Hmmm_______

Lindsay: I did it. So we rented these tiny houses and we... Ohh, yeah (yes). That's

a good example. So what happened, we spent the whole weekend outside

around the campfire, hiking mountains, laughing, drinking beer, and

doing... Roasting marshmallows.

Michelle: That's awesome.

Lindsay: As a group. Connection. Why? Because we couldn't be in our houses,

there was no space to be in the houses.

Michelle: Mm.

Lindsay: Okay. So I think that's one trend that's happening. I think we're moving

away from this idea that we need the big house, the McMansion they call

it, right?

Michelle: Right. Well, you know, I mean, to be honest, that's something that I...

That I... [laughter] I'm a city person, so I personally would rather, like, be

in the city and, like, have a smaller place and, like, really be able to go out

and, like, yeah (yes). Like, right near my apartment, the other night, there

was just, like, a movie outside, just outside of my apartment. Outdoor

movie.

Lindsay: Mm.

33


Michelle: And like, I feel like that would be, like, so nice to bring my, you know, if I

have children one day, you know, do those kinds of things and, you know.

There are good things about the suburbs and the big house and you have

the backyard and people would definitely argue for that. But for me, I

personally like, you know, being a little bit more scrunched in.


Michelle: I don't know, maybe I should get a tiny house.

Lindsay: Ohh. Well, that actually brings up what I think is the most interesting

question today. Are New Yorkers, I'm not saying specifically you Michelle,

but New Yorkers often complain of being lonely despite being surrounded

by thousands of people every day.

Michelle: Mm.

Lindsay: So I don't know if... I don't know if being in the city is necessarily the

answer to being disconnected. Do you know what I mean?


Lindsay: Like, you can be in New York City for a weekend and do all these different

things and not talk to anyone.

Michelle: That's true. Yeah (yes), I know. That's a good point. [laughter]

Lindsay: No, but that's really interesting. Because I think that's what a lot of... I

mean, I did that a few times when I first moved to New York. I was

extremely disconnected and lonely.

Michelle: Me too, me too.

Lindsay: You know? So... [laughter] But I agree with you, Michelle. I like the city

life. I like having a lot of things to do and I think here, or, like, what I'm

getting out of this, is, like, I want to do things with people.


Lindsay: Kind of have that social fabric.

34


Michelle: No, you're right. And I think... And sometimes in the suburbs, like, people

end up, like, really do having a sense of community. So I don't know.


Michelle: I guess what I'm saying is more the size of the house. Yeah (yes). I don't...

[laughter] I don't necessarily feel the need to have, like, a giant house.

Lindsay: No, no.

Michelle: That's just me. But different people value different things, and that's

cool that they are that way.

Lindsay: Well, I think that's also your generation. Like, I think that the millennial

generation is coming around to that, as we're seeing those changes in city

life, in tiny houses, even in things like using Uber.


Lindsay: You know, like, we're willing to share a ride, Uberpool. Like, we don't

need to have our own car. We can pool up with other people to get from

the Lower East Side to the West Village or something.

Michelle: Right.



Lindsay: Okay. Yeah (yes).

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35


[Instrumental]

Lindsay: So...

Michelle: Go ahead.

Lindsay: Yeah (yes), this is... I feel like we could talk for hours, Michelle, on this.

This is... [laughter]

Michelle: Yeah (yes). Interesting one.

Lindsay: What?

Michelle: I said, "An interesting one."

Lindsay: This is really interesting and I'm looking forward to hearing our listeners

chime in here. But what can we do to tie into... So, this show is about

Connection NOT Perfection ™, that is our slogan, that's our value, that's

what we believe, that's what we want for you guys. So how can you

increase your connection just alone in your, specifically in your English? I

mean, we've talked about this before. But what can we do? Focus on

Connection NOT Perfection ™, obviously. What else, Michelle?

Michelle: Well, you know, it can be... Especially depending on your time and your

situation, like, it can be tempting to get a textbook and sit in your room

with that textbook.

Lindsay: Ohh, yeah (yes).

Michelle: But you're not connecting with anybody. You're not really practicing, and

so, you know, it's important to get out. Like, you could join a Meetup,

right? That's something that you could do. Maybe... Maybe you don't

know that many people, you know, in your area, but there are always

different ways to meet people. Join a Meetup, join some sort of book club

or anything, just to continue to practice and connect with people. And that

will ultimately lead to a better... Better skills in English.

Lindsay: Exactly, and that's what we want for you guys. I mean, that's why we're

basing this entire show on that value, because we know you guys know,

we know it intuitively, that connection is what we need. And now we're

36


seeing through this study that literally connection prevents things like

addiction. I mean, we're seeing just how important it is to us as human

beings from a biological sense, from a physical sense.

Michelle: Mhh hmm.

Lindsay: It's real from a chemical sense. It's really interesting.

Michelle: Mhh hmm.

Lindsay: So how... Mhh hmm. Go ahead, I'm sorry.

Michelle: Sorry. Umm, like... I mean, I'm just thinking about this show. I mean,

even as an example, I mean, that's why... This is not a plug to get reviews,

but...

Lindsay: [laughter]

Michelle: I'm saying, like, when we connect with you guys, when we hear from you

guys, it's so important because we're feeling like we're connected to you.

So we don't...

Lindsay: Mm.

Michelle: We don't see you when we're doing this show and...


Michelle: And so that's why it's true. Like, I think that bond with the listeners is so

important. And so when we feel connected to you, and when we hear

from you, it's like, "Wow!" If we didn't hear from anybody, it would be

like, "Ohh, is there anybody there?"

Lindsay: [laughter]

Michelle: But, like, the fact that we kind of have this open conversation going. But

also, you know, with this podcast, you know, even though you listen to this

show, it's still important to find other opportunities to practice and

connect with people.

37


Lindsay: Definitely, definitely. This can't be the only thing. That's a good point,

Michelle. I miss... Sometimes I really do miss being in the classroom as a

classroom teacher, because I don't work with any students one-on-one, or

even in the classroom anymore, and I miss that connection, right?

Michelle: Mm. Yeah (yes), that’s a good thing.

Lindsay: Because according to this study...


Lindsay: That's what we need. [laughter]


Lindsay: And, I mean, if we want to look on a broader level, because it's never... It's

not just about our English, but it's also about how we set up our lifestyle.

What are some of the things that we can do to design our... I like the

concept of designing our life, right? Lifestyle design. How can we design

our life for more connection?

Michelle: Well, we talked about tiny houses, right?

Lindsay: Yeah (yes). [laughter] Not everyone can live in a tiny house, but if you're

into it. It's... I think it would... Especially if you were... What would be

really cool is if you were in a tiny house community.


Lindsay: Where there are many tiny houses and they have, like, campfires and

places to hang out with other people in your neighborhood.


Lindsay: Because you wouldn't want to be in your house very much.

Michelle: I do like the idea of, like, being in a neighborhood and being close with all

your neighbors. Like, my husband's, well, our friends, our group of friends,

like, we have this joke that we're going to live in a cul-de-sac, like

everybody in the same cul-de-sac, and just be outside all the time and,

like, hanging out.

38



Michelle: And, you know, and so I'm, like, "That would be really nice." Because it

is...


Michelle: So, in some ways, that way we're going back to the suburbs versus the

city. It would be a lot more interactive than what I have now.

Lindsay: Yeah (yes), that's a good point. I mean, that's the situation that I... Well, I

grew up in kind of a small neighborhood, but I guess our neighbors weren't

as connected. We'd have, like, a block party once or twice a year, but it

wasn't the same thing. [laughter]

Michelle: Mhh hmm.

Lindsay: But another thing that we could do when we're traveling, guys, is you

could choose to do something like couchsurfing.com instead of staying in

hotels. So, it's a little bit uncomfortable, but what happens when you

check into a hotel? I mean, especially if you're traveling alone, this is...


Lindsay: Good advice. You check into a hotel and you're really by yourself. It can

often be kind of, in my mind, it can be kind of bland and lonely.


Lindsay: But when you couchsurf, what you do is you're part of this online network

and you reach out to someone. Please reach out to people with lots of

reviews because safety is an issue. Especially if you're a woman traveling

alone, be very careful.

Michelle: Mhh hmm.

Lindsay: But when... If you have a great host, you have a nice connection with this

person. You have dinner with them, they take you around their city and

show you their city, and it's free.

Michelle: Right. Wow.

39


Lindsay: And that saved me from a lot of loneliness on my trip this summer.

Michelle: Yeah (yes), yeah (yes). That's great.

Lindsay: Yeah (yes). It's a little bit uncomfortable. Like, it's a little bit putting you

out of your comfort zone, but every time I, like, finished up, like, when I

left my host's place, I felt connected, and I felt good.

Michelle: Mm.

Lindsay: I felt full in my heart.

Michelle: Ohh, that's great.

Lindsay: Yeah (yes). So things like that, guys. Or join a run club. If you like to run,

join a run club. You like to hike, join a hiking club. Any other ideas about

how to build more connection into our lives, Michelle? Anything?

Michelle: Mm. Umm, not off the top of my head. I think that those are really good.

Yeah (yes). Like, for me, I would join like a book club or... I mean, or even

if you... Like, some places they have, like, restaurants have weekly events,

like, a weekly open mic or something. Maybe you're not the type of

person who's going to get up and do something, but maybe you're going

to meet somebody there, right?


Michelle: Who's, like, all in it, too, you know, for some event rather than... Some

more intimate event, rather than just sitting in a restaurant and eating

and, like, you may just talk to, you know, one person that you're with or

whatever.


Michelle: That's an idea.

Lindsay: Yeah (yes). I love it. Just make an effort, make little changes, try to sign

up for things, guys. I mean, this to me, you know, this is just one or two

studies and one TED talk, but I would encourage you guys to go on over

and check out the TED talk. We'll leave a link to the talk. We'll actually

40


just embed the video into our website, into our blog. So come back to

allearsenglish.com, type in 611. If you want to get the transcripts from

today, go to AllEarsEnglish.com/transcripts and think about this. I mean,

it's interesting. This show is all about connection, guys. And now we've

seen that connection actually can prevent... Can help to reduce things like

addiction and things that make our life difficult and hard and sad. So...

Michelle: Mhh hmm.

Lindsay: I love that. Such an interesting concept.

Michelle: Yeah (yes), yeah. Definitely. Awesome.

Lindsay: Awesome.

Michelle: Well, I'm glad we talked about this.

Lindsay: Me, too, Michelle. I want to keep thinking about this and find more

material on this. I find this really interesting. Alright.

Michelle: Yeah (yes). Cool, Michelle. Thanks for hanging out today.

Michelle: Thank you, have a good one. Bye guys.

Lindsay: Take care. Bye.

[Instrumental]




Get video one now at AllEarsEnglish.com/INSIDER, and if you believe in



41


AEE Episode 612: I Guess Versus I Think Versus I Suppose in English

Announcer: This is an All Ears English podcast episode 612: “I Guess Versus I Think Versus I Suppose in English.”

[Instrumental]

Announcer: Welcome to the All Ears English Podcast, downloaded more than 16

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]



[Instrumental]

Announcer: Today, diversify your vocabulary and find out the differences between "I guess," "I think" and "I suppose." Plus, get two bonus phrases that mean the same thing.

42


[Instrumental]

Michelle: Hey (hi) Lindsay, how are you?

Lindsay: Hey (hi), Michelle. I'm doing well. It's a Wednesday, so feeling pretty good about that. [laughter]

Michelle: Yes. Wednesdays are wonderful days.

Lindsay: Wonderful Wednesdays.

Michelle: Almost done with the week. That's right.

Lindsay: I know, I know, I know.

Michelle: [laughter] Umm. Well good, good. Do you have any fun plans for the weekend?

Lindsay: Yeah (yes), this weekend I'm doing a meditation retreat, actually. On Saturday I'm just going to my meditation center, going to sit in meditation from 9 a.m. until 5 p.m. [laughter]

Michelle: The whole time meditating?


Michelle: Wow.

Lindsay: [laughter] And then I'm going to see my niece on Sunday.

Michelle: Aww.

Lindsay: I'm going to go rent a car and drive up there to New Hampshire and spend time with her. So that will be fun.

Michelle: Aww, how sweet. That's good.

Lindsay: Yeah (yes). What about you? Anything going on?

Michelle: I have a wedding tomorrow, actually.

Lindsay: Ooh. Very nice, very nice.

43


Michelle: So excited about that.

Lindsay: Cool.

Michelle: And then, I don't. I don't know where the weekend will take me, but... [laughter]

Lindsay: Yes. Well, you can be spontaneous, Michelle. It's good.

Michelle: Yes. A little bit. A little bit. Sunday will be Spontaneous Sunday.

Lindsay: [laughter] Very nice.

Michelle: Awesome. So today, what are we talking about, Lindsay, today?

Lindsay: Well, we got a question from a listener.

Michelle: Mhh hmm

Lindsay: And again, we want to remind our listeners, guys, if you want to get all the details on today's episode, get the transcript. So go to AllEarsEnglish.com/transcripts and grab those, so that you can follow line by line so you can really learn today. Michelle, today we got a question from a listener about the differences between "Guess" and also "reckon."

Michelle: And "Think."

Lindsay: And "Think."

Michelle: And "Suppose."

Lindsay: Okay.

Michelle: All these types of things, right?


Michelle: Yeah (yes). So we got a listener email, right. Jarra?

Lindsay: Yes.

44


Michelle: Thank you for this -- this message. This is a really good question. Who's going to read the question? Shall I do it?

Lindsay: I'll read the question this time. How about that?

Michelle: Okay! Lindsay is going to read the question.

Lindsay: [laughter]


Lindsay: It's something new, something different.

Michelle: Yeah (yes). We're switching it up on you guys.

Lindsay: Switching it up. We like to keep it dynamic.

Michelle: Yes, here we go.

Lindsay: So we say, "Hello, I know there's a lesson 442 about a word "Guess" and "Reckon." So we did do a lesson about the differences between those two. "I'd like to know more about the word "Reckon" as when I'm unsure..."

Michelle: Yes.

Lindsay: "I start a sentence with ‘I guess.’"

Michelle: Wait, so it says, "I'd like to know more about the word "I guess."

Lindsay: I guess, right. Sorry. About the expression, "I guess."

Michelle: Yes.

Lindsay: "Because when I'm unsure, I start a sentence with ‘I guess.’" Okay, thank you, Michelle.


Lindsay: "I was told by an Englishman that it's better to say "I think." Unfortunately, I do not remember the whole sentence, as this happened some years ago. Could you please clarify if there's any difference between

45


the words "I guess, I think and I suppose" in American culture? Are these words synonyms or are there some subtle differences? Maybe a topic for another episode, maybe not. Thanks for your podcast, Jarra." Thanks, Jarra, good question.

Michelle: Yeah (yes), so guess what? It is a topic for an episode!

Lindsay: It is a topic. And I'm wondering, Michelle, from this question, was she also asking about "I'd say"?

Michelle: I know! I saw that, too. I'm not sure.

Lindsay: I don't know. We can add that in as a bonus maybe at the end. So we'll see, we'll see. [laughter]

Michelle: Yeah (yes), yeah (yes). I'm not exactly sure, but yeah (yes). Okay. So really good question, really good question.

Lindsay: Yes.

Michelle: I like this. And yeah (yes), I mean, first off, let's start with the "Reckon." Get that one out of the way.

Lindsay: Yeah (yes), because we did do this on another podcast.

Michelle: So, what do you think about "Reckon," Lindsay?

Lindsay: Well, first of all, I definitely don't use it in an urban, kind of 20/30-something lifestyle, professional lifestyle, here in Cambridge Mass. I never hear it.


Lindsay: It's not modern.

Michelle: Yeah (yes), yeah (yes), I don't hear it either. I mean, I was curious because,

Lindsay, I mean, I thought maybe this has to do something with our part of

the country, or the fact that we're in more, you know, cities.

Lindsay: Right, did you hear it all in your travels this summer?

46


Lindsay: Oh, around the U.S.? No, actually, I don't think so.


Lindsay: I don't think I heard it this summer, but I know I have heard it, like, in old

Western movies.


Lindsay: And I know I've heard it from Australian colleagues.

Michelle: Mm.

Lindsay: I used to have some close friends from Australia that I worked with in

Japan, and they would say it.

Michelle: Yeah (yes). And I think that's what we talked about in this episode, that

Jarra's writing about.

Lindsay: Mhh hmm. Yeah (yes), I think so. So yeah (yes).


Lindsay: Depending on where you are.

Michelle: So, I mean, really "Reckon" isn't really, I mean, at least here, that's not

really something that I would say, and it's not something Lindsay says.

Lindsay: No.

Michelle: But, "I think", and "I guess", and "Suppose", that's a different story. Right?

Lindsay: Sure, yeah (yes).

Michelle: So let's start with, "I think".

Lindsay: Okay.

Michelle: Okay. What do you think about "I think", Lindsay?

47


Lindsay: [laughter] Yeah (yes), I think when it comes to "I think"... [laughter]


Lindsay: Well, I believe...

Michelle: I believe, okay.

Lindsay: I believe that "I think" sounds a bit more sure than "I guess". If it has to be

a spectrum that we're setting up here, "I think" is often more firm than "I

guess". Because "I guess" is kind of, like, "Ahh, I guess, I guess." Right?

But I think it's more stating your belief.

Michelle: Mhh hmm. Right, so you're more sure about it. So I mean, it can also, it

can be used to talk about not being positive about something, and

obviously, of course, to express your opinion, but here we're talking about

the first way, right? So, for example, it's, like, "I think so, but I'm not

sure." Or what else, Lindsay?

Lindsay: "I think the restaurant is open now, we should go this weekend."

Michelle: Right. And also you can say, "I don't think." Right? "Ohh, I don't think. I

don't think she's from Spain, I think she's from somewhere." You know?

Lindsay: Yeah (yes), and I think that using "I think" is used often as a softener.

Michelle: Yes.

Lindsay: Right.

Michelle: It's protecting us from being wrong.

Lindsay: It's used in so many ways, also as a social softener, in the sense of, if you

say something like, "I don't like this dish." Instead you say, "I don't think I

like this dish."

Michelle: Yeah (yes). So true.

48


Lindsay: So what's the difference between the two? It's if that person you're talking

to made this dish... [laughter]


Lindsay: You're softening what you're saying. Like, you're not, you're trying to

soften the bad news.


Lindsay: Trying to make it less direct.

Michelle: Yeah (yes), yeah (yes). So "I think" sounds a little bit more sure than "I

guess". Right?

Lindsay: Okay.

Michelle: So, "I guess" is, I asked my husband about this, and I said, "What's your

opinion on this, with ‘I think’ and ‘I guess?’”


Michelle: He says, this is his quote, he says, "'I guess' is like, 'Don't ask me, what do I

know?'"

Lindsay: [laughter]

Michelle: [laughter] I thought that was pretty good.

Lindsay: Yeah (yes). [laughter]

Michelle: Right. So, like, I think, I guess… I think... Ohh my gosh, now every time I

say "I think" I'm going to go crazy with this episode.

Lindsay: Yeah (yes), it's true.

Michelle: It's less sure. It's a little bit less sure than "I think". It's admitting maybe

some sense of defeat as well.

49


Lindsay: Mm.

Michelle: Right?

Lindsay: Mhh hmm. Mhh hmm.

Michelle: Like, "Ohh, there are no cabs. I guess we should take the train." Right?

Lindsay: Yeah (yes). I mean, it's used in so many ways. We could do an entire

episode on the different ways to use "I guess". Kind of the different

nuances and the meanings, Michelle, I think.

Michelle: Yeah (yes). I think we -- I think... [laughter] Actually, I think that episode

that Jarra was talking about, I looked into it, and I think we did do a few

several different ways.

Lindsay: Ohh, okay.

Michelle: I think... [laughter]

Lindsay: I think.

Michelle: I'm pretty sure.

Lindsay: In this way that we're setting it up, today, to state your opinion. Right?

Michelle: Well, today we're really talking about, I chose the one way from Jarra,

because Jarra wanted to know about being unsure about something.

Lindsay: Okay.

Michelle: So that's what we're focusing on today.

Lindsay: Okay. Okay.

Michelle: So yes, "So there are no cabs. I guess we should take the train." Well,

that's not really necessarily being unsure about something.

50


Lindsay: Mhh hmm.

Michelle: But we'll get into some more examples later. But so like, "Ohh, I guess.

Ohh, that girl is -- That girl is wearing a nice dress. I guess she's going out

to a party later." I don't know.

Lindsay: Yeah (yes), so "I guess" is more sure -- is less sure than "I think".


Lindsay: I agree with you on that one. "I think". Yeah (yes). [laughter]

Michelle: And "I guess" doesn't have... [laughter] I guess. "I guess” doesn’t have a

negative form, also. Like you don't say, "Ohh, I don't guess."

Lindsay: No. We don't. We definitely don't say that. That's a good point.

Michelle: Right. You don't say, "Ohh, I don't guess." Whereas you might say, "I

don't think." You are not going to say, "I don't guess."

Lindsay: That's a good point. It's important. I could see someone making the

mistake and trying to put the negative in there, but don't do it, guys.

Michelle: Yeah (yes), yeah (yes), yeah (yes).

Lindsay: So listen to native English as much as possible.

Michelle: "I don't think that's his name." But you could say that, you wouldn't say, "I

don't guess that’s his name." Right?

Lindsay: But you could say, "I guess that's not his name."


Lindsay: It's a little bit different in the meaning.

Michelle: That's true, that's true.

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[Instrumental]

Announcer: Guys, if you feel like you're listening today and you're hearing some

phrases and you're not sure exactly how to use them and you want to be

able to practice them in a lesson, get the transcripts from today. Go to

AllEarsEnglish.com/transcripts. See you there.

[Instrumental]

Michelle: Okay, so let's move on to "I suppose".

Lindsay: Mhh hmm, okay.

Michelle: [laughter].

Lindsay: Let's get formal. Bring out the white gloves.

Michelle: Let's get a little bit formal. Okay.

Lindsay: [laughter]

Michelle: To me, "I suppose" is more formal sounding. What do you think, Lindsay?

Lindsay: Yes. Exactly. I think it's a more formal version of "I guess". You know, "I

suppose we could catch the matinee at one, but I enjoyed the evening

show much better." [laughter]

Michelle: [laughter] It's so funny whenever, because I did it, too...

Lindsay: We get British.

Michelle: Whenever we go to more formal, we are British. [laughter]

Lindsay: [laughter] Because British to me just sounds fancier and sounds more

proper.

52


Michelle: Yeah (yes)! So we always... [laughter]

Lindsay: [laughter]

Michelle: So we always then, both of us, put on a British accent when we're going

formal. Yeah (yes), British is super fancy, I love it.

Lindsay: [laughter] That's so funny.

Michelle: But yeah (yes), it's a more formal sounding version of "I guess", or "I

think".

Lindsay: Yeah (yes), yeah (yes).

Michelle: Do you think it's closer to "I guess" or "I think"? I don't know.

Lindsay: Ohh gosh, I think it's close to both.


Lindsay: I wouldn't say it's -- I think they're very similar. All three are very similar. I

don't think I could even say either way. I just think it's, I think the most

important piece is that it's more formal.

Michelle: Yeah (yes). And I don't think it's -- I don't think. [laughter] I don't think it's

more formal in the way of, if you use it, people are going to be like,

"Whoa, that's weird." I think people do say, "Ohh, I suppose."

Lindsay: Yeah (yes). "I suppose."

Michelle: But that is if you're looking for a difference. As you can see, in this

conversation we keep on saying, "I think, I think, I think." Over and over

again.


Michelle: Because that's what's most natural to us. I guess.

53


Lindsay: Exactly.

Michelle: I guess. Ahh, I just said it!

Lindsay: I guess. That's an important point, and just one piece about the

pronunciation. Here we don't say it quite as much, ‘I suppose,’ we say "I

s'ppose."

Michelle: Yeah (yes). "S'ppose."

Lindsay: "I s'ppose." And that makes it more conversational -- "I s'ppose." We kind

of drop that ‘sup’, that one syllable there, and we say "I s'ppose."

Michelle: Mhh hmm.

Lindsay: "I s'ppose we could catch the matinee at one, but I enjoy the evening show

better."

Michelle: Mm, yeah (yes). And also, I think it's interesting that this listener, Jarra,

says why did this Englishman tell her to say "I think" rather than "I guess".

I was trying to think about that and I thought maybe because it does

sound like you're a little bit more certain, more sure. Right?

Lindsay: Yeah (yes), that's what I was going to say.

Michelle: Little bit more confident.

Lindsay: Because it's, like, when you say "I think," it's like you're, you can't...

Depending on the tone of, I think a lot of this depends on the tone of

voice.

Michelle: Right. Right.

Lindsay: So when you say, "I think this"... "I think that Leonardo DiCaprio is the

best actor."


54


Lindsay: And you're not going up at the end. There's no -- there's not much doubt.

Even though you're saying the word "I think", there's not a lot of doubt in

your mind. You're stating your opinion. But if you say, "I guess he's

okay." It's different. Right. So when you say "I think," it sometimes, it

could present more certainty.

Michelle: Mhh hmm, mhh hmm, mhh hmm. Yeah (yes), exactly. So Jarra also asked

about some additional phrases. Is there anything else? So I came up with

some, and Lindsay you can tell me.

Lindsay: Sure.

Michelle: "I have a feeling," that's kind of similar, but it's more like a hunch, right?

So, "I have a feeling that she will call later. She always calls me on

Tuesdays." Right?

Lindsay: [laughter]

Michelle: So that might be something you'll say. It's like, "I have a feeling maybe for

the future, or I have a feeling she is angry at me." That's kind of similar in

a way. And what else, Lindsay?

Lindsay: Well, "I'm pretty sure that," and I think this one's very natural.

Michelle: Mhh hmm.

Lindsay: I think both these are quite natural and very expressive ones that natives

use, guys. So use these. "I'm pretty sure that this is where he lives. I

remember going there when I was younger."

Michelle: Right.

Lindsay: Okay? Like that. I like those, too. I think those are good.

Michelle: Right. Yeah (yes). So "I'm pretty sure that", that sounds like, you know,

more, obviously more sure, right?

55


Lindsay: Yeah (yes). Like, yeah (yes). This is a very common phrase to use. "I'm

pretty sure that the dinner is happening at six, but call and check to make

sure."

Michelle: Right! Right, right, right. Okay, so should we give some of these a try,

Lindsay?

Lindsay: Definitely. Let's jump into a role play. Remember guys, grab the

transcripts so that you can see these role plays written out. Okay?

Michelle: Okay?

Lindsay: So here we go, let's jump into it.

Michelle: Okay. Hey (hi) Lindsey, are you excited for fall?

Lindsay: Yeah (yes), I am. Are you?

Michelle: Yeah (yes), but I hate when it gets dark early. When we change the

clocks?

Lindsay: Ohh, I think it's sometime in November. Right?

Michelle: I guess. I'm not really sure.

Lindsay: Yeah (yes), it's not so bad. You can get one of those extra bright lamps.

Aren't those supposed to help?

Michelle: I suppose I could get one of those. It gets so gloomy when it's dark. I have

a feeling it's going to be a long winter.

Lindsay: I'm pretty sure that Boston's winters are worse than New York's. So you

should be thankful. [laughter]

Michelle: Yeah (yes), I guess so. I guess I should get a heavy jacket. I think there's a

sale at the mall this weekend.

Lindsay: I don't think you need to have you jacket yet, Michelle.

56


Michelle: I guess you're right. [laughter]

Lindsay: [laughter] Ohh, Michelle.

Michelle: I'm so bummed!

Lindsay: You have to move out of the Northeast.

Michelle: Yeah (yes), apparently.

Lindsay: You're clearly in a wrong place for your, like, seasonal, like, moods, kind of.


Lindsay: You know, if you don't like the Northeast, you got to move to California.

[laughter]

Michelle: Yeah (yes), that's not a bad idea.

Lindsay: [laughter]

Michelle: So, we used a ton of these things in here, right? So, first we said, I asked

you when we change the clocks, and you said, "I think it's some time in

November." Right? Because you're, you know, you're pretty, kind of

sure. Right?

Lindsay: Yeah (yes), pretty sure.

Michelle: And then I say, "I guess." Like, more like, "I don't know."

Lindsay: Mm. Right. You said, "I guess." But you actually said it with a question

mark.

Michelle: Yeah (yes). "I guess?"

Lindsay: Yeah (yes). Or you could say, "I guess." "I guess. I'm not really sure." I

think I would tend to say that without a question mark.

57


Michelle: Yeah (yes), yeah (yes), yeah (yes). You're right.

Lindsay: I would say, "I guess." I would go down at the end.


Lindsay: But you chose to go up and that's okay, too.

Michelle: Yeah (yes). Whatever you want. [laughter]

Lindsay: Whatever suits your mood, guys. [laughter]

Michelle: That’s right. And then actually we used "Supposed to". A little bit earlier

we said, "Aren't those supposed to help?" But that's a little bit different.

Lindsay: Yeah (yes). And I think we did an episode on "I suppose."

Michelle: Probably.

Lindsay: "To suppose and supposed to be"

Michelle: Mhh hmm

Lindsay: I think we've done one on that one. So you guys can come back to

AllEarsEnglish.com, type "Suppose" in the search bar.

Michelle: Mhh hhm. So you said, "Aren't those supposed to help?" And then what

did I say?

Lindsay: Let's see. I'm a little bit lost here. Is this at the beginning?

Michelle: I said, "I suppose I could get one of those." It's like, I could've also said, "I

guess I could get one of those."


Michelle: But I probably want to say, "I think I could get one of those."

Lindsay: Yeah (yes), that's true.

58


Michelle: Right? Because "Suppose" it's like, ohh, like, almost admitting some sort

of, you know, defeat in some way. Like, I said, "I suppose I could do this."

Lindsay: "Ohh, I suppose I could do that." It's also your downward tone of voice.

Michelle: Right.

Lindsay: Where you're kind of agreeing/admitting.

Michelle: Right!

Lindsay: This is a real nuance here, guys. And that's why the most important thing

is just to be listening to native English as much as possible, and you'll pick

up on these patterns. Some of these, we really can't explain in words,

exactly the nuance differences here. I think we're doing a good job so far

today, Michelle. You planned this episode, you did a nice job on it.

Michelle: Thank you.

Lindsay: But some these are so nuanced.

Michelle: Right.

Lindsay: That it's almost impossible for us to explain those differences.

Michelle: Right.

Lindsay: So make sure you're watching movies in English. Listen to podcast TED

Talks. You know, whatever you are interested in, make sure you're doing

that in English.

Michelle: Right. And then I said, "I have a feeling it's going to be a long winter."

Lindsay: Good. [laughter] I hope it's not.

Michelle: Then what did you say?

Lindsay: I said, "I'm pretty sure that Boston's winters are worse than New York's."

59


Michelle: [laughter] Yeah (yes). Then I said, "Yeah (yes), I guess so. I guess I should

get a heavy jacket."

Lindsay: Yeah (yes). [laughter] And I said, "I don't think you need a heavy jacket

yet."

Michelle: And I said, "I guess you're right." [laughter]

Lindsay: Okay. [laughter]

Michelle: So that's a lot of things going on here. But yeah (yes), obviously this is one

of those things that you really need to practice. You know, don't worry

about it so much. Listen for things and know there are slight differences,

there are important things, but I mean, I don't think you have to say "I

think" every time.

Lindsay: Yeah (yes). I mean, I think the most important takeaway from today, guys,

is try experimenting with more than just one of these. We've given you

three, four, even five of them today, but we focused on three. Try to use

all three of them if you can. Don't just keep saying "I think, I think, I think".


Lindsay: Or "I guess, I guess, I guess". Just expand your vocabulary and be willing to

make a mistake. That's the only way you're going to learn.

Michelle: Yeah (yes), yeah (yes), exactly. Well, thank you for this question. This was

awesome.

Lindsay: Yeah (yes), this was cool. We love it when our listeners send in questions,

guys. So send your questions to [email protected], make it a

super specific question like this one was, because it's just so much easier

for us to write the episode when we have a specific question. Okay?

Michelle: Yeah (yes), yeah (yes). Awesome. Well, thanks Lindsay for hanging out,

and thank you guys for listening.

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Lindsay: Alright, very cool, Michelle. See you soon!

Michelle: Bye!

Lindsay: Bye!

[Instrumental]




Get video one now at AllEarsEnglish.com/INSIDER and if you believe in



61


AEE Episode 613: The Meaning behind 'All Ears' and Why it Matters.

Announcer: This is the All Ears English Podcast eEpisode 613: “The Meaning behind 'All Ears' and Why it Matters.”

[Instrumental]

Announcer: Welcome to the All Ears English Podcast, downloaded more than 16

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]



[Instrumental]

Announcer: Today a listener asked us what 'to be all ears' actually means. You'll hear

the story of how All Ears English came up with this name and you'll find

out how you can use it in your conversations to build rapport and

connection.

[Instrumental]

62


Lindsay: What's up, Michelle? How you doing today? Good?

Michelle: I'm good. Yeah (yes), I'm good, Lindsay. How are you?

Lindsay: Yeah (yes). It looks like we are publishing this on Thursday, October 6, so

Columbus Day weekend's coming up. I'm actually going out to Lake Placid

this weekend.

Michelle: Ohh, awesome.

Lindsay: To celebrate a friend's birthday about six or seven of us are going to rent a

house out there. So...

Michelle: That's really fun. I went to Lake Placid when I was little. Actually, I think

my mom used to spend some of her summers there. And I have a specific

memory with my mom from when I was little, like she was trying to

remember which house she stayed in.

Lindsay: Ohh, yeah (yes).

Michelle: And I remember as, like a little girl, being like, "Well, just... Just... I want

to take a picture of you in front of the one where you stayed." And she

said, "I'm not sure." And I said, "Just remember.”

Lindsay: [laughter]

Michelle: "Just think about it and I feel it." And I remembered, and I think it was the

wrong one. [laughter]

Lindsay: That's adorable.

Michelle: And I have that very specific memory from Lake Placid. I would love to go

back.

Lindsay: Yeah (yes). Well, it's the site of the Olympics in 1981...


Lindsay: '83.


63


Lindsay: And it's also... Not '83, '84 maybe. And it's also the site of the Olympics

back in, I think the '40s or something.

Michelle: Right and...

Lindsay: Maybe the '20s.

Michelle: Yeah (yes). And I have an old home video. One day I should find it and

send it to you, where my family, we were all getting up on the podium.


Michelle: And I got to be first place and my dad singing the Olympics’ anthem.

Lindsay: That's cool. Well, it's a very cute little town.


Lindsay: I like the restaurants in town. I like... You feel like you're in this mountain

town. It's a nice place, actually, for a fall foliage vacation, which is what

we're doing, or a good winter spot. And it could be a summer spot, too, if

you like hiking and mountain biking. So...

Michelle: Hmm. Maybe I'll go.

Lindsay: We could definitely recommend that to our listeners.



Michelle: Good idea.

Lindsay: Yeah (yes). Lake Placid. Okay. Cool.


Lindsay: So, speaking of, I'm not sure how to make the connection between our

topic today, Michelle.


Lindsay: There is no connection.

64


Michelle: Speaking of Lake Placid.

Lindsay: I'm all ears when it comes to what we can do at Lake Placid. [laughter]

Michelle: Yeah (yes). If you can give me some advice, I'm all ears.

Lindsay: Yeah (yes). So, we have a question from one of our regular listeners, and

this listener in particular has asked other questions before. So guys, we

always appreciate your questions. Send them to

[email protected]. Let's go ahead and read this student's

question. It's a question about our name, about our podcast and company

name here. So Michelle, could you read that question for us?

Michelle: Yes. I'm back in my role. I'm confident.

Lindsay: Yes!

Michelle: Okay.

Lindsay: Go for it.

Michelle: It says, "Hope you're doing great. Thanks a lot for answering my earlier

questions in your episodes. Sorry for bothering you with my silly

questions, but I wanted to know, ‘What do you mean by the title of your

podcast, 'All Ears English?'" First of all, it's not a silly question. And you're

never bothering us.

Lindsay: [laughter]

Michelle: We love hearing from you. Okay.

Lindsay: That's right. Yeah (yes), we love these questions.

Michelle: "As per the Free Dictionary, 'all ears' means 'listening eagerly and

carefully'. Do you mean the same or is there some other meaning for 'all

ears' as well? I have never heard this phrase being used in spoken English,

except on your podcast."

Lindsay: [laughter]

65


Michelle: "So I just wanted to know how common it is in America? Is this phrase

formal or informal? Myunk" Thank you.

Lindsay: Good question.

Michelle: That's a really good question, and I'm surprised we actually haven't talked

about this before.

Lindsay: I know.

Michelle: So not a silly question.

Lindsay: It's important. We should have done this for, like, episode 600 or one of

the even episodes.


Lindsay: But that's okay. We got this question, and again, we love getting your

questions. It's like getting a little gift, a little Christmas gift, every time I

see a question from a listener in my inbox. So keep sending your

questions, guys. But, so we have a couple of questions here

from Myunk. I mean, this listener wants to know, you know, first of all,

what does it mean? Second of all, they, this person, never hears it. So, you

know, is it commonly used? So, what does it mean, Michelle?

Michelle: Mhh hmm.

Lindsay: Let's start with that.

Michelle: Okay. To be 'all ears', it means you are listening closely.

Lindsay: Mhh hmm.

Michelle: You're only listening to the person, right? You're wide open to receive

information from one specific person and this person has your attention.

Lindsay: Yeah (yes). [laughter]

Michelle: Okay.

66


Lindsay: And so, that's right. That's the... So that is the definition that Myunk came

up with, too.

Michelle: Right.

Lindsay: And so, that's correct. You're right about that. It's listening carefully,

listening closely, being very intent on listening to that specific person, or

that thing. And what does it mean for us? I mean, the way I interpret it is

that we want you guys listening closely.


Lindsay: Like, we want you guys [laughter]

Michelle: [laughter] Of course.

Lindsay: Focusing closely and being engaged. You know, we want you to be

engaged in the show.

Michelle: Right.

Lindsay: What does it mean for you, Michelle?

Michelle: Yeah (yes). I think so. And also, just, like, being all ears and receptive to

learning, right?


Michelle: Like 'all ears', it's not just, like, "Ohh, I'm listening." But it's, like, "I'm

listening, like you said, like eagerly." Right? You're wide open. You're

open to learning.

Lindsay: Yeah (yes), that's a good point. So, there are kind of two levels of meaning

here, right? So, the first one is physically you're listening. And the second

one is you're open. You're open to learning something new. I think that

we have a lot of kind of free thinkers that listen to our podcast, a lot of

independent learners, and I think you guys are quite self-motivated. Like,

you take what you learn here and you go and you apply it on your own.

Michelle: Yeah (yes), that's the key. I think that's what I was thinking. It's like,

"Yeah." Then you take your ears and you take them outside.

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Lindsay: Mhh hmm. Yeah (yes).

Michelle: And, you know, it's, you know, really helping with your listening and

speaking skills.

Lindsay: Yeah (yes). No, that's exactly it. So, that's what it means for us and for

you guys. And I remember the day that we actually came up with this

name. My former co-host and I, we were sitting in my kitchen here at this

house and, you know, we're just brainstorming names. We had a bunch of

ideas. But we said this one and it just came out and we thought, "Ohh,

that's kind of cute." Like, it just had a ring to it right away.

Michelle: Ohh, I like that. What does that mean 'a ring to it'?

Lindsay: "It had a ring to it." I like that expression. So it just had a...

Michelle: Special...

Lindsay: It sounded special.


Lindsay: It sounded like, I don't know, like music to ears.

Michelle: It sounded like a... It sounded catchy.

Lindsay: Catchy. Sounded cute. Sounded clever. At first, I thought it was a little

bit, like, juvenile, like it sounded a little bit, like, silly, kind of juvenile.

Michelle: Mm.

Lindsay: But it just... It grew on us and stuck with us and we went with it.


Lindsay: It's not easy, naming a podcast.

Michelle: No.

Lindsay: Naming a company. It's not easy.

Michelle: No. [laughter]

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Lindsay: So we went with it. Don't overthink a name guys, if you're trying to name

a business. It's hard. Right, Michelle? We were talking about that just

now.

Michelle: Yeah (yes), we were. I mean, I'm curious, do you remember if you had any

other names that you...

Lindsay: Ohh, my God. I know we had others, but I don't even...

Michelle: Remember them.

Lindsay: I could not... Something... Uhh, I don't know. I have no idea. This was,

like, three years ago now.


Lindsay: So, I don't know. I could probably look it up somewhere, but [laughter]


Lindsay: So anyway, so that's the name we went with and that's what... I think that

it's really stuck with us and it's continued to keep its meaning and it makes

sense for the podcast.

Michelle: Mhh hmm.

Lindsay: But the question from Myunk next was, "Is it common?"

Michelle: Mm. Yes.

Lindsay: So what do you think, Michelle?

Michelle: Umm. I don't know that I use this, like, every day. [laughter]


Michelle: I don't think it's that common, but it's not... But you could still hear it,

right?


Michelle: Like, people would still say it today, I think.

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Lindsay: Right. It's not like it's outdated, right? I mean, there are a lot of phrases

that are just outdated you might hear in movies from the '60s and the '70s

and you think, "Ohh, we never say that anymore."

Michelle: Mhh hmm.

Lindsay: But this phrase is kind... I think it's a little bit timeless.


Lindsay: But it's just not something you say every day.

Michelle: Right, right, right. Yeah (yes).

Lindsay: I could think of a few situations in which we might say it. For example, you

know, parents trying to get a kid to share something that's going on in his

life, right? And the parent might say, "Come on. I'm all ears." Right?


Lindsay: I can picture that. Mhh hmm.

Michelle: Or, like, a boss or a manager might say it at a meeting. Like, when the

employees have expressed that they want to share their opinions on

something, the boss will say, "Okay, I'm all ears. I'm listening."

Lindsay: Yeah (yes). So both...

Michelle: "You have my undivided attention."

Lindsay: Yeah (yes), or a third one could be a friend. Like, two friends are talking,

and one friend wants to share something, and the friend is just gathering

their attention and focusing in on that other friend and saying, "Okay. I'm

all ears. Let me know what's going on." Right?

Michelle: Yeah (yes), yeah (yes), yeah (yes), yeah (yes). That'd be great.

[Instrumental]

Announcer: Guys, when it comes to your listening skills, do you feel that you're

disconnected, that you're not able to make that human connection

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because you can't understand what someone says and you can't respond

in an appropriate way, so you stand on the outside of social interactions

and connections? If this is happening to you, then we have the solution.

It's a course coming this fall, but you can get your free lesson, your first

lesson for free, by going to AllEarsEnglish.com/bridge. You'll meet a gun

salesman from Texas. Go to AllEarsEnglish.com/bridge. See you there.

[Instrumental]

Lindsay: So whenever you're about to listen to someone or something and you're

telling the person, "Go ahead. Just start speaking to me. I'm all ears." I

mean, don't use it all the time, guys. Don't overuse it. It's just something

you could throw in.


Lindsay: Once in a while, to spice up your language, okay?



Michelle: For sure. Yeah (yes). I think that... I think when used correctly, it can be

really good.

Lindsay: Ohh, for sure. And that's what you guys want to be doing. You want to

be, you know, throwing in these new ways to say things to add more

depth to your skills here.

Michelle: Mhh hmm.

Lindsay: That's why we're here for you guys.

Michelle: Mhh hmm.

Lindsay: So Michelle, what are some other ways to say "I'm all ears"?

Michelle: Mhh hmm. Well, you could say, “I'd love to hear from you.”

Lindsay: Yeah (yes). I'd love to hear from you. Now, this one sounds to me a little

bit more formal. It may be written in an email.

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Michelle: Mm.

Lindsay: Or spoken on the phone or something, like, you leave a phone message,

"Hey, I'd love to hear from you. Let's talk about this thing. Please give me

a call."

Michelle: Right.

Lindsay: I feel like I would be less likely to say that in person. What do you think?

Michelle: Yeah (yes), like, I wouldn't say, "Ohh, come on, Lindsay. Like, tell me what

you're... What you're thinking. I'd love to hear from you." It's more...



Lindsay: Yeah (yes), this is definitely phone or message.

Michelle: Mhh hmm.

Lindsay: Like voicemail or email, I think.

Michelle: Yeah (yes), yeah (yes)

Lindsay: Yeah (yes). And then the next one was "What's up?" Right? That's

another way of when you're sitting down with someone and you're telling

them. "Hey, I'm ready to listen, I'm ready to put my attention on you."

Just say, "Okay. So what's up?"

Michelle: Yeah (yes) I'd like this one.

Lindsay: Okay.

Michelle: I think it is really common.

Lindsay: Yeah (yes). Like that.

Michelle: Mhh hmm. Mhh hmm. And then also you could say. "I'm here to listen."

Lindsay: Yeah (yes). So this is when, like, something might be a bit heavier, like, the

person has indicated that they have something important to tell you.

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Michelle: Mhh hmm.

Lindsay: Like, I might see the parent say that to the kid.


Lindsay: "Come on, let me know what's going on. I'm here to listen."

Michelle: Yeah (yes), yeah (yes), yeah (yes). Exactly, exactly.

Lindsay: I couldn't think of any others. Michelle, do you have any others that come

to mind in the moment?

Michelle: Umm.

Lindsay: Meaning the same thing. I was drawing a blank there in terms of other

ways to say...

Michelle: Umm. I'm...

Lindsay: No, no, no. If not, that's okay. Maybe we can add them to the blog if we

think of one.

Michelle: Yeah (yes). I'll see if I can think of any. Yeah (yes). I think my mind is

drawing the same blank.

Lindsay: [laughter]


Lindsay: Alright. So we've got two role plays here for you guys and we're going to

go back to those same situations that we described. We have a mom and

a teenage daughter.

Michelle: Ohh.

Lindsay: And the teenager wants to say something right, Michelle? So you wrote

these role plays I think.

Michelle: Hmm.

Lindsay: Or did I?

73



Lindsay: No, I wrote them.

Michelle: I did that. I'm like, "Really? I did? I've done such a good job."

Lindsay: Alright, alright, alright. Here we go.

Michelle: Ohh, my gosh. That's when you know...

Lindsay: Ohh. So do you want to be A, Michelle? I'll be B.

Michelle: Okay. I'm the mom.

Lindsay: You're the mom.

Michelle: Okay. I have to get in my mom...

Lindsay: In your mom voice.

Michelle: "Hey, Emily. How was your day at school?"

Lindsay: Ohh, hold on. Sorry. I lost the play... I lost it. Okay. Okay. "Ohh, it was

okay."

Michelle: "Ohh, what's up? Why the long face? Did something happen?"

Lindsay: "No, mom, nothing happened."

Michelle: "Come on. If there is something you want to talk about I'm all ears."

Lindsay: "Okay. Well, maybe later."

Michelle: "Okay. Anytime. I'm here to listen."

Lindsay: "Okay. Good." [laughter]

Michelle: Did you like my mom voice?

Lindsay: Was that something that your mom would say, I’m all ears?

Michelle: No. I don't know. [laughter]

Lindsay: [laughter]

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Michelle: Maybe.

Lindsay: It's hard... It must be hard raising a teenager, you know? I mean, you

worry about them. It's a very kind of...


Lindsay: Odd. The impressionable time.


Lindsay: But, so that's something you could say if you have a teenager, guys, in the

U.S. and, you know, you could say to them, "I'm all ears."


Lindsay: Okay?

Michelle: Yeah (yes). So, I mean, in the beginning I said, as the mom, I said, "What's

up?"

Lindsay: Mhh hmm.

Michelle: And I said...

Lindsay: Very casual.

Michelle: "Why the long face?" I like that. It's like, "Why do you look unhappy?"

Lindsay: Yeah (yes). "Why the long face?" I feel like that's definitely something that

a parent or like...


Lindsay: Aunt or uncle would say.

Michelle: Yeah (yes). [laughter]

Lindsay: [laughter]

Michelle: Yeah (yes), yeah (yes), yeah (yes). And you said, "No, nothing happened."

And I said, "If you want", and you know, "If there is something you want

to talk about, I'm all ears." It's, like, "I'm here for you."

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Lindsay: There we go. And then at the end you also said again, "I'm here to listen."


Lindsay: Okay. A very supportive mother.

Michelle: I'm a good mom.

Lindsay: You are. Thank you so much. Very good. [laughter]


Lindsay: Alright. So, and then the next situation is just we have a meeting with the

boss and the team, okay?

Michelle: Right.

Lindsay: So, alright. So, I'll just be A and Michelle, if you want to be B. So...

Michelle: Alright.

Lindsay: Ohh, here we go. "Thank you for attending today's meeting. I know you

all have been wanting to meet with me to share some of your ideas, but

we haven't been able to find a good time until now. So I'm all ears.

What's on your mind?"

Michelle: "Ohh, well, we do have some ideas for our next course that we are getting

ready to launch in April."

Lindsay: “Okay, great. I'd love to hear them. What are you thinking?" Okay. And

that's another one. Like, “What are you thinking?” That could be similar to

"I'm all ears."


Lindsay: Mhh hmm.

Michelle: So you said, "We haven't had a chance." I like this. "We haven't had a

chance to talk", right? "So now I'm all ears." It's, like, "You have my

undivided attention."

Lindsay: Yeah (yes), exactly.

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Michelle: You have my undivided attention.

Lindsay: Yeah (yes). So this phrase, this phrase, really what it is, it's a signaling

phrase for you guys. When someone says it, it means that they're ready to

listen to you, and when you say it to someone else it means you're ready

to listen to them. It's, like, "I'm open." Okay?

Michelle: Right, right. And then, yeah (yes), you said, "What's on your mind?” I

liked that.

Lindsay: Yeah (yes). "What's on your mind?" I love that, too. Very cool. That's

some very cool native language coming out today, Michelle. [laughter]

Michelle: Yeah (yes), yeah (yes). Definitely. Umm.

Lindsay: And then we said, umm, at the end I said, "Okay, I'd love to hear them."

Right?

Michelle: Right. Which is good. Yeah (yes).

Lindsay: Yeah (yes), I'd love to hear the ideas. And then, "What are you thinking?"

was the last thing I said.


Lindsay: Okay. So very natural. So how would you feel, like, how would the feeling

change for you, Michelle, as the person who's about to speak, if the boss

said these phrases to indicate...

Michelle: I would feel really good because I would feel like my boss really cares. And

wouldn't be just, like, sitting there, looking at his or her phone.


Michelle: You know, or waiting for another meeting or, like, that they really do

actually care. And so I would feel more comfortable sharing things with

that boss.

Lindsay: Yeah (yes). Definitely.

Michelle: And I would just feel more connected in general. Boom!

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Lindsay: Ohh, Connection NOT Perfection ™.

Michelle: There you go. [laughter]

Lindsay: [laughter] There we go. So that's how kind of functional this phrase 'all

ears' can be, guys. So, today we've learned where the phrase came from,

what it means for us, and what it can mean for you guys in a conversation,

and again, how it can build connection for you. Okay? It's these little

phrases that we can insert, that can really strengthen our connections and

that can lead to more happiness in our lives. I think it's that simple.

Michelle: That's right. Yeah (yes).

Lindsay: Okay. So guys, go ahead, grab the transcripts from today at

AllEarsEnglish.com/transcripts and remember to write in your questions at

AllEarsEnglish.com. We love getting your questions.

Michelle: Yeah (yes), yeah (yes). Thanks for that one, that was a good one.

Lindsay: That was a good one. And we'll be back next week, Michelle. Thanks for

hanging out today.

Michelle: Thank you. Have a good one. Bye.

Lindsay: Have a good weekend.

Michelle: Enjoy Lake Placid.

Lindsay: Yeah (yes), thank you. It should be fun.

Michelle: [laughter] Bye.

Lindsay: Bye.

[Instrumental]




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