2.27 Zapp Ingles Coloquial Comunicacion

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Colloquial English / Level 2 Unit 27 - Communication

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Introduction In this unit you’re going to learn colloquial words and expressions related to communication. Remember, you need to be careful with colloquial expressions because some of them are not polite. If you’re not sure – check! OK let’s start!

Colloquial Expressions Task 1 KATIE: Good afternoon Thomas.

TOM: Good afternoon Katie.

KATIE: We’re in a cafe. Having a coffee.

TOM: Yes, it’s very nice to relax here.

KATIE: And a chat. Which is good because, this er, colloquial podcast is about communication.

TOM: Good. We’re communicating.

KATIE: We are. And I’m going to...communicate to you...I’m going to explain, some colloquial, informal words, expressions, and you’re going to try and guess them.

TOM: OK. Let’s go!

KATIE: So. Thinking about communication...erm...we need to speak. We need to talk. There’s an expression that means...to talk very nicely to somebody...to try and get them to do something for you. So for example, if I said, Thomas...it’d be really nice if...erm...er...we went for a coffee, and then maybe, erm, you could help me with my homework. What...what did I try and do to you?

TOM: You tried to sweet talk me, to help you...or into...helping you with something.

KATIE: I did yes. So I talked very nicely...and...er why did I talk very nicely?

TOM: You talked very nicely, to try and make me help you.

KATIE: Yeah. So when you sweet talk someone, you do it for a reason.

TOM: To try and persuade someone or to get something from the situation or the person.

KATIE: Yes, exactly. To sweet talk someone. So...erm...I might say, Oh I need to go to...Barcelona next week and, my friend might say, Oh well, if you sweet talk Thomas, he might drive you.

TOM: Yeah. Or I might...sweet talk my girlfriend into...taking me to the pub, on a Sunday.



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KATIE: Exactly. So, to sweet talk someone, to talk nicely, because you want them to do something for you.

KATIE: OK so the next one...is also, using the word talk. If I talk to you, like you are a child or an idiot, or...in a way that shows I think, you’re less intelligent than me, what do I do? Talk...

TOM: Talk down to someone?

KATIE: Yeah. Exactly. Yeah. So is it nice to talk down to somebody?

TOM: No it’s horrible, it means that you think you’re superior. You’re better.

KATIE: Mmm hmm. Exactly. So, again to remember this expression, if you think about, to talk down to someone, means you’re putting yourself...higher, that they are. So to talk down to.

TOM: To talk down to.

KATIE: OK, we’ve finished with expressions using the word talk. Now we’re going to think about...erm...what is louder than talking?

TOM: Shouting.

KATIE: Exactly. Can you think of an expression, using the word shouting...that means...an argument?

TOM: To scream and shout?

KATIE: Yes, yes. That’s what you do, in an argument. And we can call an argument, when you scream and shout at somebody, a shouting...

TOM: A shouting match?

KATIE: Yes. So...you’ve got some very noisy neighbours haven’t you?

TOM: Yes, there’s a couple upstairs, and every day they have a big fight. And a big shouting match...between each other. With each other.

KATIE: Yeah. So I could say, Oh you look tired, didn’t you sleep?

TOM: Yes, the neighbours had a huge shouting match last night.

KATIE: And so he was awake all night listening to that shouting match. A loud argument. OK. Thinking about erm...a conversation...you’re having a conversation with me, and imagine, I know it’s very hard to imagine, but imagine that I, just talk, talk, talk, talk, talk, talk, talk...(breathe) talk, talk, talk, talk. You...can’t speak. Because I, am not stopping. You can’t...

TOM: I can’t get a word in edgeways?

KATIE: Exactly. (laughter)



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TOM: That’s, quite often the case isn’t it, with you Katie?

KATIE: It’s not true, don’t listen to him. He can get a word in edgeways. He can get a word in edgeways, but, if somebody talks non-stop...(blab, blab, blab, blab)...you might say, Ah..I couldn’t get a word in edgeways. I couldn’t get a word in edgeways.

TOM: It just means literally, I couldn’t fit, a word in. I couldn’t...speak.

KATIE: Yeah. There was no time, no space for me to speak. And the last one. About communication. Erm, is...when you...for example, you might not see somebody all the time...but...erm...for example, your friend, is staying with you at the moment, yes?

TOM: Yeah.

KATIE: You’ve known him a long time, but you don’t always see him.

TOM: No.

KATIE: OK. But, maybe he sends you emails.

TOM: Yeah.

KATIE: Or...gives you a call on the phone.

TOM: On Facetime.

KATIE: OK. So what can we say? He...

TOM: Is it three words?

KATIE: Yes.

TOM: He stays in touch.

KATIE: Yes, we can say...

TOM: Keeps in touch.

KATIE: Yeah. Both of them. Well there’s a few actually. In touch, means in contact, speaking to or emailing, doesn’t it?

TOM: Yeah.

KATIE: So...you can get in touch. Er, so I might say, Get in touch, soon. You know, email me, call me, get in touch.

TOM: Yeah.

KATIE: So to keep in touch, would be to...call me, don’t forget, don’t not contact me.



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TOM: It means communicate in some way.

KATIE: Yeah.

TOM: Let’s communicate in some way.

KATIE: In the future, again and again. Keep in touch. Don’t, lose touch. You can also lose touch with someone, when erm...you don’t speak to them again. So touch, in this situation is like contact, call, email.

TOM: Yeah. Staying in regular communication.

KATIE: Yeah, so stay in touch or keep in touch. Get in touch. Email me, phone me.

TOM: OK.

Meaning and Pronunciation Task 1 Now let’s check the expressions. Answer the questions and repeat after the beep.

Which expression means to say nice things to someone so that they agree with you or do something that you want?

to sweet talk someone

to sweet talk someone I’ll sweet talk him into doing it.

We heard about another way of talking to someone, but this time not in a nice way. This one means to talk to someone, as though you think they are stupid or far less important than you.

to talk down to someone

to talk down to someone She always talks down to me.

If two people have an argument and use loud voices at each other, another way to describe this is a shouting...

a shouting match

a shouting match They’re having another shouting match.



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The next expression means to call someone on the phone, or write or email them. We can say to get or to keep...

in touch

to get in touch

to keep in touch

I’ll get in touch next week.

Keep in touch.

Now, if someone talks a lot without stopping, it’s very hard to get...

to get a word in edgeways

I can’t get a word in edgeways. I can’t get a word in edgeways.

Colloquial Expressions Task 2 KATIE: Hello Tom.

TOM: Hello.

KATIE: Here we are in the park, little conversation.

TOM: Yes, I think it’s going to rain...

KATIE: Yes.

TOM: ...so we need to go inside soon.

KATIE: It’s going to be a quick conversation.

TOM: Yeah.

KATIE: And we’re talking about communication.

TOM: OK.

KATIE: I will describe some, informal words and phrases, and you try and guess them.

TOM: OK.



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KATIE: Right, the first one. (whispers) Did you hear that?

TOM: (Tom shakes head. Inaudible)

KATIE: OK. That’s because, how did I say it? I said it...

TOM: Very quietly.

KATIE: Yeah. So what’s...what’s the expression to say something very quietly, kind of to yourself?

TOM: Under your breath.

KATIE: Yes.

TOM: To say something under your breath.

KATIE: Yeah. So I’ll do it again. (speaks quietly)

TOM: Yeah, to say something under your breath.

KATIE: Mmm. Why do you sometimes...say something under your breath?

TOM: Well you’re sort of saying it to yourself. Perhaps you don’t want other people to hear you. You might be annoyed or angry about something...

KATIE: Exactly.

TOM: ...and you want to...say something but you’re being careful, to not...offend, or to say say something bad. So you’re like (says something under breath).

KATIE: Exactly. To say something under your breath.

TOM: Yeah. To say something under your breath.

KATIE: Alright. Now for two expressions that are a little bit similar. Erm...imagine that erm...you...get some information, but you don’t get it directly, from the person. So, there’s a very famous song...about this. And the song, tells the story of a guy, who finds out that his girlfriend, is ending their relationship. But she doesn’t tell him...another person tells him. How did he hear about this?

TOM: He heard it on the grapevine.

KATIE: Yes. On the grapevine or through the grapevine.

TOM: Yeah. To hear something on the grapevine.

KATIE: I heard it through the grapevine...very famous song. Yeah.

TOM: Yeah. Who was it by?



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KATIE: Marvin Gaye.

TOM: Marvin Gaye.

KATIE: So you can look that one up. You can er, check that on the internet. Marvin Gaye, I heard it through the grapevine.

TOM: Means to hear some...something from...other people.

KATIE: Yes, not directly from the person, that it’s about.

TOM: Mmm.

KATIE: Yes. Hear something through the grapevine. Now there’s a similar, erm, expression...but, this one is usually a bit more positive. For example, erm...you hear about a restaurant that’s really good. Because, erm, somebody tells you about it. I might say...we might go to this restaurant, and I might say, Oh how did you know about this restaurant? It’s really good. And you could say, Oh just...(mmm) of (mmm).

TOM: Yeah it’s er, you hear something through word of mouth.

KATIE: Yeah.

TOM: Word of mouth.

KATIE: People often talk about this, in advertising. They say, that...word of mouth, is the best kind of advertising.

TOM: Yeah when people tell their friends about a product or service, that’s word of mouth.

KATIE: Yeah. And sometimes, erm, when you go to, a place, and they ask you to write down, something about it, Was it good? Sometimes there’s a question, How did you hear about us? And it might say, you know, a) and advert, b) on the internet, c) word of mouth.

TOM: Mmm.

KATIE: So somebody told you.

TOM: Personal recommendation...

KATIE: Yeah.

TOM: ...from a friend or something.

KATIE: Word of mouth. OK. Right. Two more. This next one means...to write to somebody, or email somebody.

TOM: Mmm hmm.



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KATIE: Erm...it’s just an informal phrase and that’s what it means, so I might say, Oh...erm...(mmm) me a (mmm) next week, and tell me what you’re doing.

TOM: Drop me a mail?

KATIE: Drop me a line.

TOM: Drop me a line.

KATIE: Yeah.

TOM: Drop me a line. That’s to phone someone, I thought, normally. No? It’s everything.

KATIE: No it’s actually to write...

TOM: Oh.

KATIE: ...because, the line is what you...you know you’re writing a line of writing. Erm so, Drop me a line, and tell me what you’re doing next week. Is it a long note?

TOM: No it’s er, quick one.

KATIE: Mmm.

TOM: Short.

KATIE: Mmm hmm.

TOM: Hmm.

KATIE: Yeah. So, to drop somebody a line.

TOM: I just learnt something there, I thought it meant phone calls.

KATIE: Well it may be that...I mean, you know, sometimes with colloquial expressions...

TOM: They use them...

KATIE: ...even native speakers, we use them...in our own way...(laughter)...

TOM: Yeah.

KATIE: ...but then when you look them up in the dictionary, actually it...it probably...

TOM: And I will say to people sometimes, drop me an email...

KATIE: Yes. Yeah.

TOM: ...as well. Er, but drop me a line yeah. I...I...I always interpreted that as general communication.



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KATIE: Yes. Well, last one.

TOM: OK.

KATIE: And this just means that erm...we have, got something confused, in our conversation. I thought you meant we should meet at...on Tuesday, and you thought...we should meet on Monday. Oh, Oh really? Oh, I think I’ve got my...

TOM: ...wires crossed.

KATIE: Yes. So...

TOM: Got crossed wires, or got my wires...our wires crossed.

KATIE: Yeah. Oh I think I’ve got my wires crossed. I thought...So it just means...to misunderstand...

TOM: Yeah.

KATIE: ...in communication.

TOM: Bad communication.

KATIE: Yeah.

TOM: Now it’s starting to rain Katie, I think we need to run.

KATIE: Yes. I think we’d better go. (laughter)

TOM: OK. Bye!

KATIE: Bye!

Meaning and Pronunciation Task 2 Let’s check the second group of expressions. As before, repeat after the beep, answer the questions.

Which expression means for two people in a conversation, to understand each other differently, so that one person thinks one thing and another thinks they said something different.

to get your wires crossed

to get your wires crossed I thought he said six o’clock, I must have got my wires crossed.



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If I say something quietly, to myself, so that you can’t hear it properly, I say it under...

under my breath

Very often when you say something under your breath, it’s something not very nice.

to say something under your breath He said something under his breath.

If you find out some information not directly, from the person the information is about, but from other people who are talking about it, you hear it...

through the grapevine

to hear something through the grapevine I heard it through the grapevine.

Another expression is similar to through the grapevine, and means that you hear about something because someone tells you. This can be quite positive, for example if one person tells another person about a good restaurant, and they tell you. You can say I heard about the restaurant through...

word of mouth

word of mouth Word of mouth is the best kind of advertising.

And our last expression means to write a short letter or email to someone. To drop...

to drop someone a line

Drop me a line. I’ll drop you a line.

Summary You should now know ten new colloquial expressions related to communication. Fantastic!



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Extra Materials

Glossary

1 = Informal, pero puede ser usada en conversaciones con la mayoría de las personas y en casi todas las situaciones.

2 = Informal, es mejor usarla solamente en situaciones muy informales y con gente que conozcas muy bien.

3 = Ten cuidado! Muy informal y puede ofender a algunas personas. No la utilices cuando estés cerca de tu suegra!!!

to sweet talk someone (1) – Hablar a otra persona de forma agradable para intentar que haga algo

por ti.

to talk down to someone (1) – Hablar con otra persona mostrando que piensas que eres más

importante e inteligente que ella.

a shouting match (1) – Discusión fuerte.

to get / keep in touch (1) – Ponerse/mantenerse en contacto a través del teléfono, correo

electrónico, etc. incluso cuando no se ve a la persona muy a menudo.

to get a word in edgeways (1) – Situación en la que una persona habla tanto que no te deja decir

nada.

to get your wires crossed (1) – Sentirse confuso; pensar que alguien habla de una cosa, pero está

hablando de otra.

to say something under your breath (1) – Decir algo en voz baja y para uno mismo porque no se

quiere que lo oigan los demás.

to hear something through the grapevine (1) – Escuchar/averiguar información porque otras

personas están hablando de ello (de forma indirecta).

word of mouth (1) – Información contada por unas personas a otras de forma informal.

drop someone a line (1) – Escribir a alguien una carta o correo electrónico breve.



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Practice Exercise 1

Fill the gaps with a word or phrase from this unit.

1. He didn’t even tell me himself. I ______ it through the __________.

2. I said it _________ my __________ but she heard me.

3. He talks so much I couldn’t _________ a word in ___________.

4. I ________ talked him into driving me into the city.

5. Oh dear. The neighbours are having another ___________ match.

6. Drop me a _______ sometime.

7. I thought we arranged 5pm. I think we got our _______ crossed.

Practice Exercise 2

Correct the mistakes in these sentences.

1. She never stopped talking. I couldn’t get words in edgeways.

2. Word in mouth is the best kind of advertising.

3. Don’t forget to drop me some lines.

4. I hate it when people speak down to me.

5. We should keep the touch.

6. He tried to sweety talk her into doing his homework.



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Extra Materials - Answers

Practice Exercise 1

1. He didn’t even tell me himself. I heard it through the grapevine.

2. I said it under my breath but she heard me.

3. He talks so much I couldn’t get a word in edgeways.

4. I sweet talked him into driving me into the city.

5. Oh dear. The neighbours are having another shouting match.

6. Drop me a line sometime.

7. I thought we arranged 5pm. I think we got our wires crossed.

Practice Exercise 2

1. She never stopped talking. I couldn’t get a words in edgeways.

2. Word in of mouth is the best kind of advertising.

3. Don’t forget to drop me some a lines.

4. I hate it when people speak talk down to me.

5. We should keep the in touch.

6. He tried to sweety talk her into doing his homework.

Documents

2.27 Zapp Ingles Coloquial Comunicacion