English Lesson Snide Quotations and the Godfather of Soul

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The Bob and Rob Show Study GuideLesson 52

date: Sept. 23, 2006file name: bobrob09-23-06file length: 20:31

Show notesWitty quotations from famous writers that compared Britain and America. The phrasal verbs"to hold up" and "to hand down".

Quotations"The Americans are identical to the British in all respects except, of course, language." Oscar Wilde

"Britain and America are two great countries separated by a common language." George Bernard Shaw

Notes:1/ Oscar Wilde is famous for may witticisms, one of the most famous of which is when he was asked if he hadanything to declare at an New York airport, to which he answered “I have nothing to declare but my genius”.2/ George Bernard Shaw is also famous as the author of the play “Pygmalion”, of which a later adaptedversion in film with Audrey Hepburn was entitled “My Fair Lady”.

Phrasal Verbs"to hold up"1) to delay something e.g: I was held up because of the terrible traffic.2) to rob (with a weapon) e.g: six criminals held up the bank last week.

"to hand down"3) to pronounce formally e.g: The judge is going to hand his decision down on the caselater today.4) to give as an inheritance e.g: As a kid, I used to wear clothes that were handed down tome from my big brother.

Ancient Japanese English Study SecretIf you want to get exposure to different regional accents and dialects, rent DVDs, moviesand other English support aids to help you.

Notes:1/ To experience different regional accents in Britain, check out movies by Ken Loach and Mike Leigh. Bothdirectors focus on working class family life and are quite realistic and depressing, but provide good exposureto the variety of dialects in Britain. If you want to listen to upper class English accents, why not try the latest(2004) version of Oscar Wilde’s “The Importance of Being Earnest” starring Reese Witherspoon, an Americanactress who puts on a great English upper class accent.2/ For American accents, any mobster movie is great, and for southern dialects, I recommend the classic“Gone With The Wind”, and for other dialects, try the modern movie “Fargo” to name but two.



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Both Sides of the Pond

(US) newscaster (UK) news reader (US) bar (UK) pub(US) bartender (UK) barmaid / barman(US) owner / manager (UK) landlord / landlady

SongGut Bucket , by James Brownhttp://www.podshow.com

Note: James Brown is a legend. Cool and funky, he’s recognized as one of the most influential figures in 20thcentury music. His hits include I Got You, Papa’s Got a Brand New Bag, among others. Learn more about the“Godfather of Soul”:http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_Brown_(musician)

Show transcriptBobHi, it's the Bob and Rob Show. This is Bob

Rob And, this is Rob.

Bob All right, well, I guess we should get going.

Rob

Are we recording now?

BobYea, we are. So Rob...

RobHey Bob.

BobWelcome back.

RobYes, welcome back everybody.

BobThe amplifier’s about to fall off the table here, so I just need to move it. Okay, we're ready torock and roll. We're ready to go, so how's it going?

RobPretty good, thanks Bob, pretty good. And yourself?

Bob

Doing great, yea. I just want to adjust my mike here. Okay, so what do you want to talkabout today Rob?



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RobWell, first of all, I thought perhaps we could talk about a few quotations.

BobQuotations.

RobQuotations from famous people who've commented on the relationship between Britain and America.

BobLike us?

RobWell yea, I think it's more of a.....

Bob

Okay, some famous...

RobQuotations about language, actually. You might not like them, actually, sorry.

BobGo ahead Rob.

RobOkay. This first one is by Oscar Wilde. Do you know who Oscar Wilde is?

BobYes, he's a famous writer, poet.

RobYea, and he was British.

BobHe was.

RobYea he was, he's dead now.

BobHe's dead. Okay, I thought he might ‘ve immigrated to America.

RobHe died in Ireland.

Bob A lot of British went to America.

Rob

That's true, they did. They gave you the language, anyway, Oscar Wilde1 said, "the Americans are identical to the British in all respects, except of course, language."



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BobThat's true, though we do have a very colorful, unique, vibrant form of English. We'veevolved from the primitive British English.

Other Laughs

BobWe've evolved from the apes and chimpanzee - just as American English has evolved. Whywould you think that would make me mad? Oh, you haven't finished, you have another quote.

RobYes, I've got another one. This is from Adam Cooper from the 19th century. Anyway hesays, " giving English to an American is like giving sex to a child. He knows it's importantbut he doesn't know what to do with it."

BobHa, ha.

Other Laughs

BobGiving English language to Americans - that is pretty bad. Oh, if he could have only seenthe future.

Rob

Right.

BobEngland was at the height of its power, or should I say that? The height of her power 2....little did they realize that you would lose all your power.

Other Laughs

BobNo, England is still a powerful country. I think you have a couple of battles left in you.

RobYea, one or two.

Other Laughs

Rob And, I want to finish off with a quote from George Bernard Shaw3. I actually quoted himour first lesson.

BobYes, on Both Sides of the Pond.



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Rob Anyway he said, "we the British and Americans are two countries separated by a commonlanguage."

BobThat's funny.

RobWe're also separated by the Atlantic Ocean, but also by a common language.

BobSeparated - joined by a common language.

RobHe said, "separated."

Bob

Why would he say that?

RobI guess, he was trying to highlight the fact that....

Bob American English is better than British...

Other Laughs

RobYea, but there are a great number of differences.

BobWell, I have to admit that when you hear a British speaker, or even maybe an Australianspeaker, it - to me - sometimes, it's more pleasing to the ear, than you someone likeGeorge Bush - sa'in - nucler... ya kno..

Other Laughs

BobIt's a bit harder on the ears. I don't know if I've mentioned this on the show, but, if I haveinsomnia, or when, I have insomnia. I should explain, insomnia means "when you can'tsleep." I-N-S-O-M-N-I-A I listen to the BBC; it puts me to sleep - I'm not saying becauseit's boring, it's just the British BBC accent is very soothing

4. S-O-O-T-H-I-N-G It's just very

soothing and lulls me to sleep. How do you spell lull5?

RobL-U-L-L-S

Bob

Yea, just like a baby.



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RobLulls a baby to sleep.

BobIn a cradle.

RobYea, I'll have to try that.

BobThere's this great BBC program called "In Our Time" with the famous Melvin Bragg.

RobIt's a Podcast.

BobIt's a Podcast and I listen to it, and it's great. I love it because they talk about interestingthings like; science or literature, or history. But, man, if I can't sleep I put that on and z-z-z-z

within ten minutes I'm asleep.

RobNice stuff.

BobI think I have to agree with some of these quotes. When it comes to insomnia, BritishEnglish is indispensable6 - it's critical - for the insomniacs of the world.

RobThey should try it. Good advice for all the people who can't sleep out there.

Other Laughs

BobWell, thanks for preparing those quotes Rob.

RobNo problem.

Bob

Job well done. Well, I guess - should we move on to some phrasal verbs?

RobOkay, yes.

BobWhat are the phrasal verbs for today? You've been kind of holding everything up with the....

RobWith my quotations.

BobThat is a phrasal verb!



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RobWell done Bob. Hey, nice lead in there. Great job.

BobSo, "hold up," well that means "a delay." Your lengthy quotations delayed us getting tophrasal verbs. Also, if you’re on a flight, or in traffic you could say for example, "my flightgot held up, my flight was delayed."

RobRight, good point.

BobWhat other meanings are there?

Rob Also "hold up" means "to rob either a person, or a bank with a weapon."

BobWith a weapon. So, have you ever been held up?

RobNo, fortunately, that would be very traumatic7.

BobThat would be. I would not want anyone to put a weapon or gun in my face, or to point it atme.

Rob

Yes. To be held up like that would be terrible.

BobYea, yea. So be careful next time you're at a bank. It might get held up.

Rob Another phrasal verb I thought we could look at today, is one which is "hand down."

BobHand down - oh, I think I remember you handed some clothes down to us.

RobYes.

BobBut would that work, is it only within a family - maybe?

RobYea, I don't think it works with say...

BobFriends. So I made a mistake. Basically, I was thinking 'Rob handed his clothes down to me

- his son's old clothes, when my son was born. But really, it's only within families. So, I



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remember when my son was born, my sister handed some clothes down to us. So, to handdown from one generation to the next; from someone older to someone younger. Right?

RobRight. So it's more of an inheritance8 within the family.

BobDid you get some hand-me-downs

9 - did someone hand some clothes down for your child,

Lucca, when he was born?

RobWell yea, we got quite a few hand-me-downs from my sister.

BobIt's good, it saves money.

RobYes, it does indeed.

Bob Also, "hand down" I think can mean "to announce something formally." Sometimes we say,"pronounce

10 something formally," for example, "the president, is going to "hand his

decision down on health care tonight. So, "to hand down" means "to issue something....

RobYes. Some statement.

BobMake a statement formally. So for example, "President Bush recently handed down his

decision on stem cell research; he vetoed the legislation."

RobYes. He unwisely handed down that decision - I think.

BobHe's living in the Middle Ages

11. But anyway, we won't go there

12.

RobOkay, thanks Bob.

Bob Ancient Japanese English Study Secret.

Other Flute and a man chants.

Rob Ancient Japanese English Study Secret. I thought perhaps, Bob, seeing as we're talking alittle bit about different accents of English - we talked a little bit about British and AmericanEnglish. I thought we could advise our listeners, to watch movies.

BobThat's a good idea, especially DVD's.



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RobThe great thing about movies is that if you’re interested in a particular variety or accent, youcan get a movie which is from that country. So for example, if you want to listen to Australian English rent, Mad Max.

BobThat's true.

Rob An Australian movie, or...

BobThat would be a tough one though. Mad Max like, The Apocalypse, but I see what you'resaying.

RobIf you want old style BBC English rent an old movie from one of the classics.

BobThat said though, I think movies - you have to be careful because they are very difficult,and they have a lot of idioms and slang. But the nice thing about - you we're saying about aDVD - there's a lot support material, especially with DVD's now - what's nice is you canhave - what do you call it "subtitles?"

RobYea, what do you call them in America?

Bob

I think subtitles. But I was thinking in Japanese.

RobThey call them " jeemaku ." 13

BobSo you can see it as you watch it, and then also if the movie’s fairly popular, you can buy anovel based on the movie. Or, the other way around; the movie might be based on a novel. And also, if you go to your local bookstore, or, amazon.com - they have a lot of Englishstudy materials specifically for people that want to study movies. I know in Japan they'vegot lots and lots of English study materials based on movies, and they'll have the transcript

to the movie and explanatory notes - explaining about that, so I agree, I think it's anexcellent way, and it's fun. We all like to watch movies, so it's an eye into the culture14 aswell.

RobSure, that's right.

BobYou can learn about the culture and there are a lot of support materials out there. Soanyway, Ancient Japanese English Study Secret.

Other Flute and a man chants.



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BobOkay. I guess we're not going to have a Bubba joke today.

RobOkay.

BobWe're not going to have a commercial today, and we're not going to have a public serviceannouncement and we're not going to have a political ad. So there! But, they have us, that'sall they need.

RobI just stepped on Bob's foot.

BobOuch!

RobCut it out Bob. How about some Both Sides of the Pond?

BobBoth Sides of the Pond. Okay.

RobWe should remind all our listeners - Both Sides of the Pond - the Pond, actually refers tothe Atlantic Ocean.

Bob

And, usually you say, "across the pond" right?

RobRight.

BobI don't know why, I just thought Both Sides of the Pond would sound better. Anyway, wedon't want to steal anyone's idea. We don't want to plagiarize. Plagiarize means "to stealsomeone's written work." If you write an essay - you have a writing class, and instead of writing an essay, you copy something from a book and say, "oh this is mine" and give it toyour teacher - that's plagiarism15. I can't spell that, can you?

RobYea.

BobGosh, your good! Spell it.

RobPlagiarism. P-L-A-G-I-A-R-I-S-M

Bob

How do you do that!



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Laughs

BobI think I have some spelling handicap, maybe I have a slight form of dyslexia

16. Dyslexia, iswhen you have trouble reading. I can read fine, I just don't spell very well. But, that's whatyou’re for - we complement each other

17. Ying and Yang

18. I'm interesting and

charismatic19 and you spell well.

RobThanks Bob.

Other Laughs

RobThe spelling bees20 in America are very famous, aren't they?

Bob

Yes, and you notice, I'm not in any of them.

RobRight. They’re really good. Those kids are amazing.

Other Laughs

BobThey are, they’re good at memorizing things. Whether they’re creative, whether they areinteresting people, I don't know, but they definitely are good at memorizing – they’re very

logical ..

RobThere was an interesting movie about a spelling bee. I can't remember the name of it, butit's a documentary showing several of the kids around the country, and I recommend it.

BobIt's probably like the Olympics - the training - like they really have to train.

RobThey really have to work hard.

BobWell, I don't think you'll ever see me in one of those.

RobOkay, right. Both Sides of the Pond. In Britain, we have a news reader on TV - BBC newsreader.

BobWe would say "new caster," and I think we might have done this before, but, in the U.S. if you want a beer or a cocktail21 you go to a bar. How about in the U.K.?

Rob



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We have pubs, really.

BobOf course, the pub. We say "bar" or "tavern" sometimes. Tavern is kind of a - what istavern- a tavern is kind of like a bar, basically the same meaning. T-A-V-E-R-N Maybe alittle bit, kind of....

RobHigher class?

BobNo, lower class.

RobMore of a working class?

BobTavern, just kind of has to me, a seedy22 image. But, I don't go taverns or bars.

RobSo, who works in bars in America?

BobThe person that works behind the bar that makes the drinks is called "the bar tender." Hetends to the bar.

RobWe're a bit old fashioned in Britain, we still say "barman" or "barmaid."

BobOh really?

RobYea.

BobThat's interesting, barman or barmaid. We say, "bartender ."

RobWhose the person who owns the bar, I guess the person who runs it?

BobThe owner, or, the person who runs it would be the manager. Obviously, they might be thesame. The owner might be the manager. The owner owns it, they have their money -capital, invested in it, and the manager manages it.

RobIn Britain we would call them "the landlord" or "the landlady."

BobWell that's strange, because in the U.S. that means someone that, basically, rents you a

room or property - you call "the landlord" or "landlady." But, anyone that owns a business,or runs it is the owner.



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RobThis is specifically for pubs, though, in Britain. We don't use it for any other....

BobOh I see, probably because pubs used to be inns or hotels as well, right?

RobRight.

BobSo maybe, it was kind of like renting a room?

RobYes, possibly. Okay, so that was Both Sides of the Pond.

BobOkay, well, I guess we should finish things up. I don't have a song for today. I thought,

rather than sing a song - oh, we should thank everyone for their donations.

RobYes, sure, thank you very much. If you’re enjoying the show and are a regular listener,please consider making a donation. It doesn't have to be a lot, but any support is greatlyappreciated. We really appreciate your donations so far, so thank you very much.

BobYes we do. I thought for a special treat today, rather than have a song, we could have Robsing a song.

RobOkay, all right!

BobSo, what song would you like to sing.

RobWell, it was a while back now, but do you know why 2006 is famous Bob?

Bob2006 is famous - let me guess - because the Italian soccer game.

RobWeeeee are the champions

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BobWe're going to have to end this show before Rob actually starts singing. Rob, don't worry Ican't sing either. Yea, that was good, maybe I'll find a little song here. We'll put somethingon - okay, I'll put a song on, so, we're going to go, bye everyone.

RobBye, bye, Italy.

Bob



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Bye.

Other SONG: Hey, hey, hey, hey / Hey ya'll / Got a brand new thing / Ain't no pain killer/ But it'sabout a girl / You can't hold it / Good God / But your body can mold it / Hey, hey, hey, hey /In your pocket / Oh yes sir / If you please / You got ? to squeeze / Take it there / With nohard feeling / Oh you my / You’re my main squeeze / Hey, hey, hey, hey / We got to savethe kids / Music is the only way / Save 'em / Oh get down / Got to say it again / Hey, hey,hey, hey / Good God / Hey ya"ll / Got a brand new thing / It's no pain killer / But it's about agirl / You can't hold it / But your body can mold it / Come on, uh, uh uh, uh / Hey in London?? London and Berlin / Got it all go'in / In Paris ...??....come on .??..Gut bucket ? / Got tobust your gut / Oh yea.../ Look it there / You got your main squeeze / Then you got /Somebody to please / Take it there / No hard feeling.

Transcript glossary

Oscar Wilde1 = (1854-1900) Playwright, poet, essayist and wit, famous as much for hisflamboyant lifestyle as for his literature.

The height of her power 2

= to be at ones best, or pinnacle of career etc. Other expressions include “at the top of ones game” e.g Michael Owen is at the top of his game.George Bernard Shaw3 = (July 26, 1856 – November 2, 1950) was an Anglo-Irishplaywright and winner of the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1925 and an Academy Award for Writing Adapted Screenplay in 1938 for Pygmalion.Soothing4 = to make something calm or less painful.Lull

5 = to make someone feel sleepy. Another meaning is to have a period in which there is

less activity e.g there was a lull in the fighting .Indispensable6 = too important to do without.Traumatic7 = extremely upsetting.Inheritance8 = to receive something from someone who has died.

Hand-me-downs9

= expression describing objects (usually clothes) which are passeddown to younger family members.Pronounce

10 = this meaning of ‘pronounce’ is the same as to make a statement.

The Middle Ages11 = this refers to the period of history about 600 years ago. Bob uses ithere to suggest that the President is ‘living in the past’, or old fashioned.We won't go there12 = this expression means ‘we won’t talk about that topic’." jeemaku ."

13 = this is how the Japanese say subtitles. It consists of 2 parts: the jee refersto letters and the maku is simply the Japanese pronunciation for the English word mark.Eye into the culture14 = something that gives the viewer an insight into a specific culture.Plagiarism

15= to copy someone's (written) work.

Dyslexia16 = a problem in reading caused by difficulty in seeing letter shapes.

Complement each other 17 = to make something better by adding something that waslacking. Ying and Yang18 = from China (I think!), it refers to the idea that each person has a soul-mate somewhere in the world. By meeting your ‘yang’ you become complete. I think Bobwas joking when he said this!Charismatic

19 = to be able to charm or attract other people.Spelling bees20 = a nationwide spelling competition in America that takes place every year.Cocktail

21 = an alcoholic drink made up of different liquids. Also, it is the title of one of Tom

Cruise’s earlier movies in which he plays a bartender, or should I say barman.Seedy

22 = having a poor, worn-out appearance.

We are the champions23 = famous song written and performed by the rock group ‘Queen’.



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Extension and Review Study*note: we encourage you to respond to the questions and readings by posting on the new discussion board(Login using your Bob and Rob Show membership username and password )

http://englishcaster.com/discussionboard/

1/ Bob and Rob talked about some of the differences between British and AmericanEnglish. Which accent are you more used to? Do you find it easy to distinguish between thetwo? Which pronunciation are you more comfortable with?

2/ What are some famous quotations from writers or intellectuals from your country? Arethere many regional accents in your country? Is there an elitist attitude toward somedialects?

Reese Witherspoon and Rupert Everett in a scene from “The Importance of Being Earnest”

3/ How often do you watch movies in English? What’s your top 5 movies of all time? Whatdo you do in order to make understanding English movies easier for you?

Documents

English Lesson Snide Quotations and the Godfather of Soul