23: The Rick Astley Crisis
Easy English Podcast
www.easyenglish.fmIsi tests Mitch's resolve as she puts the British politeness on trial. She tests him with some awkward real-world scenarios. Afterwards, the duo discuss words that don't translate into German and which language Isi, a German native feels more comfortable with, in this week's Unhelpful Advice... to improve your English, become a Podcast Member to get the Interactive Transcript and help support Mitch & Isi... ta.
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Transcript
Intro
Mitch:
(Hello Mitch!) Hello! (Hello!) What did someone say to us recently? Oh no, we were watching Sex and City and they tried to make it out like, her and Samantha were friends. Ta! Ta!
Isi:
Oh because she lives in London now, or so. She was in London. Ta's not American, is it?
Mitch:
Yeah, it's English, but no one says ta to say goodbye. They were looking for te-ra!
Isi:
It was really odd.
Mitch:
They both said ta back to each other, both in a very bad, fake English way.
Isi:
By the way, that was, And Just Like That, not Sex and the City. Did anyone watch this? What are your thoughts? So you got topics, I got a topic. What do we do first, Mitch?
Mitch:
I think we should do your topic. (Yeah!?) Your Topic of the Week.
Isi:
Mine is the main topic, yeah. (Okay.)
Topic of the Week
Isi:
We have talked about this a few times, but we recently, also talked about it in our conversation call with our Conversation Members. We had a conversation call about do's and don'ts in British culture, but also in the culture of our members' home countries. So we talked about a lot of things that you should do or not do in daily life, in restaurants, in just like, social life, basically. And we came up again, with, I think, even my, because Germany and England are not so far away culturally, but there are some distinct differences. What? Why am I going to? And there's one that I have mentioned a few times, which is the only one I think that sometimes gets a bit on my nerves, is that people are so beating around the bush and so not...
Mitch:
Ding, ding, ding, ding, ding, ding, ding. Beating around the bush.
Isi:
Yeah, please explain.
Mitch:
Okay, the role's reversed, I was hoping you'd explain it. I don't know where it comes from, but beating around the bush is; avoiding the obvious, or the clear and finding an often, exhausting way to get around something, usually takes a lot longer and usually, the result is not what you expected.
Isi:
Is that from hunting ,maybe? That they used drums or something around an area where an animal was in, to get them out, instead of going in?
Mitch:
Wow. I swear you just kind of, read out the example. The idiom beating around the bush is associated with hunting. In medieval times, hunters hired men to beat the area around bushes with sticks, in order to flush out the game, which then they'd shoot or kill, or something.
Isi:
Well, and that comes from me, that is like, absolutely not a fan of hunting.
Mitch:
How interesting though, because I bet you in those medieval times, sometimes the men that would beat around the bush would also get caught in the crossfire, which tends to happen when you beat around the bush.
Isi:
So today, I have a few little situations for you, Mitch, and I would like you to explain; how you or the average Brit, would react in that situation, and what can you actually do in that British situation, or in Britain, in that situation, and what you should better not do.
Mitch:
I feel nervous already.
Isi:
You don't have to be nervous. It's actually quite random situations, but I think it's better if you have a situation then you can discuss the topic.
Mitch:
And what do I win? Is that a right answer?
Isi:
It's not a quiz, it's just a discussion.
Mitch:
We're going to expose how much of a bush beater I am.
Isi:
No, no, no. Okay, let's start.
Mitch:
Beat that bush.
Isi:
We're in a restaurant.
Mitch:
Oh, God. What kind of restaurant? Does it matter? (No.) Oh.
Isi:
You got meat instead of a vegetarian meal that you ordered. What are you doing?
Mitch:
Oh God Isi, look. Do you think this is meat? What is this? It looks... I ordered duck substitute, but it looks a bit like duck. Excuse me (Hi guys!) She can't see me. Excuse me! (Erm yeah... yes. Hello. Please, how can I help you?) ... (No one heard that.) I'm really sorry, but I ordered the the cauliflower... the fake this fake duck s**t thing, that you have on your menu. (You would say s**t?) This fake duck thing. (duck s**t thing.) I'm really sorry, but is this actually really duck?
Isi:
No, this is our happy duck wings.
Mitch:
Sorry!
Isi:
Oh, happy duck wings actually sounds like a...
Mitch:
Happy duck wings. McDonald's.
Isi:
No, no, no. Yes, that's meat. Didn't you order that?
Mitch:
Erm... I don't think so. I think I ordered the cauliflower substitute, please.
Isi:
You don't think so, or you know? (Er...) I think I'm actually a bad Brit here, because a Brit… (Never mind!) A British waiter wouldn't do it like this. They would be like; oh my god, we're so sorry, we're so sorry, do you want a drink for free? Okay, so my question was more, you would say it, right? Because obviously, a lot of people also maybe don't complain, but I think this is a situation, if you've got really something that you cannot instead eat, because you don't eat meat, you can say something, right?
Mitch:
Yeah, yeah, okay.
Isi:
But what if you got a meal that is similar to your meal, it has nothing to do with meat or not meat, it's veggie, would you then say something or would you just eat it?
Mitch:
It happened once, when I ordered a roast dinner and I ordered, I think, I ordered the pork belly and instead, I got beef and it was part of partly me beating around the bush, but the other part I sort of think was quite logical, because I was a bit like these things take forever to cook and if I give it back, I don't really know what happens to it.
Isi:
It might be in the bin.
Mitch:
Do they just throw it straight in the bin? So I was like; oh f**k it. I'll just eat it, as opposed to waste it.
Isi:
Which is a good thought, I think.
Mitch:
But if it was really wrong, probably would say it, but it would be in that kind of way like; I'm really sorry... that's how I'd do everything, that's how it would always start with me; I'm really sorry.
Isi:
Yeah, I'm really sorry.
Mitch:
I'm really sorry, but I think, maybes... lots of avoiding words.
Isi:
I think you would even say something like, maybe it's my mistake.
Mitch:
No, I wouldn't, I know people that would do that, but I'd never do that.
Isi:
You say it sometimes.
Mitch:
Did I? (Yeah.) Maybe it's me. (Maybe it's me.) It's not you, it's me. It's like we're breaking up. Do we retry the situation now, with me having a backbone?
Isi:
Okay. Do it.
Mitch:
What's this? uh... waiter! Waiter!
Isi:
No one does that, not even in Germany. (Garçon!) Garçon. (Uh excuse me!) Yes. Sorry, yeah sorry, yeah sir? please... (Look at this.) That is our happy duck meal. (Yeah, it looks delightful, but what's wrong with it!?) Is the happy duck, not happy? (There's f***ing) duck on it, that's what's wrong with it!) It was a happy duck, it lived on a happy farm. (Yeah you just wasted it, look! Now it's duck, dog food!) Okay, second situation. (Okay.) Yeah? I want you to be honest. (Okay.) Someone... spills a drink on you. (Someone.) Like, someone that you don't know. (Oh, a stranger?) Yeah. In a bar. (Oh okay, this is a good one.) Full on pint, a full on pint.
Mitch:
Oh man. And they don't notice?
Isi:
Yeah, yeah, yeah, they don't notice. They do it with the elbow and...
Mitch:
I already feel like, really embarrassed for myself. Am I with anyone, or on my own? And how many drinks have I had?
Isi:
You need too many details. Okay, you had two drinks. (Okay.) You are on your own.
Mitch:
Okay.
Isi:
Does that make a difference if you're on your own?
Mitch:
Yeah, because I've got backup. Just in case s**t gets crazy.
Isi:
Heh? Why would it get crazy?
Mitch:
You never know. It is a pub, in England.
Isi:
I mean, why would you say something anyway? What would they say? Sorry, and then... I mean, they could spill your drink on you! (Oh, okay, let's do it, let's do it!) So you need a new drink. (Okay.)
Mitch:
Urgh! Urgh, for f***'s sake! Urgh! Ah, er... tapping on the toilet. Excuse me, mate.
Isi:
Yeah, yeah, sure. What? What?
Mitch:
You just knocked my drink over me.
Isi:
Did I? I didn't notice that.
Mitch:
It's all right, it's fine. Don't worry about it. But yeah, I had a whole drink.
Isi:
Alright.Well, I think people aren't too nice. They would say; Yeah, I'll buy you a new one, mate. Come on. What are you drinking?
Mitch:
Do you want to be my friend?
Isi:
Yes, let's hang out.
Mitch:
Okay. But now I do it with a backbone.
Isi:
Okay, I think actually... yeah? (With a backbone.) Yeah.
Mitch:
Okay, ready? Oh! Ah!
Isi:
Alright, mate? No. Alright? Cannot say this.
Mitch:
Alright, mate?
Isi:
Alright, mate?
Mitch:
Do you know why I came here?
Isi:
To have a beer?
Mitch:
To drink beers and fight, and I'm all out of beer.
Isi:
Okay. I cannot even believe that, because you're just the kindest person on the planet, so you cannot even play it.
Mitch:
No, I can't even do it.
Isi:
Can't play it.
Mitch:
Can't do Clint Eastwood roles.
Isi:
No, no. Okay, now I have something that is actually interesting, I think. We go into the work world, the business world.
Mitch:
Okay.
Isi:
You need to tell your colleague that they did something wrong. (Oh!) And it's something essential, like your boss even expects you to tell them and educate them to do it better the next time.
Mitch:
What job am I doing?
Isi:
You're an event manager and your assistant booked the wrong tech set up, and you lost £8,000. (Oh, really?) Mmm...
Mitch:
Are you the assistant? (Yeah, okay.) Isi, are you free at the moment?
Isi:
Yeah, yeah, yeah, sure, sure.
Mitch:
Just want to come to the side a minute. I want to have a little word.
Isi:
Did I do something wrong?
Mitch:
Listen, everything's going to be okay, but I just want to call you up on something. And don't worry, we can fix it. But I just wanted to let you know that it's quite a big deal. (What happened?) So, you know how we wanted to book Rick Astley for this week's conference? (Yeah!) Okay, we've actually got Mick Astley, who is a magician. And we're paying him £8,000 to come.
Isi:
It's not a tech set up.
Mitch:
Now, don't worry.
Isi:
Didn't you say; the guy's magic? That's what you said.
Mitch:
I did. And it's okay. Mick agreed he would do Never Gonna Give You Up. I don't know if he can sing, but he's going to give it a go. And he would do it while also chopping a woman in a half.
Isi:
No, but seriously now, you are actually more direct than you would be, or? (Yeah, yeah, yeah.) I mean, you have been a manager, you have led teams. How would you... you probably in your past jobs, had to tell someone, hey, this was completely wrong.
Mitch:
Yeah, when it comes to like, disciplinary stuff, I think Brit's actually quite good with work, because there is like a formal... because we go so far the other way, it's quite easy to bring it back. You don't have to like go too hard. Do you know what I mean?
Isi:
Yeah, this is the thing that I took over a bit and I kind of like that I am now probably, a 50-50 mix of German and British mentality.
Mitch:
Yeah, you're saying sorry a hell of a lot.
Isi:
Oh my God, yeah. I'm just, I think I said this actually in the last podcast or the podcast before, so don't mind me repeating that.
Mitch:
So sorry.
Isi:
So sorry. But if I go into a supermarket and I just go into an aisle, where it's a bit narrow, I already, 10 meters away from that other person. That person doesn't even look at me. It looks at the mango chutney. (Mango chutney!) And I'm already like, sorry, sorry, sorry, sorry, sorry, sorry, and basically just say sorry all the time, until you're out of the supermarket. You say sorry when you're coming close, you say sorry when you look at something, you say sorry when you cross the eyes with someone, you say sorry when you pass, you say sorry when you passed, already, back at someone, sorry you're gonna pass, you say sorry at the till. Yeah. It's my, it's, yeah, so then I noticed, you are so British now.
Mitch:
Welcome to the club.
Isi:
Yeah. I like it though, I like the mix. I like the mix.
Mitch:
Brilliant. That was a great section. So if you're listening to this and thinking; I can't understand everything that Mitch and Isi are saying, then fear not. If you want to, you could consider becoming a member of Easy English to help you improve your English. We offer a variety of different ways to help you learn and improve your English. We have ways to learn through our videos we produce on YouTube. We have a conversation call that we do every week with members. Or, if you're really interested in our podcast, then you could consider becoming a Podcast Member. And with every podcast we produce, we put it through our Interactive Transcript, which you can download, which follows along with what we're saying with a cool highlighter marker. And if you click in each paragraph, it will translate it for you, in a variety of different languages, to help you follow along. We also offer our Aftershow, which is where the podcast ends, Aftershow begins you can get some behind-the-scenes gossip and also find out what little projects me and Isi have on the horizon. So to become a Easy English Podcast Member go to easyenglish.video/membership and become a Podcast Member, now. We'll be very happy to have you support us. Now back to the episode.
Unhelpful Advice
Mitch:
Okay so, you've had your topic, and now comes my topic, which comes in the form of Unhelpful Advice. This one is from a dear member, Marketa.
Isi:
Marketa.
Mitch:
Hello, Marketa.
Isi:
Hi.
Mitch:
We just had a conversation call with you and some other members. (Yes.) It was really lovely. You spoke about the environment.
Isi:
It's like I'm Marketa, I'm just answering your questions. Yes.
Mitch:
Yes. And she asked the question, specifically to you.
Isi:
Oh, okay.
Mitch:
She said; hi Isi, I have two questions for you. (Okay.) Which you can use for the podcast.
Isi:
Yes, we do.
Mitch:
We're doing it right now; as a German native speaker, do you know any English words which aren't translatable to German?
Isi:
Yes, I think I do. On... the other way round, there are lots of German words that are not translatable to English, and that are even used in English. So I think I know one, which is 'serendipity', which is not directly translatable. You can translate it, obviously, but there's no one word for it in German; when something comes together, as a coincidence and it makes something better.
Mitch:
Just kind of like, when something kind of poetically kind of... by accident, happens and a positive result comes.
Isi:
In a very positive result, yeah. So like something blossoms out of something else. (Exactly.)
Mitch:
You can have a serendipitous moment. And then the second question that Marketa has is; are there any situations in which it's easier for you to explain yourself in English, than in German?
Isi:
It's quite natural, I think, because I have been here for the past five years, nearly, and in my daily life I do speak both languages, because I do work with Easy German and with Easy English, so I speak German every day for Easy German, but also with family, with friends, but more so, I do speak English, because we spend a lot of time in Britain. I speak English to you, mostly, because you learn also German, but... (a little.) Ein bisschen. But I do speak English more, and I do think in English, I do consume in English, I listen mostly to English music, I watch series and films in English, so English is all around me definitely more than German nowadays. So, I think it's quite natural that like, sometimes I don't come up anymore. That's a bit bad. So, I have to go back to that. I don't come up as quickly with the German word than the English word, which is for my English, a great stage of my language learning process, which is obviously... I'm not a native speaker, so this will be a forever process. So, that's cool. But, for my German, that's not so good. I do think that the English language is sometimes, easier to describe a situation or like a... Yeah, why is that though?
Mitch:
It's more poetic, I've heard.
Isi:
Is that true though? Is that Shakespeare?
Mitch:
Yeah, he invented words.
Isi:
Well, I'm not speaking like Shakespeare though.
Mitch:
Thou. (Thou, do you thou?)
Isi:
Yeah, I don't know. It's, in many ways, easier. I mean, we can come, well, in our conversations, like in German, we have a formal Sie form and a Du form, so you don't only say you, there's a formal form of addressing someone that you don't know or that maybe is older than you, that is like a respectable person or so. So, there it's already easier. It's much easier for non-binary people to have the 'they' form. So, many things are easy in English, for sure. (Is that why music is…) Yeah, English is more melodic in a way, But then German can also sound very melodic and very poetic. I think you just have to, you have to be good at it. (Okay.) There are some artists that do really, really good music, in German, with German lyrics and it does sound amazing.
Mitch:
But maybe there's an expression in England... in English, which is easily achieved singing in English, when you make music in the same way that opera, is seems to be the trait that Italian seems to be... that's where you go for opera because there's more you can be more expressionate, in opera, with Italian it seems to me or in like, operatic music. (Oh yeah Italian pop...) because there's an emotion there which yeah you need to go to which maybe English or German doesn't quite reach.
Isi:
Maybe not.
Mitch:
It's an interesting question. Anyway, we have no time left. (Okay.) So yeah, thank you Marketa. Two good questions actually.
Isi:
Yeah, very good.
Mitch:
I hope that you and Mitch are doing well. Blue Easy English heart symbol/emoji. And see you soon in the Easy English pub. Beer emojis, waving emoji.
Isi:
We just saw her.
Mitch:
We just saw you Marketa and it was really lovely.
Isi:
Thank you for the questions. And... talk to you next time.
Mitch:
See you next time. (Te-ra!) Te-ra!