The UK

On this episode, I chat with two Brits about the culture, language, and people of the UK. 

English Level: C1 🇬🇧🇨🇦

Show Notes:

1. Introduction (0:21)
2. Simon’s and Nic’s background (02:21)
3. Different types of British accents (04:00)
4. The Brits perspective on German accents and dialects (08:48)
5. The influence of slang words in different parts of England (12:38)
6. Simon and Nic teach Jorge regional slang words (16:35)
7. The three share stories of how difficult it can be to understand someone’s accent or dialect (22:15)
8. Differences between Germans and Brits (26:16)
9. Simon and Nic talk about their own podcast called “Decades from Home” (31:18)
10. Today’s audience message from Andreas (35:07)

Vocabulary Words:

1. roughness (noun) – Rauheit
2. intrinsicly (adv.) – innewohnend
3. snobbish (adj.) – hochnäsig
4. attitude (noun) – Einstellung
5. ironically (adv.) – ironischerweise
6. inclusive (adj.) – miteinbeziehend , integrativ
7. formidable (adj.) – Respekt einflößend
8. keen (adj.) – scharf, eifrig
9. contextually (adv.)- kontextabhängig
10. derogative (adj.) – abfällig

Phrases to Remember:

1. to pin down – If you try to pin something down, you try to discover exactly what, where, or when it is
2. smorgasbord – A smorgasbord of things is a number of different things that are combined together as a whole.
3. to be fond of – having a liking for
4. to be challenged by something – to be confronted by something that seems difficult to manage or that you have not encountered before
5. to balance the scales – If you balance something somewhere, or if it balances there, it remains steady and does not fall. […]
6. to be far off the mark – If something that you say or write is far off the mark or way off the mark, it is completely wrong or not at all accurate

Slang Words:

• skint: you are broke, you have no money
• quid: a pound (british currency)
• knackered: very tired
• pissed: drunk
• pissed off: angry
• dodgy: fake, fraudulent
• banter: joking with each other
• gutted: disappointed
• mate: buddy, friend

Geordie (Newcastle) slang:

• radgy: aggressive
• gadgy: guy
• cunny: very, nice
• nouwt: nothing
• geet: very
• toon: town

Mistake to Avoid:

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Comprehension Questions:

1. What accent does Simon have?
2. True or false: There are but a few British accents.
3. What is more common in the UK – a different accent or a different dialect?
4. What does Jorge suggest would be a great profession for Simon and Nic?
5. What is the purpose of the word “pure” in Simon’s regional accent?
6. True or False: Simon’s wife came to New Castle as an Au Pair.
7. What is the purpose of communication for English speakers?
8. What is Nic and Simon’s podcast called?

Answers

Question to consider:

Is there a question you have about the UK you’d like me to ask Nic and Simon?

Links:

• Find them on Instagram
• Nic and Simon’s Podcast
• 50 Must-Know British Slang Words and Phrases
• Most Common Mistakes Germans Make in English
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