Permanent Learner: 05.11

This week we started a new discussion: Why languages have collocations? How do phrasal verbs work? To illustrate the topic, here is a sample video of the "Quite literally" series from PearsonLongmanELT channel on Youtube.

He didn't cut the mustard!

We also had some fun watching the story of John Brown, a man who finds himself at the Pearly Gates explaining the story of his life to a bewildered Saint Peter and Noah Webster using contemporary slang.

1951 Tex Avery's Symphony in Slang

This is the transcript of TEX AVERY – SYMPHONY IN SLANG (1951). It may help if you want to crack some of the idioms and slangs. I don't think all of them are still used nowadays though.

Saint Peter:
You may enter. Next Please.

John Brown:
Howdy, Dan. What's new? How's tricks? What's cookin'?

Saint Peter:
What's cooking? How's tricks? Hmm. What a strange language you bring from the earth. I don't seem to follow you. I shall refer you to the master of the dictionary, Noah Webster. Perhaps he can understand you.

Mr. Webster, this newcomer's vocabulary is so unusual that I am unable to record his life on earth. Would you mind seeing if you can comprehend his odd manner of speech?

Now, young man, go ahead with the story of your life.

John Brown:
Sure thing, Dad!

Well, I was born with a silver spoon in my mouth...

Noah Webster:
Silver spoon in your mouth ?

John Brown:
Yes, silver spoon in my mouth.

Then I seemed to grow up overnight. One day at the crack of dawn, I got up with the chickens to hunt a job and got a job slinging hash because the proprietor was shorthanded. But I couldn't cut the mustard, so the guy gave me the gate.

So I went back to my little hole in the wall. I was beside myself with anger. Then I decided to get a train ticket to Texas and there made some dough punching cattle. From there I flew to Chicago. There a beautiful girl stepped into the picture.

Our eyes met. My breath came in short pants, and I got goose pimples. I was all thumbs. Mary's clothes fit her like a glove. She looked mighty pretty with her hair done up in a bun. She had good-looking pins, too. Finally, she gives me a date. I put on my white tie and tails, and, brother, did she put on the dog!

We went around together for some time... painting the town red, going to the Stork Club... and a box at the opera. After the opera, I had a cocktail, and Mary had a Moscow Mule. At dinner, Mary let her hair down and ate like a horse. By then, my money was running out on me, so I write a check. It bounced. Brother, I was really in a pickle. The proprietor drew a gun on me, but I gave him the slip and hid in the foothills. In no time, the law was on my heels.

On the witness stand, the judge tried to pump me, but it seemed that every time I opened my mouth, I put my foot in it. So he sent me up the river to do a stretch in the jug. I was up against it and felt myself going to pot. But I raised a big stink, and they finally let me talk to an undercover man. After going through a lot of red tape, he sprung me. It sure felt good to stretch my legs again, and I went straight to the bus station and caught a Greyhound for New York.

On arriving, I dropped in on Mary and threw myself at her feet. I asked her to marry me, but she turned her back on me and got on her high horse. I couldn't touch her with a ten-foot pole. She wouldn't say a word. Guess the cat had her tongue. So I walked out on her.

After that I went to pieces. Feeling lonely, I went down to Joe's Malt Shop where a bunch of the boys were hanging around. Ah, the music was nice. The guy at the piano played by ear. I felt a tug at my elbow. It was the soda clerk. We sat down and chewed the rag a while.

I heard from the grapevine that Mary was going around with an old flame. That burned me up because I knew he was just feeding her a line. But the guy really spent his money like water. I think he was connected with the railroad. As they danced, I tried to chisel in, but the guy got in my hair, so I left.

Outside it was raining cats and dogs. I was feeling mighty blue, and everything looked black. But I carried on. I went to the Thousand Islands. There I became a beachcomber. But I still thought of Mary, and a tear ran down my cheek.

So I send her a cable. Next day, she sends me back a wire. I rushed back to the US on a cattle boat and hotfooted it over to Mary's apartment. But when I opened the door, I noticed quite a few changes.

Why, Mary, Mary had a bunch of little ones. The groom had his hands full, too. So, all this struck me so funny that I died laughing. And here I am.

Well, what do you think? Did you follow me?

Noah Webster:
Well, I ... uh...

John Brown:
What's the matter? Can't you talk? Has the cat got your tongue?

Source: http://learnenglishonline.yuku.com/topic/9187/t/Symphony-in-slang.html

Dear colleagues,

Fatima Abbate has sent us a great reading suggestion. A blog on oral production, teaching and assessment: TEACHER TALK BLOG (click here)

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