466 - 7 English Phrases Every English Learner Should Know

Ethan Wanger (0:00)

You know that moment. You're talking to someone, they say something, you don't catch it, so you say something like, what? Or, I didn't understand. And something in the conversation shifts. Things get a little awkward, and you're not sure why. Here's the thing, that has almost nothing to do with your level. In fact, we've seen many advanced speakers who have exceptional grammar make the exact same mistake. Because in that moment, it's not a grammar problem, it's a fear response. In this episode, we're going to show you what to say instead, why it changes how the other person feels speaking to you, and why this one small shift will be the fastest confidence you ever get in English, and how it will make the person you're speaking with much more comfortable. So let's get into episode 466 of the RealLife English Podcast.

Aww yeah! Hello, citizens of the world. Welcome to the RealLife English Podcast, where it is our mission to take you beyond the classroom to speak English confidently and naturally, to connect to the world and actually use your English as the doorway to living your greatest life. So stick around until the end of this episode, so that you can learn how to instantly feel more confident and make anyone feel comfortable speaking English with you.

So Justin, 13 years ago, you wrote an article called 7 Phrases that will drastically improve your cultural fluency in English and I read it the other day and it actually holds up really well.

Justin Murray (1:30)

Yeah, that was a great article, really coming out of real experience teaching language learning, right? And yeah, to this day, it's something that has to talk about with people and try to help guide them.

Ethan Wanger (1:42)

So what does it mean if something holds up well, as I said?

Justin Murray (1:46)

To hold up well means to stand the test of time, right? Like almost like the goatee. The goatee, you're rocking there, Ethan.

Stands the test of time. This is something. It's a throwback, right?

Ethan Wanger (1:58)

Yeah, I think you'd say that it's coming back, right? Yeah. I don't know, like bell-bottom jeans or crop tops. There were things that I think they were popular in the 60s, and they're having a renaissance. They're becoming popular again.

Justin Murray (2:12)

Yeah, nice.

I never ceased to be amazed by your ability to always experiment with new haircuts and new styles, but looking good. Goatee. Why is it called a goatee, by the way?

Ethan Wanger (2:26)

I think it's not a full goatee because I think a goatee is when it's longer, because it looks like a goat. Goats have a beard, but it's just a thin bunch of hair right on their chin.

So I wanted to just kick us off in this episode because, as you said, that article stands the test of time. So the wisdom inside of it, it's an article I remember also back in the day that you worked really hard on this. You poured your blood, sweat, and tears into that article.

Justin Murray (2:59)

That's good.

Ethan Wanger (3:00)

Yeah. So it really shows them when I was reading it again, I was like, wow, this is still just so relevant for any person. Maybe it's even more relevant than it was when you first wrote it. So I want to just read a few quotes from the intro of that article. I thought that'd be a nice way to kick us off here. So you may have perfect grammar, but grammar does not make you a good intercultural communicator, nor does it make you confident and effective in your speaking. Cultural fluency is the understanding and effective use of the hidden cultural currents of communication. It's how effective communicators use the language to connect with others, how they break and transcend the rules, and how they feel and flow in communication. It's an awareness of the ways culture operates in communication and conflict, and the ability to respond effectively to these differences. It is complicated, multi-faceted, and multi-disciplinary, and is generally unconscious. This is why English learners go to other countries to learn what can't be taught via grammar.

So that was really well written as well. There's some nice advanced expressions in there. So for those of you watching on the RealLife English App, you have the Interactive Transcripts, so you can just click on any of those to get the definition. We'll even have some flashcards to help you remember, never forget them, and be able to use them in your own speaking.

But Justin, I thought it would be an interesting place to start. What inspired you to write that article?