TEDX Talk on ESL and Accents
“How To Speak Bad English Perfectly” Interesting commentary on the business of ESL (English as a Second Language) including fixing ‘bad English’ grammar and pronunciation mistakes. Native English speakers are greatly outnumbered in the world, yet many non-natives are striving for ‘perfect’ English skills. I’ve always believed we can help ESL speakers speak ‘through’ or […]
Tips to Help You Enjoy St. Patrick’s Day
For those that may be new to the countries where this holiday is celebrated, or for those who would like to know a bit more about the beginnings of this day, please read on. St. Patrick’s Day is celebrated on March 17th in many countries, especially Ireland, England, Canada and the USA. It is a […]
Why Teaching Idioms (Slang, Expressions) is Important in Business English
Like many of you I have a profile on the networking site LinkedIn. (You can find me at http://www.linkedin.com/in/communicationcoach ) One of the benefits of LinkedIn is becoming a member of a group related to our fields or interests. I subscribe to a number of groups, and sometimes feel compelled to add my two cents […]
Don’t Be Gormless! Gen Up on British Slang | Visit Britain – Shine from Yahoo! Canada
Don’t Be Gormless! Gen Up on British Slang | Visit Britain – Shine from Yahoo! Canada Communicating when you travel to Britain should be easy. After all, it’s an English-speaking country. But you will quickly discover nuances of the language that could catch you off guard (and make it all too obvious that you’re not […]
My Way – Using ‘Way’ in Expressions and Idioms
In my/the way – someone or something is blocking your path, usually a physical obstacle. “Your car is in my way. Can you please move it so I can get out?” My way – my style, according to my thoughts and plans. “Frank Sinatra sang a very famous song where he talks about his life […]
What’s a Canuck and What’s a Bruin?
Hi folks. This blog post is a little late – I should have written it a while ago, but I was busy watching the Stanley Cup playoffs. Yes I’m referring to our love of hockey, and right now in the NHL there are only 2 teams left – one Canadian and one American. So if […]
Office Talk – Expressions
“The Office” can be used to mean any job or typical day. You do not actually have to work in an office. Example: John comes home tired, looking stressed and burned out. His wife asks: “Hard day at the office?” He replies: “Oh yeah. We’ve got a new manager/supervisor/accountant/secretary/etc. causing me grief because…” Once again, […]
Random Canadian English
Hi folks, I originally compiled this list of Canadian English for a workshop I did recently for an organization that helps new immigrants settle and learn job skills, but I also think this list is great for people that visit Canada for business or pleasure. I know there are words and phrases that I’ve missed, […]
Hugh Laurie: the British accent vs the American
Hugh Laurie and Ellen teach each other slang.
Slang & Expressions from Snowboarding
There are over 370 terms, slang, idioms and expressions from the world of Snowboarding here, http://www.abc-of-snowboarding.com/snowboarddictionary.asp , including references to tricks, snow conditions, boarders, fans, and other people in the sport. Too many to post but just click on the link and have fun learning how to talk like and understand a snowboarder. Enjoy the […]