DEWJ32 —  “It’s YOUR fault I can’t speak English!!”   Get the transcript for this episode by signing up at:   http://doingenglish.com   (It’s free, but I ask you to help with a research study)   The modern world is plagued by a disease worse than cancer and AIDS put together: Passing the blame.   "It's not me."   "I'm a victim."   "The government is to blame."   Boo-hoo, wah wah wah.   We all have choices. How you use those choices is up to you, but once you make a choice? You’ve made it. No going back.    In this week’s Podcast we talk about how this relates to learning English...   … and how you can make mastering the language much, much easier for yourself.   Cheers,   Julian

In this week’s episode:   - We discuss the topic of “chunking” and “formulaic language” — why are they important, and how can you use them to speak better English? - Question Answered: “I have a pretty vast vocabulary, but it feels so hard to express my thoughts and emotions. Sometimes I’m frustrated that I can’t the correct words, the correct phrases.” - Will learning more words help you speak better English? - John Firth said: "You shall know a word by the company it keeps” — what does this mean? - How to truly understand the meaning of a word. - Why does “plastic surgery” sound natural, but “plastic operation” sounds weird? - How can you sound more natural? More fluent? Get better pronunciation? (“chunking”)   Want to learn more about chunking?   Start with: http://TwoStepSpeaking.com   Doing English Film: http://DoingEnglish.com/FILM

http://doingenglish.com/youtube   Here’s a quick lesson in confidence, for you.   Many of the things which worry and upset us are actually NOTHING to do with us. We think it’s because we’re not good enough, or because we did something stupid… but really it’s something else. I give you a good example of this in this week’s episode.   Doing English YouTube channel: http://doingenglish.com/youtube   Doing English Film: http://doingenglish.com/FILM

This week I answer the question, "Does accent even matter?" and discuss pronunciation and accent.

Watch the Doing English FILM: http://doingenglish.com/FILM

TRANSCRIPT ▶︎　http://doingenglish.com/podcast/ep28/

In this week's episode of the Doing English Podcast:

- An important language-learning insight from a cold-hearted Amazonian tribesman

- Why if you want to be good at English… you’d better try to understand culture

- And a must read-book!

If you haven't already, take a moment to subscribe on iTunes, rate and review the show. 

"The piss-pot that changed the world"   ◆ Watch the Doing English FILM: http://doingenglish.com/film

The 1917 art piece that upset art committees (remade in 1964), was refused by almost all art museums and pissed off art fans every where. This upside-down piss-pot caused outrage across the art world, and it’s fair to say that Duchamp was not a popular man in 1917.   Submitted to the Society of independent artists - a group that was supposed to be against the traditional way of choosing exhibition pieces, and said they would accept any art piece without bias. But they rejected it!   See things in a new way...   art is a transformation of materials into something new and beautiful. What is art?    “ready made” - does art have to be made by the artist?

Yet “The Fountain” literally CHANGED art…

… and is now known as the most influential art piece of the 20th century.

The lesson here is clear.

Fear negativity, and you’ll never do anything great. If Duchamp had worried about what people thought of him, the art world would be very, very different today.

Screw what other people think.

Get on with life.

And do something great with it before it’s over.

◆ Watch the Doing English FILM:   http://doingenglish.com/film ABOUT DOING ENGLISH

Doing English with Julian is a channel for intermediate and advanced English learners who feel stuck with their English. Whether you're an IT professional, an accountant, a doctor or an artist -- speaking English well will bring opportunities to your life. My goal is to help you find that success.    

Got this question:   How can I practice my English?? I’m in manchester and I can’t practice my English. Which places are good to practice English? Thanks.   First off, just “practising” isn’t much help.   I’m not sure, but I think this misconception comes from conversation schools and the like. They love to use in their adversing things like, “You learned grammar at school! Now you just need to practise with a native speaker!”   What a load of rubbish.   Look – just practising isn’t going to help your English improve. At best, you’ll be polishing a turd (sorry for the crude idiom).   If you want to get GOOD at English, you need a balance of learning and practise.   And the kind off practise you need?   You don’t NEED people do to do it with. So the answer to the question “which places are good to practice English?” is “anywhere… how about your own home, or in your car?”   The way I teach follows a very specific step-by-step process.   The idea is to learn the language you need then practise it to make it automatic. There’s no need to “chat with native speakers” (in fact you can do everything in your own home, alone if you like) because we focus on things that… well, to be frank, work.   As I say all the time though..   … the important thing to realise though, is that just one lesson won’t help you much. I can’t emphasise this enough.   Knowledge builds over time.   And that’s the idea with the lessons – it’s not an “instant” method….   … but if you DO the work, you will see big results.   http://doingenglish.com

The TTT method

So you want an easy way to learn English? One which lets you do it without studying?

Well I have just what you need.

I call it the “TTT Method”.

I ummed and ahhed about sharing it with you. Because, you know, if everybody knew this method then EVERYBODY would speak perfect English (not just like a native speaker… but AS a native speaker). Then I’d be out of a job.

But whatever.

I’m going to tell you, OK?

Just listen to the Podcast Episode to find out.

Watch the Doing English FILM

http://doingenglish.com/film

 

Coca-cola and The Power of Investment

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In 1886 John Pemberton invented Coca-Cola... then two yearslater, he died.

A guy called Asa Candler bought the rights to Coca-Cola, andworked hard marketing it. Soon it became a popular drink.

But not as popular as it could be.

At that time Coca-Cola was sold as a syrup to shops, who thenmixed it and sold cupped drinks.

And then one day a man walked into the Coca-Cola office...

"I can teach you how to double the company's profits overnight," he said.

"I'll cost $5000."

Some versions of the story say $50,000... but regardless,Candler agreed.

He paid the money, and in return was handed a slip of paper.

On the paper was simply written "Bottle it".

And that, apparently, is how Coca-Cola started to be sold inbottles.

Now, I have no idea if this story is true.

It sounds like an urban-legend.

But it doesn't matter.

The important point is this - 

Simplicity.

Double profits? Wow, that must take something really difficultand complicated. That's what most people would think.

But no.

All they had to do was change the container.

The most powerful ideas are simple ideas. So keep things simple,Subscriber, and you will succeed.

Of course -

There's another lesson here too.

The value of information.

You might think $5000 is a lot of money to pay for a slip ofpaper with only two words written on it. But in truth?

It was a REALLY good investment.

Coca-Cola had never considered bottling the drink.

But when they did?

It make them A LOT of money.

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Julian

P.S. The story from this podcast comes from "the Best of UncleJohn's Bathroom Reader"

I assume it's true.

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English Learning - THE FILM

Recently I've been a busy boy.

Doing what, you ask?

We'll get to that in a moment, but first join the Doing English Daily Newsletter:

http://bit.ly/1SuhP1S

OK, so what?

Well. Learning film production and editing techniques. The "why" I'm doing this is a story for another day, but it is related to the soon-to-come Doing English book, and a whole series of major updates across Doing English (including Two Step Speaking 3.0).

One thing I realised though...

… learning a language and learning to make great video is very, very similar.

Just studying the theory isn't enough. 

And just practicing isn't enough.

It takes a balance of the two. Learn the the theory and the technique… then practice them until they become automatic.

Sound familiar?

It should do.

Because this is what I've been constantly banging on about for the last year.

Just practicing your English is a waste of time. But just learning theory isn't useful, either. You need a balance of the two. And this is what Two Step Speaking will help you do. Learn the techniques which work… and then practice until English becomes automatic (and don't worry - if you do it the way I teach, you don't need native speakers around you). 

Anyway.

Enough dilly-dallying.

Join the Doing English Daily Newsletter:

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OK, that's it from me today.

Cheers,

Julian

P.S. I'll be back next week with a story about Coca-Cola.