my American friend

M - Today we're learning something about the expression “SHUT UP !”

M- Hi Cindy!

C- Shut up!

M- I beg your pardon?

C- Shut up!

M- Well, that’s not very nice, Cindy!

C- I’m just kidding with you, Marta! ‘’Shut up’’ is actually the topic of today’s podcast!

M- Oh, thank goodness! For a second there, I thought you were telling me to shut up! And I thought to myself- ‘’but I haven’t even spoken a single word yet!’’

C - No, I would never tell you to shut up, that would be a very RUDE thing to say. ‘’Shut up’’ is a very ABRUPT and IMPOLITE way to say be quiet, stop talking or stop making noise!

M- So if telling someone to ‘’shut up’’ is not polite, why do we even need to talk about it?

C- Because last week I was away on a trip and our first day something happened that got me thinking about the phrase ‘’shut up’’ and all the ways it is used nowadays. Interestingly enough a couple of them are not rude at all.

M- So then I guess that would depend on many things? Like the context in which it’s said? Or the tone of voice used? For example: used in anger during an argument ...or just joking around with friends?

C- Exactly! And there’s even a third way of using ‘’shut up’’. It’s to convey surprise or disbelief.

M- OK, before we get into all three uses for ‘’shut up’’, let’s back up...where did you go last week?

C- Paris!

M- Lucky you! So what happened on your trip? Did you tell someone to shut up?

C- Oh, I came very close, but I thought twice and realized it wasn’t worth it. Not only, but I felt there was a greater lesson to be learned from it- that even our individual actions affect all of those around us.

M- What happened?

C- It was funny, really. I was in my hotel, getting ready to go out and the windows were open to the street below. All of a sudden I heard a group of people talking. Loudly. At the end of the street.

M- You could hear them all the way from the end of the street?

C- The end. That’s how LOUD they were! Then the CHATTER started to grow and come closer. I thought it was a tour group! And when the noise and COMMOTION had stopped directly under my window I realized it was just 4 Americans!

M- Only four people?

C- Only four - two men & two women making enough noise for a tour group! The entire street (now, imagine a nice, quiet residential area of Paris filled with high rise apartments- windows open to the sun) they had all been witness to this. Oh Marta! They were so loud! Voices like loudspeakers RICOCHETING off the cement buildings and filling the street!

M- That’s really funny!

C- It wasn’t funny worth a darn at the time! Ok, so anyways, they didn’t enter the hotel but decided to take pictures of each other and remained YAPPING at full volume under my bathroom window!

M- How annoying?!

C- Awful! And I haven’t gotten to the best part yet!

M- What’s that?

C- The man who inspired this whole idea for a podcast!

M- Oh no!

C- As the chaos rumbled below my window and they passed the camera between each other for photos, one of the women SPOKE UP and said ‘’Now y’all I want a photo of the three of you!” (They were Southerners, hence the southern accent)

M- Oh, okay. I was wondering why you switched voices?

C- There are regional differences in American accents. I have to make it authentic! So the head-loud talker, the alpha male, the king of the jungle- I’ll call him ‘’Stan’’. Stan pipes up and responds with ‘’Hurry up!’’ And she says ‘’Oh, just one more, picture of the three y’all!’’ Stan’s response: ‘’Hurry up! Cause’ I gotta pee!’’

M- No!

C- Yes. He did. Full volume. Stan the Man had just informed an entire residential street in the 16th arrondissement of the status of his bladder. Yes. He did. Thank you, Stan the Man.

M- Oh my goodness!

C- I was astounded. Does that information really need to be broadcast at full volume?

M - No.

C - The group then disbursed & entered the building and I heard one of the women (she was loud too) speaking with the concierge about the lovely time they had had in Paris and how sad they were now that it was over.

M- And I bet you were sad to see them go?

C- Marta, our room was upstairs- on the second floor, and their voices shot straight up the stairwell and into our locked room!

M- That's the power of Stan!

C- You know it was really a wake-up call for me.

M- What do you mean? A WAKE-UP CALL ?

C- I mean, I realized that it’s good to shut up once in a while! I mean, if Stan and his crew had shut up, then they wouldn't have annoyed a whole street plus the hotel patrons. And it was good for me to HOLD MY TONGUE and not YELL shut up out the window. Hard as it was, had I yelled at them, I would have ruined the last day of their trip...

M- You’re right...

C- ...and the first day of my trip. I would have stressed out the poor concierge. Not to mention, the Parisians would have looked at us like a bunch of football hooligans hurling insults at each other.

M- It’s all connected, isn’t it?

C- Circle of life. So I got to thinking while I was putting on my make-up. I thought about the words ‘’shut up’’ and the power they yield.

M- It’s true, you can really hurt someone with ‘’shut up’’. Shall we make an example of the most common way it is used?

C- Good idea. Do you want TO BE THE BAD GUY or should I?

M- You can do it.

C- Okay, Marta, start by RAMBLING ON ABOUT something you're crazy about.

M- Let me think... something like a TV show ...ok, got it, 24 ! The show starring Keifer Sutherland. It's all about this amazing character named Jack Bauer, fighting terrorism in any possible and impossible way and the cool thing about it is that events occur in real time, every episode is a race against the clock and every season is made up of...

C- Marta, just shut up !!!

M- Wow, that stings.

C- Marta, I’m so sorry, girl, you know I love you . I would never tell you to shut up intentionally. That’s very rude.

M- It’s like a mental slap in the face!

C- I know it’s awful. What’s another way we can use ‘’shut up’’?

M- How about jokingly? With friends for example?

C- Great. Go.

M- Cindy, remember that time you invited us all to see that band playing in the OUTSKIRTS OF TOWN ?

C- Oh, yeah, that was pretty bad, wasn't it ?

M- Pretty bad?! I felt like we were at the circus, it was an absolute freak show!

C- oh, shut up! You had a good time, didn't you?

M- Good time?! With that drunk old man that kept inviting me to dance??

C- Shut up! He was an admirer ! You should be flattered!

M - Yeah, sure! He must be one of our listeners now!

C - Oh, yeah, he is, because I slipped him your phone number on the way out.

M – Oh my.... ok, let's drop it. But there's yet another way to use “shut up”, isn't there?

C - Yeah and this one is more recent.

M- And it’s used mostly by young people to convey surprise or disbelief.

C- Uh huh, let’s see, how could we use it? I know, for example if I were to say ‘’Marta, Jon Bon Jovi is coming in concert next week...

M- SHUT UP !?

C-...and I scored us front row tickets...

M- SHUT UP!!!!!

C- ...and that, listeners, is how you use ‘’shut up’’ to convey surprise or disbelief. Marta...wake up, dear..???

M- I'm back. Thanks for listening everyone and don't forget to read the transcript !

C- And come visit us on iTunes, podomatic.com, martainnocenti.com, facebook and twitter.

M - Bye bye!

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Vocabulary about noise and being annoying :

TO BE LOUD / TO SPEAK UP / TO SPEAK AT FULL VOLUME

CHATTER : Talking. Example: ‘’The room was filled with noisy students. The sound of loud chatter echoed down the halls of the school.’’

COMMOTION: Chaos or noise. Example: ‘’During the football game, there was a loud commotion coming from a large group of reckless fans in the top row of seats.’’

RICOCHETING: To bounce back with force. Example: Bullets can ricochet off buildings. Balls can ricochet off the floor.

YAPPING: Senseless or annoying chatter, noise or talking. Example: ‘’My sister owns an annoying little dog. He’s always yapping at me when I go to visit her! I can’t stand him!’’

TO YELL: To speak very loudly sometimes used in anger, but also just to be heard from a long distance. Example: ‘’My brothers and I were playing in the garden and our mother yelled for us to come inside and eat lunch. ‘’ or ‘’My father was very angry with my brother and yelled at him for scratching his car.’’

TO HOLD ONE'S TONGUE : To stop yourself from speaking. Example: ‘’I don’t like my sister’s boyfriend, but I hold my tongue and keep my mouth shut because I know she really likes him.’’

RUDE, ABRUPT, IMPOLITE: without manners, disrespectful, rough, too direct.

***

TO ‘’BE THE BAD GUY’’ : To play the role of a ‘’bad’’ person, or carry out a difficult task. Example: The office supervisor did not have the courage to fire his employee, so the assistant supervisor had to ‘’be the bad guy’’ and do it.

RAMBLING ON ABOUT ...: To talk continuously, seemingly never ending. Example: ‘’My co-worker is always rambling on about how much money he makes! I wish he would just shut up sometimes!’’

THE OUTSKIRTS OF TOWN : Outside of the city center. On the edge of town. Example: ‘’My parents have a nice house on the outskirts of town. It’s in the countryside where it’s quiet and peaceful.

WAKE UP CALL : Two definitions for ‘’wake up call’’: 1.) In the morning, for example in a hotel, the concierge can make a ‘’wake up call’’ a telephone call to your room at a specified time so that you are sure to awake. 2.) When something ‘’awakens’’ you to a new way of thinking that you were previously oblivious to. Example: My high blood pressure was a ‘’wake up call’’ for me to start taking care of myself. Now I eat a healthful diet of fruits and vegetables and I exercise every day.’’

M - This episode is about : asking and giving DIRECTIONS!

C - Ok, we know what you're thinking, we're in the 21st century and you all have some sort of GPS device in your cars and cell phones nowadays.

M - Yes, and to make the most of it you'd better set your GPS in English !

C - Have you set yours, Marta?

M - Sure!

C - And what does it sound like?

M - ….in two point five miles enter roundabout then take second exit !

C - That's excellent!

M - So why are we dealing with this topic?

C - Because one of our listeners made a request.

M - Yeah, thanks to Sergio Leon for all of his kind comments and suggestions!

C - Well, we thought it over and decided the topic could be worth an episode if we went beyond the “turn left, turn right, go straight ahead”-stuff which I'm pretty sure most of our listeners are already familiar with.

M - You know, Cindy, when I travel around the States sometimes asking for directions is the quickest way to break the ice with local people and start a conversation.

C - And practice the language!

M - In my experience as far as your approach is polite and friendly Americans are always willing to help and they're also curious to know about you, so the conversation is very likely to continue for a few pleasant and interesting minutes.

C - No map or GPS can compare to talking with local people when you're visiting a country. You miss out on all that local “flavor”, something you can't get from a GPS.

M - Ok, then. So we need to make sure that our listeners will be able to handle this kind of conversation. Let's give them some hints.

C - For example, we need to arrange for tonight, Marta. You’re meeting us later on for dinner, right?

M - Sure, the girls and I are looking forward to it!

C - You guys know how to get there?

M - Uhm..no, I don’t think so. It’s the new restaurant at the other end of town, right?

C - Yeah, right. That’s the one. You guys need directions?

M - Yeah... thanks. That would be helpful. I don’t want to get lost.

C - Ok, got a pen?

M - Yes, I’m ready, go ahead.

C - Ok, well, go on down to Main St and hang a left. Then hang a right at the second church past the park. Just keep going straight, oh wait...or do you need to hang another right?? No..no...I was right the first time- go straight. And then go on down to the first light until you see a ....

M - Hold on Cindy....that makes no sense at all to me. You’re going to need to back up, start over and speak English!

C - I was speaking English!

M - If you give directions like that, then no one will ever get anywhere!

C - I’m sorry, Marta. It’s just that your English is so good, I forget that you’re not American like me! Many times I speak too fast and with too much slang. Let’s start over.

M - Good idea! And first off: why did you refer to us as ‘’guys’’ when my friends and I are all women?

C - Oh! You’re right! I didn’t mean ‘’guys’’ as if to say you’re all men. When speaking casually to friends you can refer to a group as ‘’guys’’. But it’s only to be used amongst close friends or immediate family that you are very familiar with- don’t use it if you are referring to your Grandparents or Professors, all the important people that you would normally treat with respect.

M - Ok, that’s clear. So you weren’t calling us men.

C - No, not at all, you and all your friends are very beautiful and no one would ever mistake any one of you for a man!

M - OK,thank you. Well, I’ve got my pen- let’s start over: “Excuse me, can you tell me how to get to Riccardo’s Restaurant? It’s near the highway. And please speak slowly.’’

C - Sure, do you know where Main Street is?

M - Yes. I do.

C - Okay. Start from the Movie Theater on Main Street and go straight heading West, until you reach the bank.

M - Okay got it.

C - Then, at the bank, hang a left onto....

M - Wait a minute! What does that mean? To ‘’hang a left’’?! I mean, I can hang my laundry, I can hang a sign, I can even hang up the phone, but ... ‘’hang a left’’ ?

C - Sorry, to ‘’hang a left’’ or ‘’hang a right’’ means to turn.

M - Oh, that’s clear! So I should turn left onto what street??

C - Turn left onto State Street.

M - Got it. Okay.

C - Drive past that ballpark named ‘’Williams Park’’ and straight ahead on your left, there will be a big white church.

M - Big white church on left. Got it.

C - Drive past the big church. And, everyone, when giving directions it’s good to give people some landmarks, like stores or buildings, so they will know that they are in the right neighborhood. Okay, as soon as you pass the big church, look for Chestnut Street on your right. Turn right onto Chestnut Street and follow it to the end. There’s a light at the end...

M - You mean a traffic light? or some may call it a stoplight?

C - You’re right again, sorry- it’s a stoplight or a traffic light. Turn right at that stoplight and Riccardo’s is just ahead on the left. You can’t miss it. It’s the big red building.

M - Great! Now that makes sense! Listeners, don’t feel embarrassed about asking people to speak slowly when giving directions. Be sure to have a pen and paper ready.

C - And you could even ask them to write it down for you. Because I know, speaking from personal experience, there are some parts of the United States where a regional accent can be a roadblock to comprehension. If you’re not sure, ask them to write it down.

M - Well, I guess now you're ready to be the ones giving directions!

C - And Marta..reservations are at 8:30.

M- Ok! Thank you Cindy, and now that you’ve explained yourself in proper English- I know that I’ll be there on time!

C- Touché! Fair Enough! Thanks for listening everyone! See you later, Marta!

M - Yeah, and listeners, remember you can find us on podomatic.com, on iTunes, on martainnocenti.com, on facebook and on twitter. See you very soon, bye!

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TO MISS OUT ON : to lose the opportunity to …

YOU GUYS : used in addressing two or more people during very casual, informal conversation. Do not use with people of importance

to HANG A LEFT / A RIGHT : to turn left /right

a LIGHT = a traffic light, a stoplight

to be a ROADBLOCK to : a barrier, a difficulty, an obstacle

M - So, today we’re going to learn something about... BRITISH English vs. American English!

C - Wow, we picked a very useful topic today, if you travel around the globe you will have a much easier time if you understand both British and American accents.

M - So true!!

C - And in a little while we are going to introduce a special guest here with us today , she’s going to help us in understanding the difference between British and American English.

M - Just to give you an idea of what this difference is like, I'll quote George Bernard Shaw who once said that the USA and The UK are two countries divided by a common language. Also Oscar Wilde wrote something similar, he wrote: We have really everything in common with America nowadays, except, of course, the language!

C - I couldn't agree more! You don't even have to travel to hear the differences! Just compare the newscasters on BBC with the ones from CNN and you will immediately notice how different the accents are!

M - Yeah, or watch a movie starring Hugh Grant and a movie starring Jeff Bridges.

C - Or compare an interview with Angelina Jolie to an interview with Keira Knightley...

M - You know, Cindy, I was taught British English at school and I also spent a couple of summers in England when I was a teenager. So, had I met you back then your accent would have been very difficult for me!

C - That's funny because your accent is American now! You jumped the pond!

M - And it's not really only about pronunciation, there are differences of spelling, grammar, vocabulary, idioms, even how you write dates or punctuation.

C - Sometimes it’s confusing- even for me, a native English speaker! Listeners, we really recommend that you read the transcript of this episode, because you will find a precious list of the main differences between American and British English.

M - And now let's introduce our English friend, Emanuela! Hello!

E - Hello!

C - Thank you very much for joining us today! Could you tell our listeners something about yourself?

E - I'm from London, I live in Milan and I'm married to a Scotsman. We have two children. I'm an English teacher and translator, as well as an art reviewer in my spare time.

C - Well, you can tell she wasn't raised in Connecticut like me, right?!

M - Yes! It's just great having you both here, we can compare Cindy's American words with the ones Emanuela uses in the UK.

C - Great idea, everyone, pay attention, listen carefully and try to pick out as many differences as you can! Then, check them out in the transcript. Ok?

M - Ok, then. Ready, steady, go!

C - In America we live in apartments.

E - In England we live in flats.

C - Our houses have backyards.

E - Our houses have gardens.

C - When we are on the first floor we take the elevator to get on the second floor.

E - While we take the lift to get from the ground floor up to the first floor.

C - Our pants are in a closet.

E - Our trousers are in a wardrobe, and if you say pants in England that means underwear.

C - We eat cookies at snack time and we have appetizers before dinner.

E - We eat biscuits and we have starters.

C - The Americans are crazy about French fries!

E - In the UK we have chips. We have fish & chips quite often too!

C - Yum! Fish & chips are fantastic! It’s also an economical meal to purchase if you are touring the UK on a budget! Now where were we? Oh yes...In New York City we walk on the sidewalk and we park our car in parking lots.

E - In London we walk on the pavement and we park in car parks.

C - We take the subway.

E - We take the underground and in London we call it the Tube.

C - We buy either a one way ticket or a round trip ticket.

E - We buy either a single ticket or a return ticket.

C - In America, we drive on the interstate or the highway to go on vacation.

E - We drive on the motorway to go on holiday.

C - A 7 year old kid attends the second grade of elementary school.

E - In the UK that child would attend the third year of primary school.

M - Wow! And we could go on for hours!!

C - Yes, again, listeners, don't miss the transcript of this episode, you'll find a detailed list of differences worth reading.

M - And watch out because even the same word could have different meaning according to which side of the Atlantic ocean you're swimming in. For instance “MAD”.

C - Mad usually means angry in America, for example : “I didn't do my math homework, and my teacher was mad at me.” How about to be mad in the UK?

E - It means to be insane, out of mind, you would say to be crazy.

M - And in fact compare these two songs: “I'm crazy for you”

C - Madonna, American.

M - And “I'm mad about you, I'm mad about you.”

E - Sting, British.

M - That's it! What else? In Britain you don't use slang contractions like gonna, wanna, oughta...

E - You're right, we usually say I'm going to , I want to, I ought to...

C - Yes, and let's talk about possession. We usually ask: “Do you have this or that?” For example: Do you have a pencil?

E - While we ask : “Have you got this or that?” For example: Have you got a pencil?

C - And in writing British English you can still find the influence of French.

M - How do you spell the words color and center ?

E - C o l o u r and centre with final r e.

C - While I spell them c o l o r (without the letter “u”) and center with a final e r.

M - Even the spelling of some irregular past participles can change, what about “to learn”?

E - It's learnt, with a final T.

C - In America it can be both learnt and learned as if it was regular.

M - Now let's compare the pronunciation of a few words.

C - Ok. How does “hand” sound in British?

E - Hand.

C - Butter?

E - Butter.

C - Anybody ?

E - Anybody.

C – Garage?

E - Garage.

C – Vitamin?

E - Vitamin.

M - Wow! I think we'd need other 10 episodes on this subject, but I hope that this general overview has given our listeners at least an idea of what we're talking about.

C - Emanuela, would you like to make any further suggestion to our English learners?

E - Well, as I usually say to all of my students: practice makes perfect. And as long as you have a DVD player or you have the chance to read a newspaper or a magazine in English then just do it, whenever you can, it doesn't matter if you don't actually live there. And in my opinion listening to music is one of the best ways to learn or improve the language.

M - Thank you so much for your help. It's been awesome talking with you.

E - Thank you, girls, my pleasure.

C - Come back any time and thanks again! Bye bye

E - Bye!

***

C - Hey, Marta? How are you, dear? Mixed up? Confused? Lost in the middle of the Atlantic ocean?

M - Well, I'm fine, I'm happy I had a chance to review my British English knowledge, even though I will never be able to get rid of the American accent anyways.

C - Is it my fault? Just kidding. By the way, you used an expression that our listeners may not know: “TO GET RID OF something’’.

M - Ok, let's explain it.

C - It means to throw something away, to be eventually free of something that was bothering you. Like for example: “her boyfriend was a real slob, I'm so happy to hear she got rid of him”.

M - Yeah, of course I didn't mean that my American accent bothers me, I meant that I've been speaking American English for so many years now that it's really hard to go back to the British English I was taught as school.

C - Yes, but as long as you and our listeners can understand both accents that's ok.

M - Yes, it sure helps when traveling abroad. Ok, that's all folks! Now it's time for you to read the transcript!

C - Thanks for listening and come visit us on Podomatic.com, on our Facebook page, on Twitter, on martainnocenti.com, and on iTunes.

M - We are already working on new episodes. Stay tuned!

C - Bye Bye!

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BRITISH ENGLISH vs. AMERICAN ENGLISH

UK WORDS ---> USA WORDS

flat ---> apartment ;

toilet ---> restroom ;

biscuit ---> cookie ;

wardrobe ---> closet ;

lift ---> elevator ;

starter ---> appetizer ;

full stop ---> period ;

garden ---> yard ;

motorway ---> highway, interstate ;

holiday ---> vacation ;

pavement ---> sidewalk ;

queue ---> line ;

underground ---> subway ;

rubbish ---> garbage ;

car park ---> parking lot ;

petrol ---> gasoline ;

chips ---> French fries ;

sweets ---> candy ;

tap ---> faucet ;

timetable ---> schedule ;

booking ---> reservation ;

single ticket / return ticket ---> one way ticket / round trip ticket ;

3rd year of primary school ---> 2nd grade of elementary school ;

pants ---> underwear ;

trousers ---> pants ;

trainers ---> sneakers ;

handbag ---> purse ;

headmaster ---> principal ;

autumn ---> fall ;

rubber ---> eraser ;

lorry ---> truck ;

aeroplane ---> airplane

shop ---> store

angry ---> mad

mad ---> crazy

ground floor ---> first floor ;

first floor ---> second floor ;

UK POSSESSION ---> USA POSSESSION :

Have you got ...? ---> Do you have...? ;

UK SPELLING ---> USA SPELLING :

centre ---> center ;

dialogue ---> dialog ;

cheque ---> check ;

travelling ---> traveling ;

fulfil ---> fulfill ;

colour ---> color ;

analyse, paralyse, catalyse... ---> analyze, paralyze, catalyze... ;

learnt, dreamt, smelt... ---> learnt/learned, dreamt/dreamed, smelt/smelled... ;

metre/meter, kilogramme/kilogram... ---> meter, kilogram... ;

UK ---> USA

going to, want to, ought to... ---> gonna, wanna, oughta...

** if you want to contact Emanuela about art reviews and translations : [email protected] **

M - today we’re talking about... LIKES AND DISLIKES !

C - There are so many different ways to express your likes and dislikes in English! Marta, for example, tell us something that you like.

M - I like cats, well actually I LOVE cats, I ADORE kittens and I AM NUTS ABOUT big cats, like tigers, lions, leopards, jaguars, cougars...

C - Ok, ok, we got it, you made it clear...darling.

M - I'm sorry, it's just that cats DRIVE ME CRAZY and I can't stop talking about 'em.

C - I know, you're ADDICTED TO cats. And what do you like doing?

M - I ENJOY traveling and going to concerts. The best thing for me is a special place. A place where I can enjoy my vacation and see a great concert at the same time!

C - That reminds me of your trip to Florida and the Bon Jovi concert in Tampa Bay! Or your trip to Madrid to see the Train concert. What a great life you have!

M - Yep! Bon Jovi and Train are my FAVORITE bands! I'm CRAZY ABOUT them!

C - You're right, they are amazing. Ok, so far we’ve used verbs and expressions like to adore, to be nuts about, to be crazy about, to enjoy, to be addicted to.., your favorite... etc. Now let's talk about dislikes instead.

M - I CAN'T BEAR the cold, I CAN'T PUT UP WITH people who are always late.

C - Oh, I hate that.

M - I'm FED UP WITH T.V. commercials and I HATE bugs.

C - I'm with you on the bug thing. Wow, it seems that you know quite well what ANNOYS you! Can you think of any other examples?

M - (singing) I CAN'T STAND the rain against my window...

C - Beautiful, right!

M - (singing) I'm SICK and TIRED of always being sick and tired...

C - That's great. Songs are always a precious help in remembering useful expressions!

M - I totally agree with you.

C - Ok, then, in order to express your dislikes you can use : I can't stand, I can't bear, I can't put up with... , I'm fed up with..., I'm sick of.. I'm tired of... it annoys me...

M - Now we have a very special guest, talking about her likes and dislikes. Ladies and gentlemen, this is Brianna!

Brianna: Hey everybody, I’m Bri and I’m from Michigan. Ok, three things I like. I like to play soccer. It's definitely my favorite sport. I love scoring a goal for my team. I also like my phone, I don’t think I could live without it! I would talk on it all day if I could. Another thing I like to do is travel. It’s so nice to be able to get away. I went to Italy a couple of years ago, and it was an absolutely amazing experience! Now, three things I don’t like. I definitely do not like spiders. I am scared to death of them! I’m not a big fan of homework, either. I would much rather be outside, especially when it’s nice out! I also can’t stand when my parents are over controlling! It’s so annoying. I’m a teenager, give me a break ! Well, anyway, that's about it. It's been nice joining you guys in this episode of my American friend. See ya!

C - Thank you Brianna!! It was nice to listen to a teenager from Michigan. And folks, that is another regional American accent to familiarize yourself with!

M - Thanks a lot, my dear Bri. Now Cindy, it's your turn. Tell us something you like and something you don't.

C – Something I like...well, I adore olives. I love flowers-any kind. I’m happiest when I'm being creative and constructive. I enjoy cooking any kind of food, especially if it’s not American. I like a challenge! That’s it. I’m a pretty simple gal !

And you want to know my dislikes? Well, I can’t stand people who talk too much, specifically those without anything useful to say. You know the ones that just want to hear the sound of their own voice? And currently, my neighbor’s dog is driving me up the wall! I’m starting to think my neighbor’s dog just likes to hear the sound of his own bark!

M - Ok, cool. Now we have another guest! I'm really happy about it, her name is Nicki and she's from Los Angeles, California!

C - Pay attention everyone because we’re going to listen to another regional accent! Awesome!

M - Yes, and what is more, by telling us what she likes and what she doesn't like she will also give us some hints on everyday life in Los Angeles. Here she is !

Nicki : "Hello everybody, my name's Nicki Tedesco and I live in Los Angeles, Ca.

I’m a bass player/singer/songwriter and have a mixing and mastering studio called The Strands L.A.,along with Alex Guadagnoli. We also create music for movies and TV and you can check out our website at: thestrands.net or nickitedesco.com

Ok, so 3 things I like or love... I love to play the bass, when the bass is in the pocket with the drums and you're rocking and headbanging, it’s just the best thing in life. I also teach rock band performance, vocals and bass at a music school, and I really like working with people and making their music come to life.

I also love writing songs and lyrics and creating harmonies, it’s so nice to sing with someone in perfect harmony, it’s almost, in a weird way, like chanting.

Hiking: there’s this place called Runyon Canyon that overlooks all of Hollywood. It’s amazing, and it’s a dog park. And it’s funny because I call this trail: the trail of the “the beautiful people”. It’s like they're all there! Everyone's a model or an actress and they all have their cell phones, so it’s a little on the funny side, 'cause they're exercising and talking on the phone, it's kind of weird.

Ok, so 3 things I don’t like: hopefully I’m not whining and these are actually useful!

So, strict Drinking and Driving laws! Some other states like Nevada, and Texas are not so strict, but in California, you cannot drink and walk basically. I mean, if I decide to be responsible and go out drinking but I want to ride my bicycle home, so that I don’t drink and drive…in the law’s eyes, it’s the same as driving a car, they can still give you a DUI (Driving Under the Influence, of alcohol) and arrest you. I mean, could you see me all up in my mini skirt and heels getting up on a bike. It’s just not worth it. Just get a cab, or a designated driver.

Some things that cost too much in Los Angeles, like parking! You might pay $15 to $20 to park on a weekend night in Hollywood. It's insane! Also, cell phone charges: if someone calls you, it takes away your minutes, which means you pay for the call…and so does the person making the call to you. And taxes, I hate taxes of course…but there is one cool thing that shows the cities value of art and culture: there's the “Creative Activities” Exemption and this is for creative artists whose worldwide gross income is less than $300,000. It’s a really cool perk for small businesses.

And finally I don't particularly like it when friends come over and get too drunk and “accidentally” bang my guitars against the furniture. I mean, come on guys, put the axe down!!!

Thanks guys, it's been fun chatting, bye!

C - That was absolutely fascinating!

M - Thank you very much, Nicki, it was great listening to your voice!

C - I love it when we have guests here at my American friend!

M - So do I! Let me add one little thing for our listeners.

C - What is that?

M - You may have heard both “I like playing tennis” and “I like to play tennis”, so again the same question 'gerund or infinitive' of our episode #7. Hey, don't worry, it can be both. In Britain they tend to use the gerund most of the time, while in America the infinitive is more common.

C - This is great advice.

M - And, even if it's not a strict rule in everyday conversation, you can consider: I like playing tennis (when you state a general fact) and 'I like to play tennis with you, why don't we play again next week?' (stating something more specific).

C - Another good example could be: I hate interrupting my parents when they're talking. Versus : I hate to interrupt you, but we need to get going.

M - All right, that's all for now. Right?

C - Right! Listeners, if you want to let us know about your likes and dislikes contact us on Facebook, Twitter, Podomatic.com, martainnocenti.com or iTunes.

M - Let me thank a few of you : Giada, Tania, Tatsuro, Luiz Carlos and Somaia.

C - And a big thanks to all those who clicked the “make a request” button on our Podomatic page and thank you so much for all the nice reviews you’ve posted about our podcast on iTunes USA, Saudi Arabia and Japan.

M - We'll be back very soon with new episodes!

C - Bye-bye!

****************************************

Let's sum up :

***

LIKES

I love / I enjoy playing soccer.

I'm crazy about her. I'm crazy about dancing.

….. is my favorite film, singer, etc.

…...smells, tastes, feels, looks, sounds good.

He drives me crazy.

I am nuts about ….

it's awesome , amazing , ridiculous !

I'm addicted to ...

British English : *I fancy you. I fancy reading. *I'm keen on him. I'm keen on hiking. *I'm fond of her. I'm fond of cycling.

***

DISLIKES

I can't stand … I can't bear ...

I can't put up with … I’m fed up with ….

I’m sick of …. I’m tired of …...

…. really bugs me.

…. makes me mad / angry.

… annoys me.

… doesn't really appeal to me

I'm not a big fan of …

I'm not that bothered about …

I'm not really into …

… is driving me up the wall !

***

You may also use: ''I'm feeling/not feeling this...whatever''.

Example: I'm really feeling this music! What band is it?

or ''I'm not feeling this band! They're awful, we're gone. We're out of here!''

M - So, this time we're talking about … the AMERICAN DREAM !

C - Marta, since you are not American, I'm curious to know your perception of the American dream.

M - I've always thought of it as the right to aspire and to pursue what makes you feel happy in life, the freedom to build up your future brick by brick through hard work and determination. Having the opportunity to somehow feel successful in your life. But why don't you give us some hints about the American dream?

C - Well, since the very beginning, when the first settlers came to the New World the USA was founded on values and ideals, like democracy, equality, justice and liberty. Of course sometimes there is a great distance from the ideals and the actual reality, I mean, everyday life is still harder for the poorest part of the population even in a country based on the right of equality.

M - Those values still have deep roots in the American culture. There is this general feeling that you should be given a chance to pave your way, that your future could depend on your individual choices and not only on your social class, race or family.

C - And this is what the Declaration of Independence stated in fact, that all men are created equal and that they have inalienable rights, including Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.

M - The ideal was to create a country where everyone could express their talents, where everyone could get the merit for their work and perseverance.

C - Yes, and again, let me point out that it's just a promise of the possibility of prosperity and success, that doesn't mean that every single person achieves it, not to mention nowadays with this difficult economic crisis we’re facing worldwide.

M - Yeah, now those that believed the American Dream to be only about getting money, goods, fame and fortune, must be thinking that the dream has turned into a nightmare!

C - Yeah, while the idea of the so called American Dream is far from being only materialistic, it's about improving your life and the society you live in. This is what James Adams wrote in 1931: “The American Dream is the dream of a land in which life should be better and richer and fuller for everyone, with opportunity for each according to ability or achievement. (...) A dream of social order in which each man and each woman shall be able to attain to the fullest stature of which they are innately capable, and be recognized by others for what they are, regardless of the fortuitous circumstances of birth or position.”

M - And let me add that you can call it American Dream or not, but it was the main reason for millions of people to move to the USA along the centuries. They came in search of a free, happy and richer life.

C - All those immigrants leaving their families and taking the risk to cross the ocean, came to the New World to seek justice, religious freedom and economic opportunity. It’s certainly a part of my family’s history.

M - And all those immigrants were welcomed by The Statue of Liberty!

C - The Statue of Liberty is a real landmark. Marta, I know you wrote a song about her.

M - Yes, the title is 'Miss Liberty'.

C - May we listen to it?

M - Sure, at the end of this episode! Now, there is something else really worth mentioning about the Statue, the sonnet entitled “The new colossus”

C - You're right, it was written by Emma Lazarus in 1883 and when visiting the Statue you can read this sonnet engraved on a bronze plaque. The most famous sentence is “Give me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses yearning to breathe free..”

M - Hey listeners, you can read the whole sonnet in the transcript of this episode, don't miss it !

***

C - Marta, how about giving our listeners some vocabulary about dreams and ambitions?

M - Ok, how do you define the desired, sought-after object?

C - It's your aim, your goal, your target.

M - And what about the verbs we use in this kind of context ?

C - To pursue your dream, to make your dreams come true, to achieve your goal, to fulfill your ambitions, to accomplish...

M - Any idioms about ambitions and dreams?

C - Oh, yeah. “The sky's the limit!” meaning there is no limit to your possibility of success, so dream big! For example, Marta, how many downloads do you think that our podcast will get next month?

M - Who knows? The sky's the limit!

C - You got it! An idiom about effort and hard work in order to reach your target is : “blood, sweat and tears”. So, Marta, when we hit #5 on The Podomatic language courses chart....

M - it was not due to luck, it was blood, sweat and tears !

C - Well... I don’t think either one of us actually shed blood during the making of this podcast... Maybe some sweat though....and a few tears of joy when we hit #5!....

M - ....And let us not forget the over 10,000 listener downloads from around the world! Thank you everyone! It’s been a lot of work, but we’ve had a lot of fun too.

***

C - Is this episode almost over?

M - Yes, almost. I'd love to quote a movie before we go because I think it's a good example of what the American Dream is like in the 21st century.

C - Which one?

M - “The Pursuit of Happyness” by Gabriele Muccino.

C - Is that the film starring Will Smith and his son?

M - Yes, and this is the quote I chose. The scene is a father (Will Smith) talking to his child : “You got a dream... You gotta protect it. People can't do somethin' themselves, they wanna tell you you can't do it. If you want somethin', go get it. Period.”

C - Go get it, listeners! And good luck!

M - Thanks for listening, we await your comments, questions and suggestions.

C - Come visit us on facebook, podomatic.com, martainnocenti.com and iTunes- and don’t forget to follow us on Twitter. And remember to always read the transcripts!

M - And now...

C - ...your beautiful song about The Statue of Liberty, right?

M - Yes, enjoy! See you guys very soon!

C - Bye bye!

********************************************

'THE NEW COLOSSUS' (sonnet by Emma Lazarus, 1883)

Not like the brazen giant of Greek fame, *

With conquering limbs astride from land to land;
 *

Here at our sea-washed, sunset gates shall stand
 *

A mighty woman with a torch, whose flame
 *

Is the imprisoned lightning, and her name *


Mother of Exiles. From her beacon-hand *
Glows world-wide welcome; her mild eyes command
 *

The air-bridged harbor that twin cities frame.
 *

"Keep, ancient lands, your storied pomp!" cries she
 *

With silent lips. "Give me your tired, your poor,
 *

Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free,
 *

The wretched refuse of your teeming shore.
 *

Send these, the homeless, tempest-tost to me, *


I lift my lamp beside the golden door!" *

*******************************************

Song: “MISS LIBERTY”, written and performed by Marta Innocenti.

For any additional information visit www.martainnocenti.com , or the acoustic duo website www.12n.biz

The lyrics:

'MISS LIBERTY'

Here I am *

Walking down the streets *

Leaving my footprints *

On the sidewalks *

In New York *

I’m part of a multiethnic place *

In the dawn of century 2K *

the land of opportunities… it must be, it must be! *

*

I crossed the ocean and now I look inside *

Miss Liberty’s eyes *

She holds up the torch and she lights up the fear that I’m *

Trying to hide *

Got my dreams in my pocket, Miss Liberty knows it *

I take my chance *

from Miss Liberty’s hands *

*

Here I am *

Blinded by the lights *

USA skyline *

On the top floor *

Of New York *

I’m part of the army of the brave *

And I know that I am here to stay *

the land of opportunities…. believe me, believe me! *

*

I crossed the ocean and now I look inside *

Miss Liberty’s eyes *

She holds up the torch and she lights up the fear that I’m *

Trying to hide *

Got my dreams in my pocket, Miss Liberty knows it *

I take my chance *

from Miss Liberty’s hands *

*

Here I am, here I am, October 12th...

Welcome in New York ! *

M - This episode is going to be about... ADVICE and SUGGESTIONS!

C - Marta, why do we have to talk about advice and suggestions? I suggest you explain why?

M - I know, I know, you, native speakers kinda take it for granted, but to us learners it's not easy. We need to know how to build the sentence according to the verb we use and we need to be aware of the shades of meaning that each verb and expression conveys.

C - You're right, our listeners could be confused about how and when to use the verbs to SUGGEST, to RECOMMEND or to ADVISE, just to mention the most common ones.

M - Yeah, for instance I always have this sort of doubt : what do I have to use? 'Gerund or infinitive?' this is the question. It's not 'to be or not to be?', my dear friend William Shakespeare, you SHOULD rewrite it, William, trust me, it OUGHTA be 'Gerund or infinitive?!'.

C - True! But let me say that in addressing Sir William Shakespeare, Marta, you NEED TO be more formal and polite.

M - Was there anything wrong with what I said ?

C - It was grammatically correct, you used “should” and “oughta” -that is a slang word, a contraction of ought to- , but when speaking with someone like William Shakespeare YOU'D BETTER say something like this instead: “With all due respect, Sir, if I were in your position, I would change that sentence”. Marta, try that sentence again.

M - All right, all right. ‘’With all due respect, Sir, if I were in your position, I would change that sentence’’. How was that?

C – Perfect, beautiful.

M – Okay, so far we have 'you should' 'you ought to' 'you need to' 'IF I WERE YOU, I WOULD...' and 'you'd better'- that is you had better.

C - Now let's talk about “to recommend” and “to suggest”.

M - First off, there is a difference of meaning, right?

C - To recommend means telling someone what you think the right thing to do is according to your experience or knowledge, while to suggest means to give an idea, to offer some further possibilities to a matter.

M - Ok, let's give our listeners a few examples to show them how to use these verbs. Cindy, could you recommend a good language podcast?

C - Marta, I’m so glad you asked! I recommend 'my American friend’!

M - I agree with you, I've been told it's a good one...

C - Ok, now listen to this: I recommend listening to 'my American friend'. Or: I recommend that you listen to 'my American friend'.

M - All right, so we can use this verb in three different ways. To recommend doing something, to recommend something, and to recommend that you do something. How about “to suggest “?

C - Same three structures. For example: I suggest that you listen to 'my American friend' while jogging in the park.

M - Mmm, good idea!

C - Or: I suggest listening to 'my American friend' while driving in your car on long journeys (we're going to prevent you from falling asleep!).

M - Yeah, definitely! May I also suggest our Facebook page to our listeners?

C - Good idea! And by the way, friends, do you know that we are on Twitter as well? Our account is mAf_podcast

M - Ok, let me try this one: I suggest that you follow us on Twitter. Was that correct?

C - Perfect, Marta, you're not just a beautiful face! You’re a quick learner too!

M - Thank you! So, now we know how to MAKE A RECOMMENDATION and how to MAKE A SUGGESTION.

C - Great. ok. now what about learning how to GIVE ADVICE or to GIVE A PIECE OF ADVICE to someone?

M - That's a good point, advice is uncountable, so if it's singular it's a piece of advice.

C - You usually give advice if you have some authority to do so, for example if you're a lawyer counseling your client, a mother talking to your children, or a doctor talking to a patient, and so on.

M - So advise has a stronger meaning compared to recommend.

C - Well, let's compare these sentences to make it clear. Let me think....ok, let's talk about the soundtrack of our podcast. What's the name of the band ?

M - 'The Fire'

C - Ok, if I say 'I suggest listening to The Fire' the meaning is: I like their music and I think you could enjoy listening to it as well.

M - So it's like : why don't you give them a try?

C - Yes, but it would sound different if I said : 'I went to a concert and I saw The Fire live, their performance was absolutely amazing, they blew me away, so I recommend that you check them out.' Which, by the way, is like totally true!

M - Ok, in this case you talk from experience.

C - Right. Third example : imagine a band manager. And this band manager wants to inspire his young rock n’ roll wannabes to play better and learn how to perform onstage.

He would say : 'I advise you to go see The Fire in concert.'

M - He's the manager, he's giving a piece of advice that could be important for the future success of the band.

C - Right. Or an English teacher, for example, could advise her students on the right English language podcast to listen to.

M - Oh, let me guess, would that be … 'my American friend'?

C – Excellent idea! So, you can advise someone on something and you can advise someone to do something. You can also advise against something.

M - But not against our podcast!!

C - Of course not. For example, my mother advised me against drinking and driving.

M - Right, and listeners in case you missed our episode #3 about driving, I recommend that you download it immediately.

C - And in case you didn't miss it, I suggest listening to it again, repetition is imperative when studying a foreign language.

M - And I advise you to always read the transcripts.

***

C - Now, Marta, we'd better take some time in order to thank a lot of people.

M - Definitely.

C - Our podcast has had more than 10.000 downloads in less than 4 months with no promotion at all, just word-of-mouth.

M - It's unbelievable!

C - And we want to send out a big thank you to all our treasured listeners around the world for your continued encouragement, positive energy and support. A very special thanks to those who have contacted us or commented on our episodes on podomatic.com, on our facebook page, on Twitter, on martainnocenti.com, and on iTunes.

M - I'm going to mention a few of you, and please forgive me if I mispronounce your names : thank you Reza, Alice, Muhammad, Sergio Leon, Sung Gyun, Parisa, Mehdi & Laura.

C - And also thanks to Jorge, who suggested talking about phrasal verbs, we will certainly do that soon. And one more thing: if you're on facebook, show us how you listen to your podcast. Take a picture of yourself with your laptop, iPod, or cell phone showing our logo and upload it onto the wall of our facebook page!

M - And remember : we are open to suggestions for new podcast topics!

C - And you know how to make suggestions now, don't you?

M - Yeah! New episodes are coming very soon. Stay tuned!

C - Bye!

********************************************

to TAKE SOMETHING FOR GRANTED : 1. To consider as true, real, or forthcoming; anticipate correctly. 2. To underestimate the value of.

EXAMPLE: My husband takes for granted that his dinner will be ready every evening when he arrives home from work.

WORD OF MOUTH : without any kind formal promotion or advertising, spread only through one person talking to another.

EXAMPLE: In New York City, the reputation of a new restaurant spreads quickly through word of mouth.

to PREVENT SOMEONE FROM DOING SOMETHING : To stop a person from carrying out an action. This could be for many reasons like jealousy or competition, or for the benefit of someone's personal safety.

EXAMPLE: For fear of hurting himself, the grandmother prevented the small child from climbing onto the table.

EXAMPLE: My workmates are very jealous people and do not want me to succeed at my job! They will do anything they can to prevent me from moving up the corporate ladder!

Let's sum up :

- 'you should'

- 'you ought to' (oughta)

- 'if I were you, I would...'

- 'you'd better' (=you had better)

- to make a suggestion, to suggest

To suggest doing something, to suggest something

to suggest that you do something

- to make a recommendation , to recommend

To recommend doing something, to recommend something

to recommend that you do something

- to give advice, to give a piece of advice, to advise

To advise someone on something, to advise someone to do something

To advise against something

********************************

our soundtrack : THE FIRE (rock band)

www.thefiremusic.com

www.myspace.com/thefirerock

www.facebook.com/pages/The-Fire/44318637834

M - So, today we’re going to talk about SAFETY!

C - We’re talking about safety today?!

M - Yes, Cindy. Safety, specifically traveler’s safety and health issues.

C - But we usually talk about fun stuff, why did you choose such a DOWNER of a topic?

M - Because this may be an important concern for our listeners visiting America. They may need some POINTERS on how to express their needs.

C - You’re right. Summer is a very popular vacation time for tourists. So where do we begin?

M - Let’s start with nine one one.

C - Good idea. 9-1-1. Everybody write it down if you must because this is a very important number to remember. If you have an emergency while in America you can dial the numbers 9-1-1 for assistance. Tell the operator your location – your address- and what the problem is and they will send the appropriate assistance, i.e.: an ambulance, the police or fire truck.

M - And can you give our listeners some examples of what would constitute a 911 emergency?

C - Sure. And let me say I hope there is no need for anyone to ever call 911. I hope everyone has a happy and healthy stay in America. Some examples of a 911 emergency would be a serious health issue- like a heart attack or SEIZURE, an automobile accident -with injuries, or a fire just to name a few.

M - So remember the phone number 911 and write it down somewhere to help you remember.

C - What else?

M - PRESCRIPTION MEDICATIONS ?

C - Prescription medications are medicines that have been prescribed by a doctor. You can easily buy general pain medicines and stomach and cold remedies in America ‘’OVER THE COUNTER’’. That is to say you do not need a doctor’s prescription. But if you’re on more serious medication for example for high blood pressure, diabetes , cholesterol or heart medication that requires a doctor’s prescription and cannot be purchased without one.

M - For travelers to the US, be sure to keep all your prescription medications in the original bottles.

C - Yes, because if you need to refill your medicine while in the US, then the doctor can easily see what you need and refill accordingly.

M - And what about accidents?

C - Accidents do happen, no matter how well prepared you are. It happened to my aunt last year in Rome, on her very first day of a 10 day European tour she slipped and fell down a small staircase.

M - Oh no! Did she break a bone?

C - No, thankfully nothing was broken, but she did sprain her ankle. A SPRAIN happens when a joint is suddenly stressed or twisted beyond its normal range of motion. It’s very painful, and may take a while to heal, but nothing is broken.

M - And if someone were to break something while on vacation, what should they do?

C - Oh, hope that doesn’t happen! But if it does, go to a doctor or hospital right away. If the break is serious, then call 911 and ask for an ambulance to drive you to the hospital.

M - And hope to be visited by George Clooney when you get to the E.R. !!

C - You may have a longer wait than usual, I've been told his queue is quite long!

M - well, if George is busy I will settle for Dr House !! Let me add one thing about it: whenever I go to the States I buy a traveler's health insurance.

C - That's a good idea, because health care is very expensive in the States.

M - It's better to check on line or with your insurance company for a traveler's health policy right for you. Ok, let’s talk about something more common like...

C - ….stomach AILMENTS.

M - I think all of us have had this problem at least once in our lives while on vacation.

C - Unfortunately yes, traveler’s DIARRHEA is common no matter where you go in the world. It’s generally safe to eat and drink anywhere in the US, but you may try new foods that just don’t agree with you. If you find yourself with an UPSET STOMACH, and it’s happened to me many times, just go a pharmacy, otherwise known as a drugstore, or any other large store (stores such as Walmart, Kmart, Target, Walgreens, Rite-Aid, grocery -food- stores, Dollar General, Family Dollar, some convenience stores, truck stops, large gas stations and Dollar Tree) and look for brands like Imodium or Pepto-Bismol . These are products in liquid or pill form designed to ease the discomforts of traveler’s belly.

M - That’s good advice. Now what about personal safety? What can we tell our listeners?

C - The most important thing I can stress is to use your common sense as you would anywhere else in the world. When visiting densely populated areas, women keep your handbags zipped and close to you. For men, be sure your wallet is secure. Stay away from the bad parts of town, especially at night. When driving through the city, keep your doors locked. Don’t leave valuables and personal belongings in your car.

M - It’s the same all over the world.

C - All over. Always ask for a credit card receipt with your purchases. Use caution when withdrawing money from an Automated banking machine. In the States they’re abbreviated as ATM’s. And if you're in a bank and you hear someone yell “put your hands up! This is a STICK UP !” well...do as you're told !

M - I surrender, I surrender, don't shoot me!!

C - well, we're just joking around by making movies references, I swear to you in all of my years on this Earth I've never been witness to a bank robbery in the US, and it's not likely to happen to you either.

M - well listeners, it's safe to say that this episode has come to a close.

C - are you ok? No broken bones? No emergencies?

M - I'm ok, but I'm gonna ask Doctor George to give me a CHECK UP anyways...

C - ok and when you're done with that come visit us on podomatic.com, martainnocenti.com, iTunes and facebook. And don't forget to read the transcript.

M - have a nice vacation everyone! see you very very soon ! bye bye!

C - bye bye!

********************************************

DOWNER : Something or someone that brings the mood down. Depressant. Example: The evening news is such a downer! They never talk about happy things.

POINTERS : Tips, advice or useful hints. Example: I'm not a good baseball player, but my brother is helping me bu giving me a few pointers.

SEIZURE: A sudden episode of transient neurologic symptoms such as involuntary muscle movements, sensory disturbances and altered consciousness. A seizure is caused by abnormal electrical activity in the brain.

PRESCRIPTION MEDICATIONS: Medication that have been prescribed by a doctor.

OVER THE COUNTER: buying medicines without a prescription ie: aspirin, common cold medicine etc...

SPRAIN : Sudden twisting or wrenching of a joint causing great pain.

E.R.: Emergency room at the hospital

STOMACH AILMENTS / UPSET STOMACH / DIARRHEA :Common discomforts caused by eating too much or consuming rich, acidic or spicy foods.

ATM: Automated teller machine, Automated banking machine.

STICK UP: A robbery.

CHECK UP : A visit to a doctor to be sure everything is ok. Example: I have a doctor's appointment tomorrow. It's not serious, it's only for my yearly check up.

M - Today we're going to talk about FOOD!

C - Marta, I'm so excited today because we have a returning guest with us. For those of you who missed the last episode about restaurants our friend Christine came in to join us. She's back today to talk about food in America and some of the treasures we have to offer. Now we haven’t TURNED A BLIND EYE TO the fact that there is a lot of bad food in America - bad food that is mass produced, cheap, calorie & fat laden, and nutrient deficient. Obesity is on the rise as well as all the medical complications it brings along with it.

M - It’s a serious problem around the world, not just in America, isn’t it?

C - It’s a very serious epidemic. But today we’re going to discuss the good things America has to offer.

M - Great, because it's true! American food has a bad reputation, but I've travelled all over The States and I've had many memorable meals!

C - Exactly! And that's what we want to talk about today. There is a lot fantastic food out there if you only look beyond the fast food restaurants!

M - I'm getting hungry! Give our guest a microphone and let's get started! And listeners, don't worry if you can't follow along, you'll find useful definitions at the end of our transcript.

C - Christine, will you come in and join us?

M & C - Hi Christine!

Christine - Hi everyone!

C - Now Christine, can you tell us something about yourself and your background? And just to make it clear to our listeners, Christine is American, so her accent is like mine. She speaks American English. Where are you from in The States?

Christine - I grew up in Washington, DC. My father was born in the Democratic Republic of Congo and my mother is Italian-American.

C - yeah, and in the last episode you mentioned your chicken with a peanut sauce and we're still waiting for the recipe.

Christine - well, that's a family secret!

M - Christine, who taught you to cook ?

Christine - the most important influences came from my mother, grandmother and great grandmother. They all taught me that the most important aspects of cooking are the fresh ingredients and the home cooked meals. But I've also had professional training in Paris.

M - Yes, I understand you have studied and worked all over the world?

Christine - Yes, I have travelled a lot. I've had different jobs in bakeries and restaurants, in Boston, Washington D.C.. But my favorite job is teaching English in Italy.

C - I know it's a joy to cook in Italy, but could you tell us about some of your favorite things to eat when you return to The States?

Christine - Of course. I miss a lot of great food from back home in Washington D.C., which is on the Potomac River and this river flows into the Chesapeake Bay. Many names like Potomac and Chesapeake come from the Algonquian people who are a Native American tribe. And this region is also well known for its Blue Crabs and the many farms that grow things like corn, pumpkin, strawberries . On my visits back home one of my favorite things to eat is boiled crabs with plenty of Old Bay seasoning.

C - delicious! But eating crabs is quite time consuming, isn't it?

Christine - It's messy and there's a lot of hard work to crack the crab shells open but well worth it. Crab is a very popular dish and is eaten in many ways, steamed, baked, in soups, crab cakes and dips.

C - My mother used to prepare linguine with crab sauce. She needed to put crabs over pasta so my Sicilian father could identify with it.

Christine - what about you? Where did you grow up?

C - I was born in Connecticut and in that region we’re known for Lobsters, mussels and clams. Clam Chowder is an especially popular soup. There are three main types of Chowder: Boston, Manhattan and Rhode Island style.

Christine - that's New England, but you live in the South now, don't you?

C - yes, and in the South it’s all about the oyster and shrimp. So if you’re visiting the American East Coast down to Florida and on around to the Gulf of Mexico and onto Louisiana, be sure to try the oysters, shrimp and fresh-caught fish.

Christine - I also love to go to local farms for fresh produce. Near my parents' home is a farm called Butler's Orchard. This is a place where you can buy seasonal produce as well as pick-your-own fruit and vegetables. I often go there in the summer to pick strawberries, blueberries, and blackberries. But Butler’s Orchard also sells some really great fruit pies. My favorite is an American classic, Apple Pie.

C - Christine makes a fabulous Apple Pie! And talking about fresh berries, Christine we have to mention Blueberry Pancakes for breakfast prepared with fresh Maine blueberries and served with warm Vermont Maple Syrup. Ahh...that takes me back to my childhood.

M - That all sounds delicious but we should really talk about some of the nationalities that have had their influences on American cuisine.

Christine - America is truly a melting pot of cultures. Where do we begin?

C - Well, we've already mentioned Italian, German and Cuban influences in episode number five. But there's so much more to say. We have Cajun food in Louisiana. It’s heavy on seafood and very spicy. Common dishes include etouffeé, gumbo, boiled crawfish (they look like miniature lobsters), oysters, alligator, shrimp and spicy Boudin sausage.

Christine - And of course barbecuing is also very popular in the U.S.

C - Ribs, chicken, steaks, pork... you name it : we grill it! And since my family is half Eastern European we have to mention Polish Pierogies, stuffed cabbage rolls and Kielbasa which is a type of sausage. Christine, do you know what Pierogi are?

Christine - They’re a type of filled pasta, aren’t they?

C - Exactly, similar to Italian ravioli but thicker, larger and filled with sweet of savory fillings.

M - You have a lot of Mexican food in the U.S. don’t you?

Christine - A large part of the western United States was once owned by Mexico. Over time, the border changed but the influences remained. For a long time we’ve had a hybridized version of Mexican food, a melding of American & Mexican.

C - We’ve had an explosion of Mexican immigrants to the US in the last 10 years or so. This has given a great shot of authenticity to the Mexican food available. And when I’m back in North Carolina, the taco stand is one of the first places I run to!

Christine - Let’s see what else can we talk about? Bagels with cream cheese and smoked salmon!

C - Yum! A Jewish influence. Can you explain what a bagel is?

Christine - yeah, it's bread that's first boiled then baked.

C - and Christine what about the Amish? They're a well known group of people because of their food.

Christine - they're a protestant religious group that is famous for baked goods like pies, cakes and bread. My mom and I in the summer go to a local Amish market in Maryland.

C - And listeners, if you’re planning a trip to New York or Los Angeles it’s safe to say you will be able to find a restaurant offering up pretty much any cuisine you’re looking for.

Christine - We could go on for days...

C - So true, and we haven’t even scratched the surface! There’s still Chinese, South American, Indian, Spanish, Greek, Russian, South East Asia and the Middle East to talk about! We haven’t forgotten you! So I hope you will join us in the future to discuss this topic a little further.

M - Girls, this has been a lot of fun. Thank you for taking us beyond the hamburger. I hope our listeners have learned a little something about American food today, I know I have. Christine it’s been a pleasure and I hope you’ll come back to talk with us soon?

Christine - Thank you, ladies. It’s been fun and I’d love to join you again.

C - Well, we'll see you again soon! And to all our listeners living around the world, a big thanks to each and every one of you for your support.

M - Thank you very much for listening! And remember that you can find us on iTunes, on podomatic.com, on martainnocenti.com and on facebook, we have a facebook page you can visit. We'll see you soon!

C - Bye bye!

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TAG QUESTIONS : we used a lot of tag questions during this conversation! Tag questions are short questions added to the end of a positive or negative statement. For Example: He is, isn’t he?....He will, won’t he? ***

'It’s a serious problem around the world, not just in America, isn’t it?' :

This question prompts the speaker to elaborate further on the question. If someone says simply : “It’s a serious problem around the world, not just in America.’’ then this is a statement. But when “isn’t it?” is added to the end it becomes a tag question and further discussion is prompted.

'Eating crabs is quite time consuming, isn't it?' *

'You live in the South now, don't you? ' * 'They’re a type of filled pasta, aren’t they?' *

'You have a lot of Mexican food in the U.S. don’t you?' ***

TO TURN A BLIND EYE TO : to ignore something, to pretend you don't see it.

For Example: She’s turned a blind eye to the fact she is failing at university.

Foods that we mentioned in this episode:

SEAFOOD : Lobsters, mussels, clams, oysters, shrimps, crabs, crawfish.

MEAT : Ribs, chicken, steaks, pork, kielbasa (polish sausage), alligator.

VEGETABLES: Pumpkin, corn, sauerkraut (cabbage), potatoes (potato salad)

PASTA: Pierogies, linguine.

FRUIT: strawberries, blueberries, blackberries.

BAKED GOODS : bread, pies, cakes, bagels, pancakes.

Methods of preparing food: steaming, baking, boiling, grilling, frying, or raw (uncooked).

M - Today we're going to talk about RESTAURANTS !

M - Cindy, let’s give our listeners a general overview of what a restaurant experience could be like for them in America.

C - Good idea. Well, in your average American restaurant there is a hostess that will greet you at the entrance and ask the question: ‘’How many in your party?’’

M - ...what?

C - meaning: how many people are in your group? Sometimes there will be a long wait for a table. Some restaurants will give you a small electronic device to hold until your table is ready. It will flash or vibrate when a space opens up. Or they may just suggest you relax in the bar with a drink until your name is called.

M - And then the hostess will walk you to your table. Sometimes they will tell you the name of your SERVER tonight, and that he or she will be right with you.

C - And generally the server will ask you immediately what you would like to drink. You can ask for a moment to think it over. The usual drinks are coffee, sodas (regular & diet) large or small, milk, tea, and water. In some restaurants you can have alcohol like beer, wine or a cocktail along with your meal.

M - and I noticed you're always refilling your drinks! Like water, sodas, even coffee. My glass was never empty.

C – I know, we give FREE REFILLS, it's a great country, isn't it?

M - yeah!

C - Actually it's not true for all restaurants, but the free refill does happen quite often.

M - And in my experience, the drinks are always filled to the top with ice! That may seem strange to foreign travelers.

C - You’re right. It’s common, but you can politely ask for little or no ice in your drink.

M - And not long after the drink order is placed, a basket of bread with butter arrives at your table.

C - Avoid eating the bread, if you’re on a diet! Your server may ask you something confusing like ‘’What can I start you off with tonight?’’

M - ….what...?

C - This means ‘’what would you like for your APPETIZER ?’’ That’s the STARTER, or the first course.

M - You may want to even skip the appetizer because in The States, the ENTREE or MAIN COURSE often comes with a salad and side items. Not to mention the portions can be huge.

C - True. But don't worry because you can always take the LEFTOVERS home in a DOGGY BAG.

M - oh, Cindy, you know what was confusing to me ? The DRESSING ! The waiter asking me “how do you want it dressed?” and I was like “what do you mean?”

C - Dressings are oil and vinegar based sauces poured over a salad to make it more flavorful. Some common salad dressings are Blue Cheese, Italian, French, Thousand Island and Ranch. I always keep it simple and ask for just oil & vinegar.

M - And I remember hearing about specials. Could you explain them?

C - Sure. HOUSE SPECIALS are featured meals for that evening. They may be REGIONAL SPECIALTIES, or meals available at a good price, or dishes showcasing what's IN SEASON at the moment.

M - and in case you have specific dietary needs, make sure you know how to communicate this to your server.

C - right, for example you may be INTOLERANT to certain food products, the three most common food ALLERGIES are : milk, nuts and gluten.

M - what if you don't eat meat?

C - you're called a VEGETARIAN; there are different levels of vegetarianism. If you don't eat any animal products you're called a VEGAN.

M - And what if there’s a problem with my food? For instance my steak is not cooked to my preference, the food is cold, or it’s too spicy?

C - No problem, you can politely send it back to the kitchen. Most restaurants will try hard to keep the customer happy and bring you something you will enjoy.

M - Okay, so now we’ve had our bread, starter/appetizer, a salad, a main course, drink and now it’s time for...

C - Dessert! Desserts are rich and delicious in The States, and again portions may be big so you may want to share a plate between two people.

M - would you like to share one with me?

C - Sure!

M - I remember during my trip to Las Vegas, I saw a lot of restaurants offering ‘’All You Can Eat’’ buffets.

C - Buffets are very common in America. You are encouraged to eat what you like, but not to waste food. And upon each trip to the buffet, you need to take a new clean plate from the buffet and not reuse the old dirty one.

M - Dining in the States is a much shorter, faster experience than in Europe.

C - True. We tend to eat and run. Many servers will leave the bill for the meal on the table while you are still eating dessert!

M - The BILL for meal can also be called a ‘’TAB’’ or a ‘’CHECK’’, right?

C - Right. And if you would like to ask for the bill, you can say ‘’May I have the check please?’’

M - This is where ‘’TIPPING’’ comes into play. We have already talked about tipping in our episode #1 about shopping, but, just in case you have missed it, what is tipping?

C - ‘’Tipping’’ is extra money. It’s not mandatory. It’s a polite and unspoken agreement that acknowledges good service. Servers are paid a reduced wage because they earn tips from customers. A tip is generally %15 percent of your total cost of the meal. A good rule to figure how much you should leave for a tip is to look at your bill, double the tax and leave a bit more or less depending on the quality of service. It’s different for larger parties though. In these cases, the charge will be added directly to your bill.

M - Well Cindy, thank you very much, now I really feel I could handle any conversation in a restaurant.

C - oh, you do, uh?

M - yep. Bring it on!

C - all right, girl. Your table is ready.

M - good, 'cause I'm hungry!

C - Hi welcome to Cindy Family's Restaurant. How many in your party?

M - (….how many in your party...) oh, just two.

C - ok, will that be FOR HERE OR TO GO?

M - I'm sorry? Could you repeat that?

C - for here or to go? Are you eating here or is this a take away?

M - for here.

C - ok, would you like to eat at the bar or have a table?

M - we'd like a table.

C - ok, then I'll get you seated. What would you like to drink?

M – could I have a minute to decide? Thank you.

C - sure, here are the menus to look over and I'll be right back.

M - (ok, I got a minute to think, she speaks fast but I can handle it, I've studied, I listen to my American friend every week.... I can do it, I can do it...)

C - So what have you decided? What can I start you off with tonight?

M - I'm sorry, could you speak more slowly?

C - I'm sorry, what would you like for an appetizer?

M - we'll just have an entree this evening. We'd like a steak.

C - great, how do you like that cooked ?

M - oh, I'm afraid I don't understand.

C - do you prefer your steak cooked RARE, that's red in the middle, or medium or well done?

M - medium is good for both of us. Does it come with a salad?

C - sure it does! There is a salad and your choice of side item, would you like baked potato, fries or steamed vegetables?

M - - baked potato, please.

C - What kind of dressing would you like on your salad?

M - (...dressing, yeah, I know that!) Ranch, please. And we'll have just water to drink. With just a little ice.

C - all right, I'll place your order and it will be out in just a few, enjoy your meals everyone!

M - wow, it ain't easy at all !

C - this is real life, baby!

M - yep!

C - But, seriously, don't feel embarrassed to ask people to repeat themselves or speak more slowly. And your experience will vary from place to place. There are generally three levels of dining in America: 1 Fast Food restaurants, 2 Family Restaurants and lastly Fine Dining establishments. Personally, I do most of my dining at the first two!

M - and you can find any kind of ethnic cuisine

C - because we're a melting pot! The immigrants coming to the States brought their own customs with them, a lot of different flavors from all over the world.

M - and that's what we are going to discuss with a special guest today!

C- our other American friend!

M & C- Hi Christine!

M- Christine, thank you so much for joining us today.

Christine - Thank you ladies for having me.

M - Christine, could you please introduce yourself to our listeners?

Christine - Sure my name is Christine, and I’m an American, I grew up on the East coast of the United States in Washington DC.

C - And I know we have something in common in that each of us has one parent who was not born in the US. My father was born in Sicily and my mother is of Eastern European descent. How about you?

Christine - My father was born in the Democratic Republic of Congo and came to the U.S. as a graduate student. This is when he met and married my mom who is Italian-American.

C - We ate pasta 5 nights a week! What did you eat when you were growing up?

Christine - Our family table had both influences from the Congolese and the Italian-American side. We ate pasta as well as a chicken made with peanut sauce from the Congo.

C - Delicious! America is really a melting pot. People have settled here from the four corners of the globe. So if you think that we’re all sitting around eating hamburgers & fries- you’re wrong, because America’s cuisine today is much more complex than that. That said, there’s nothing bad about the occasional burger and fries!

Christine - In fact, many immigrants brought RECIPES from home and had to adapt to what foods they could find in America.

M - So what can our listeners find to eat when they visit America?

C - Well in large cities, like Los Angeles and New York, anything. You can literally find any kind of ethnic cuisine you desire.

Christine - Authentic Mexican food is found virtually all over the United States. And we also have sushi from Japan. You can easily find a sushi restaurant...or buy small takeaway trays of sushi in large supermarkets.

C - Italy, mainly southern Italy has had a huge influence on the north east of America. We have many people of Sicilian or Neapolitan descent living there, and as a result you can find excellent pizza & pasta dishes. And if you happen to find an Italian delicatessen, stop in and buy a takeaway. You won’t be disappointed!

Christine - The Germans have had a big influence too! They brought sausages, hot dogs, sauerkraut made of cabbage, potato salad and even pretzels! What would an American picnic be without hotdogs and potato salad?

C - You’re right! Thank you Germany! Ok, what else? What about Caribbean food? There are lots of Puerto Ricans living in New York and Cubans in Miami. Marta, you had wonderful Cuban food in Miami last year, didn’t you?

M - Yeah, for example I had fried yuca sticks and salads with tropical fruits and avocado.

And also the Lechon Asado, that is roast pork marinated in tasty tropical spices.

Christine - wow! there are so many delicious influences to talk about! We need to discuss the Native American influences as well.

M - You’re right. Christine will you come back next time so we can discuss this topic a little more in depth? We’ve left out so much. And besides...our listeners may be hungry now?

Christine - I’d love to.

C - That’s settled then. Thank you so much for taking the time out of your busy schedule today. We’ll see you again soon?

Christine - Ok, great.

C - Bye Christine!

Christine - Bye!

M - that's all for now, now you're ready for a great dinner, so ENJOY YOUR MEAL !

C - Can I have SECONDS ?

M - No, Cindy, it's over, I'm sorry.

C - ok, but if you listeners would like to have seconds, you can find us on podomatic.com, on iTunes, on martainnocenti.com, and on our Facebook page, just do a web search for 'my American friend podcast', we're everywhere!

M - bye bye!

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SERVER : a waiter or a waitress. Person who serves food and drink.

FREE REFILLS : Beverages that can be filled up again and again at no cost. Note: you will have to pay full price for the first glass, but each refilling after that is without cost for the duration of you meal.

STARTER/APPETIZER : A small course of food served before the main meal. Usually salty, starchy or sweet in flavor and intended to entice your appetite.

MAIN COURSE / ENTREE : Your main plate of the entire dinner, usually consisting of a protein (meat), a starch (potato or bread) and a vegetable.

LEFTOVERS: Food you haven't finished

DOGGY BAG :The bag or box used to bring leftover food home.

DRESSING : The ''sauce'' poured over a salad to make it more appetizing. Usually oil & vinegar based with additional mustard, mayonnaise or spices added.

HOUSE SPECIALS : Featured meals for the evening, sometimes at a discounted price.

REGIONAL SPECIALTIES: Foods typical of a region, state or city.

TO BE IN SEASON: Foods at their peak of perfection. For Example: Watermelon is in season during the summer months.

TO BE INTOLERANT TO / TO BE ALLERGIC TO : Foods that are an irritant to your body in some way causing you to become ill.

VEGETARIAN : A person that eats no meat, but maybe eggs, cheese or butter.

VEGAN : A person who eats no animal derived products at all.

BILL / TAB / CHECK : The total cost of your meal, written or printed on a piece of paper.

TIPPING : Extra money given in appreciation of good service. Some restaurants will allow you to add the ''tip'' to your credit card. Most people leave it directly on the table in cash or coins at the end of the meal when they leave. A ''tip'' is usually 15% of the total bill. Less or more depending on the quality of service.

FOR HERE OR TO GO : Meaning ''will you be eating your meal inside the restaurant? or taking it boxed up to go (a take away)?

RARE / MEDIUM / WELL DONE STEAK : Duration of cooking applied to the steak. RARE: brown on the outside, but still bloody and red inside. MEDIUM: Brown on the outside, but still pink and juicy on the inside. WELL DONE: Steak lovers feel this is overcooked meat. The steak is brown throughout, has lost much of its moisture and can be quite tough.

RECIPE : the instructions and ingredient list for preparing a specific dish.


ENJOY YOUR MEAL ! : Bon Appetit! (French) Buon Appetito! (Italian). Phrase said at the beginning of the meal wishing the diner a pleasant experience. 


TO HAVE SECONDS : To have a second serving of a specific food or dish. For Example: teenage boys eat a lot when they are growing up, and they will often have seconds.. or even third helpings of food!

M - Hi Cindy!

C - Hi Marta! This is a new short episode about dating, let's call it the B-Side of dating, does that sound good?

M – Great, we're going to talk with a couple of friends today about their dating experiences.

C – Have you found some MOVERS AND SHAKERS ? People who really HAVE THEIR FINGER ON THE PULSE of the dating scene?

M – well...they have a pulse. First off, I think it's a good idea to get a teenager's point of view on dating today.

C - Oh good, are we going to talk to Ashley?

M - Yes, providing that she can hear her phone ring above her iPod blowing out what's left of her eardrums.

Hello, Ashley?

Ashley - ''Hold on....yeah, I'll have a double mango smoothie to go.''

M - Ashley, are you at the mall again? I thought you had maxed out your credit card?

A - Marta? Is that you?

M - Yes, dear.... turn off the music...

A - What?

M - Turn off the music or I'm hanging up now!''

A - Okaaaaayyy, but KILLER SONG right?

M - Yes, Ashley. I don't know if I'd call it music but...

A - ...you look pretty on your website. I showed all my friends. We loooooooove your eyeshadow. Where did you get it?

M - Ashley, you can't spend any more money. Honey, we wanted to talk to you about dating. Do you have any advice for us?

A - Debbie is a SKANK.

M - Ok, and by ''skank'' you mean a girl of low moral values?

A - I mean Debbie the Skank. She talks bad about my best friend Kellie, like, all the time.

M - What happened, Ashley?

A - I don't want to talk about it.

M - Oh, come on.

A - No.

M - ok, I'll buy you that eye shadow you wanted.

A - OK, Debbie is such a skank. She like totally stole Kellie's boyfriend and I'm all like :''You should kick her ass!'' And I'm all like : “Whatever” And she's all like : ''Whatever'' and I'm like ''Yeah...

Cindy - Is that your office phone ringing?

M - Yes, hold on Ashley, let's see who it is... Hello? This is Marta Innocenti...

Debbie - Girl you don't know me! You don't know me! Call me a skank!

M - Debbie is that you?

D - that's right. Damn! Put me on! I wanna talk to her!

M - Ashley, we have Debbie on the line now and I'm putting her through.

D - Girl, you don't know me!

A - I know you're a skank. Oh excuse me- a girl of low-moral value! You stole Kellie's boyfriend, right before prom!

D - That's right, and I'll get your man too if you keep SCARFING DOWN those double mango smoothies. Because let's face it, you're looking a little CHUBBY !

A - Oh no you didn't just go there!

D - That's right, that's right! I did! What? what?

M - I can't take it any more

Cindy - ...did you just hang up on them?

M - yeah, of course!

C - ...Awesome!

M - Ashley forgot to mention that she stole Debbie's boyfriend last year over Spring Break in Cancun.

C - oh, the drama!

M - All right, let's move on. So today we've heard a teenager's perspective on dating.

C - Right. Debbie is a skank.

M - that's it.

C - Do you think they're still arguing?

M - Well, probably... especially if Ashley's father is still paying for her cell phone bill.

So Cindy, I think we should provide our listeners with a little ''old school'' dating advice now.

C - Oh no, who else have you found?

Barb - Hello!

M - Barb?

B - Hey, Y'all quit that. I can't hear nothin'. Y'all I'm on the phone!

M - Hello Barb, dear, it's Marta...Marta Innocenti.

B - Hold on darlin'...let me step out the trailer...Marta, is that you darlin'?

M - Yes, Barb...it's me!

B - Oh hey, Darlin'! How y'all doin? y'all doin alright?

M - We're great Barb! What's going on there? I hear a party!

B - Oh we's having a high ol' time. Britney LeeAnne Jr. done had a little junior of her own. He's so precious. I'm a grandmama now!

M - Wow ! Congratulations, Barb!

B - Thank you, darlin! What y'all up to today? You still working with that ugly old Yankee?

M - ...you mean, Cindy? Well, she went out for coffee.

B - Well, be sure to lock the door behind her.

M - Barb, we're doing a show today on dating, and we wanted to get some of your advice.

B - Aww suge (short for ''sugar'' a term of endearment), at was a long time ago. I'm a grandmama now. I can't hardly remember back that far!

M - Oh come on, Barb...what was it like when you first met your husband? On your first date?

B - Aw darlin' That's REDNECK love baby. We do things a little differently here in the South.

M - What happened? What was the one line that ignited the flames of passion?

B - Flames of Passion??....oh, damn… : 'Get in the truck, bitch!'

M - Barb, that's horrible !!!!! No man should ever talk to a woman like that! I can't believe you let him speak to you in that degrading way!

B - Oh hell, suge...that's what I said to him!

M - what you said to him!....Barb, we love you!

B - I love you too, darlin. But I got to run now. Y'all take care, be good and come see us some time!

M- Bye Barb!

B - Bye darlin'.

Cindy - ...Here's your coffee.

M- thank you Cindy.

C - Marta where do you find these people? Have you got some sort of Crazy Phone book to call. The Yellow Pages of Crazy?

M – kind of crazy, but, you know, it's useful to listen to a language as it's spoken on the street, because there is no text book that can prepare you for every day language complete with regional accent and slang words.

C – fair enough.

M – well folks, that's all for now. you can reach us on podomatic.com and on martainnocenti.com and on iTunes. Don't forget to read the transcripts of each episode!

C - and come visit us on facebook too! on the 'my American friend - podcast” page.

M - Thank you for listening!

C - Bye-bye!

*********

MOVERS AND SHAKERS : People with influence. Example: I’m attending a very important charity dinner tonight in Washington D.C. to benefit the American Red Cross. There will be many “movers and shakers’’ of the American political arena there this evening.’’

HAVE THEIR FINGER ON THE PULSE OF... : To have a deep understanding of something. Example: “He’s a very famous club dj (disc jockey) in America. He’s got his finger on the pulse of the music scene.’’

KILLER SONG : A great song.

SKANK : Offensive slang term used to describe a girl of low moral value/prostitute/hooker. Technically not a curse word, but still very offensive. Be careful how you use it. Maybe best not used at all.

SCARFING DOWN : Eating fast. Example: “Those teenage boys must be very hungry! Look at the way they’re scarfing down those hamburgers!’’

CHUBBY : Fat.

REDNECK : Merriam Webster dictionary defines redneck as: sometimes disparaging: a white member of the Southern rural laboring class.