028_Songs_and_Slang

028_Songs_and_Slang

Nichibei student Ureo asks about three English slang expressions. ‘Raise the roof’, ‘tag along’ and ‘in a funk’. Gretchen VanCleave steps in to answer Ureo’s questions.

Kevin:

Hello everyone and welcome to Nichibei Kaiwa Gakuin Podcasting. A great way to review English words and phrases. My name is Kevin Jones. I’m here today with Nichibei student Ureo. Ureo? Ureo we’re recording. Ureo! headphones off! It’s time to do this.

Ureo:

Oh! sorry. Hi Kevin, how are you doing.

Kevin:

Not bad, what are you listening to, anyway.

Ureo:

Hip Hop and rap, mostly, but I listen to anything actually.

Kevin:

Ureo, you’re in the SIC program here at Nichibei, right?.

Ureo:

Yeah,That’s right.

Kevin:

What can you tell us about the SIC program?

Ureo:

SIC is a two year program with classes five days a week.

Kevin:

You’re in the daytime SIC program?

Ureo:

Yeah, that’s right. But there’s also an evening program.

Kevin:

So Ureo, what question do you have for this episode.

Ureo:

Well it’s about music actually, I study the words….

Kevin:

The lyrics…

Ureo:

Yeah, I study the lyrics. But rap music uses a lot of slang that’s hard to understand.

Kevin:

So you’d like us to help you with some of the English slang you’ve found in the lyrics.

Ureo:

Yeah, please.

Kevin:

Luckily,we also have with us today, Nichibei instructor Ms. Gretchen VanCleave. Hello Gretchen.

Gretchen VanCleave:

Hello Kevin.

Kevin:

Gretchen, I’m sure you can help Ureo with his questions. You’re a bit of a expert on American slang, aren’t you.

Gretchen VanCleave:

Well, I don’t know about that, but I’m sure I can help him out. OK Ureo, What have you got?

Ureo:

The first one is raise the roof.

Gretchen VanCleave:

Oh that’s easy. It means to have a good time and make a lot of noise. You see, a roof covers a house and sometimes at a really good party, you can be making so much noise that it seems like the roof is going to blow off the house. That’s raising the roof!

Kevin:

How about an example sentence Gretchen.

Gretchen VanCleave:

Sure, how about, ‘We’re going to raise the roof tonight at Kentaro’s house party!’

Kevin:

Good one Gretchen. So how’s that Ureo?

Ureo:

Cool, I like that one.

Gretchen VanCleave:

What’s the next Ureo?

Ureo:

Ok, my next one is tag along.

Gretchen VanCleave:

(thoughtfully) Tag along…..Well, A ‘tag’ is a piece of paper that hangs off of something – for example, there is a ‘tag’ on a new pair of sunglasses to tell you how much they cost. ‘Along’ means to go with somebody but to follow their lead, to ‘hang’ on them as they go about their plans.

Keivn:

Let’s have an example sentence.

Gretchen VanCleave:

Let’s see, how about this. ‘So, you’re going shopping in Omotesando? Do you mind if I tag along?’

Kevin:

Not at all Gretchen, let’s go!

Ureo:

Great. I got it. Do you have time for another one?

Gretchen VanCleave:

Sure, I’m fine. Kevin?

Kevin:

No problem Ureo. Go ahead.

Ureo:

This one is in a funk, is that from ‘funk music’?

Gretchen VanCleave:

No, this funk means sad or depressed so in a funk means in a state of depression.

Kevin:

And an example sentence would be?

Gretchen VanCleave:

An example sentence, After Japan lost the soccer match, Kentaro was in a funk for two days.

Ureo:

Ok thanks. I understand.

Kevin:

OK! that’s all the time we have for this episode. Gretchen, thanks so much for you help.

Gretchen VanCleave:

It was my pleasure.

Ureo:

Well, thanks to both of you. That’ll really help me enjoy my music much more.
Now, if you’ll excuse me, I’ve got some music to listen to.

Kevin:

Now, let’s review the phrases from this episode. ‘Raise the roof’, we raised the roof at the party last night. ‘Tag along’, ‘You’re going to Tokyu Hands? can I tag along?’ And ‘in a funk’ ‘I didn’t pass my Japanese language test, so I’m in a funk’.

END