045_Memory_Phrases

045_Memory_Phrases

In this episode, Nichibei Student Yoshie ask about the phrase ‘jog your memory’. Instructor Glenn Evanish explains and gives her some additional memory phrases.

Kevin:

Hello everyone and welcome back to Nichibei Kaiwa Gakuin Podcasting. A great way to review English words and phrases. My name is Kevin Jones. This week, we have a question from Nichibei student Yoshie. Hi Yoshie.

Yoshie:

Hi Kevin.

Kevin:

And here to help us out with that question is Nichibei instructor Glenn Evanish. How are you doing today?

Glenn Evanish:

Very well thank you.

Kevin:

Yoshie, you’re studying in the 6S program right? Which is a 6 month program, Monday thru Friday.

Yoshie:

That’s right.

Kevin:

What do you like about the 6S program?

Yoshie:

I think a big point is the class size is good. So we get to communicate with the teachers a lot. I like the fact that we have to speak English all the time. That helps a lot.

Kevin:

So, it sound like your classes are going well.

Yoshie:

Oh yes, very well.

Kevin Great, now let’s move on to your question for this episode.

Yoshie:

OK.

Kevin:

So Yoshie, you know Glenn.

Yoshie:

Yes of course.

Glenn Evanish:

What question do you have today.

Yoshie:

Well, I was talking to an old friend from the US, and she said that she was going to get married to Thomas. She said, “You remember Thomas don’t you?”

I said I didn’t. So she showed me a picture and said, “Maybe this will jog your memory”. I looked at the picture and I did remember him. Anyway, I was very curious about the phrase JOG YOUR MEMORY. This means to help you remember, right?

Glenn Evanish:

That’s exactly right.

Yoshie:

Why ‘jog’?

Glenn Evanish:

Jog means to give something a small push. So to jog someone’s memory means to give them a little push so that they can remember. You could also say refresh instead of jog.

Yoshie:

Let me refresh your memory?

Glenn Evanish:

Good.

Yoshie:

Could you make another example sentence?

Glenn Evanish:

Sure. Last night I saw the movie Romeo and Juliet and it jogged my memory of my first girlfriend.

Yoshie:

OK.

Glenn Evanish:

Just about anything can jog your memory. A movie, a place, a smell…

Yoshie:

It jogged my memory. Can I say “please jog my memory”?

Glenn Evanish:

Sure that sounds fine.

Yoshie:

I like that phrase. Mr. Glenn Evanish, do you know any other memory phrases?

Glenn Evanish:

Sure, there are many. For example, ‘if my memory serves me well’.

Yoshie:

If my memory serves me well?

Glenn Evanish:

If some asked me if I remember the the prime minister before Yasuhiro Nakasone, I could say Well, if my memory serves me well, that was Zenko Suzuki.

Yoshie:

OK

Glenn Evanish:

Let me give you one more common phrase.

Yoshie:

Sure.

Glenn Evanish:

This one is ‘in recent memory’ it means in our lifetime.
For example, ‘the typhoon this year was the worst in recent memory’. Now, can you try a using this phrase?

Yoshie:

This year’s Bonenkai was the best in recent memory.

Glenn Evanish:

Good, that sounded fine.

Yoshie:

Well thanks for your help

Glenn Evanish:

Your welcome.

Yoshie:

And you too Kevin.

Kevin:

My pleasure.
Now let’s review the memory phrases used in this episode.
Let me jog your memory.
Let me refresh your memory
Please jog my memory
if my memory serves me well
in recent memory
The typhoon this year was the worst in recent memory

END