Pronouncing 'T' in American English
/Our learners are shocked to learn that American English has three different ways to pronounce 't'! Listen closely to hear the differences.
Microaggressions
/Microaggressions happen every day in the workplace. They are behaviors and words by mostly well-intended people who do not know they are offending co-workers from non-dominant groups (like people of color, women, LGBTQ folks, people with disabilities, older workers, and others). Here we talk about the cumulative effects of microaggressions and how to guard against them to create a respectful work environment for all.
Pronouncing -ed
/Most international students are shocked to find that the past tense (-ed) in English has three different pronunciations. Alan gives examples and explains why it's important to get this right.
Gizmos and Thingamabobs
/What do you call an object that you don't know the name for? Alan gives several common and informal expressions that every learner of American English should know.
Reduplications
/What is reduplication, and why do we repeat ourselves? Alan takes a fun look at linguistic repetition.
Short and Sweet
/American English is full of short ways of saying things. From ASAP and op-ed to NAFTA and CalTech, Americans love using abbreviations in everyday speech. Alan gives examples of abbreviations, initialisms, and acronyms, with a quiz at the end of the video. Can you guess all ten?
People on the Move
/Many of our viewers are confused by the various names they hear about newcomers to the United States – immigrant, expatriate, refugee, migrant, and so on. Here we take some time to talk about the technical vocabulary around those global people on the move.
Civil Discourse on the Internet
/The internet serves many functions: entertainment, education, communication, and more. When it devolves into knee-jerk rudeness, it ceases to serve us and acts instead as an echo chamber of anger and snark. Here we make a plea for all who view our videos to engage civilly. You don't have to agree with us, but we ask you disagree in ways that can stretch us to think in new ways and not to entrench ourselves deeper into antagonistic sniping.
Defending DACA: Why We Must Protect the Dreamers
/In this editorial, we take a look at the 500-year history of immigration in North America and why it is imperative to protect the 800,000 Dreamers living and working in the United States.
Prejudice vs. Racism in the U.S.
/In my seminars, white participants often ask, "Is it possible for people of color to be racist?" The short answer is NO. The longer answer entails looking at definitions and five centuries of racialized history in the U.S.
Africa is Not a Country
/What's wrong with this statement? "The university has study-abroad programs in Japan, Mexico, France, and Africa." The answer is that Africa is not a country; it's an entire continent! Learn the basics here.
Here are the 54 countries of Africa: http://www.worldometers.info/geography/how-many-countries-in-africa/.
Non-Verbal Expressions
/Would you know what I meant if I said “oops!”? What about “uh-oh!”? Sometimes, Americans use words that aren’t really words to communicate basic thoughts. Today’s video teaches you seven non-verbal expressions that you will hear from your neighbors and co-workers on a regular basis.
Small Talk Do's and Don'ts
/What is acceptable to talk about in your culture? Did you know there are different rules about conversation topics, depending on where you live and which culture you live in? Here we give tips for U.S. newcomers so they won't irritate their American friends and co-workers.
Freertago?
/In their daily interactions, Americans speak very quickly. For example, fast food workers say things like, "Freertago?" If you're not prepared, you may not understand what they're asking you. Alan gives several examples of fast speech in English.
Verbs of Un-Doing
/What happens if you make a mistake? Can you fix it? Can you take it back? Sometimes you can...with verbs of un-doing. Here is how.
Note: When we add the optional preposition “up” to the verb, it gives a sense of completeness, a sense of doing something “up” to 100% fullness.
Reason or Result?
/English learners often say things wrong like:
"I am interesting in American football." or: "The meeting was very bored this afternoon."
Find out why they're wrong and how to fix them with this simple grammar explanation.
American Obituaries
/When people die, what should you do? One of the first things to do is to read for basic information about the deceased in an obituary. Here we give details about the information that is contained in an American obituary and what they mean.
Knowing Your Neighbors
/Knowing your neighbors is a good idea in the United States. There are practical, social reasons for this. There are also language reasons.