Talking at the table ⏲️ 6 Minute English
Summary
TLDRIn this episode of BBC Learning English's '6 Minute English', hosts Neil and Beth explore the social dynamics and etiquette of the dinner table, focusing not on the food but on the conversations that take place. They discuss the importance of the dinner table as a gathering place for families to connect, share stories, and sometimes even meet significant others. The program also touches on how people may feel the need to conform to certain roles within a group and the importance of being oneself. Listeners are introduced to the concept of taking labels 'with a pinch of salt', meaning to be skeptical of assigned roles. The evolution of dinner table interactions is highlighted, noting the shift from children being expected to be 'seen and not heard' to a more open and questioning environment. The episode includes a quiz question about the world record for setting a dinner table and concludes with a recap of the vocabulary introduced, such as 'open up', 'mixed bag', and 'culture shock'. The hosts invite listeners to explore other BBC podcasts for further language learning opportunities.
Takeaways
- 🍽️ The dinner table is a significant place for family interaction and communication, often the only time when family members gather to chat.
- 🗣️ Eating together can be a comforting ritual, providing an opportunity for children to open up about their day or any concerns.
- 🏆 In 2016, a German couple set a world record for setting a dinner table in just one minute and five seconds.
- 🤔 Philippa Perry suggests that we should be ourselves and not get too attached to the roles we are assigned within a group, such as being the 'funny one' or the 'wise one'.
- 🧂 Taking labels with a 'pinch of salt' means being skeptical about the roles and expectations others have of you, and not to take them too seriously.
- 📚 Historically, children were often expected to be quiet and well-behaved at the dinner table, sometimes even seated separately from adults.
- 👵 Ambreia Meadows-Fernandez notes that older generations may find it a culture shock when children freely ask questions at the dinner table, as they were raised with stricter norms.
- 🎭 A 'mixed bag' refers to a situation that includes both positive and negative aspects, which can describe the reaction of older generations to children's behavior at the table.
- 🌐 'Culture shock' is the feeling of uncertainty and disorientation experienced when one is in a new or unfamiliar environment.
- 📈 The dinner table has evolved over time, with changes in how children are expected to behave and interact with adults.
- 📚 Learning new vocabulary related to social interactions at the dinner table can enhance communication skills and cultural understanding.
Q & A
What is the main topic of discussion in the 'Six Minute English' programme from BBC Learning English?
-The main topic of discussion is the dinner table, focusing on the conversations and social interactions that occur around it rather than the food itself.
Why was eating at the table an important ritual for Neil when he was younger?
-Eating at the table was an important ritual for Neil because it was the only time the family could get together and chat, providing a comforting experience of eating good food with close family members.
What does Beth suggest about the roles people adopt in different social groups?
-Beth suggests that people tend to find a role in any group they are part of, and these roles can change when interacting with different groups. For instance, someone might be seen as the 'funny one' in one group and the 'wise one' in another.
What does the idiom 'take something with a pinch of salt' imply?
-The idiom 'take something with a pinch of salt' implies that one should be skeptical and not believe or accept everything they are told or expected to do without question.
How has the interaction at the dinner table evolved over time, according to the script?
-Interactions at the dinner table have evolved from a more formal and hierarchical structure, where children were sometimes separated from adults and expected to be quiet and well-behaved, to a more open and egalitarian setting where children are encouraged to ask questions and engage in conversation.
What does the term 'mixed bag' refer to?
-A 'mixed bag' refers to a situation or a set of circumstances that includes both positive and negative aspects.
What was the world record for the fastest time to set a dinner table achieved by a couple from Germany in 2016?
-The world record for the fastest time to set a dinner table was one minute and five seconds.
What does the phrase 'Children should be seen and not heard' imply?
-The phrase 'Children should be seen and not heard' is an old-fashioned expression that suggests children should be quiet, well-behaved, and not participate actively in adult conversations.
What does the term 'culture shock' mean in the context of the script?
-In the context of the script, 'culture shock' refers to the feeling of disorientation or uncertainty one experiences when encountering a new or different environment, particularly when it comes to social norms and behaviors.
What advice does Philippa Perry give regarding the roles people assign to themselves within a family?
-Philippa Perry advises that if someone feels they are assigned a role in their family, they should take that label with a pinch of salt, meaning they should not rigidly define themselves by that role or let it limit their behavior in other social settings.
What is the significance of discussing new vocabulary in the 'Six Minute English' programme?
-Discussing new vocabulary in the programme helps learners to expand their English language skills by introducing them to words and phrases that are relevant to the topic at hand, in this case, the social dynamics and interactions at the dinner table.
What other podcasts are suggested for listeners of 'Six Minute English' who want to learn more English?
-For listeners interested in learning more English, the script suggests trying 'News Review', where English is learned from news headlines, or 'Office English', which focuses on the English needed in a work environment.
Outlines
🍽️ Dinner Table Conversations and Dynamics
This paragraph introduces the topic of the video, which is centered around the social interactions that occur at the dinner table, rather than the food itself. It discusses the various scenarios that can unfold during dinner, such as gossip, arguments, or storytelling. The hosts, Neil and Beth, share personal experiences about family dinners and the importance of these gatherings for communication within the family. The paragraph also poses a question about a world record related to setting a dinner table and mentions the significance of behaving authentically in social settings, as advised by psychotherapist Philippa Perry. It touches on the idea of individuals finding different roles in various groups and the importance of not strictly adhering to these roles. Changes in dinner table interactions over time are also briefly mentioned, with a hint towards historical expectations for children's behavior.
📚 Recap and Additional Resources
The second paragraph serves as a recap of the key vocabulary and concepts discussed in the video. It defines terms such as 'open up', which means to speak more easily about concerns, and 'mixed bag', which refers to a situation with both positive and negative aspects. The paragraph also revisits the question about the world record for setting a dinner table, confirming the answer as one minute and five seconds. It concludes with an invitation for viewers to join future episodes of '6 Minute English' for more vocabulary and ends with a goodbye. Additionally, it promotes other BBC Learning English podcasts, such as 'News Review' and 'Office English', providing a URL and suggesting a podcast player search for interested listeners.
Mindmap
Keywords
💡Dinner table
💡Gossip
💡Blind dinner date
💡Storyteller
💡Ritual
💡Open up
💡Label
💡Culture shock
💡Mixed bag
💡Children should be seen and not heard
💡Take something with a pinch of salt
Highlights
The dinner table is a significant place for family interaction, not just for eating but also for conversation.
Eating together as a family is a comforting ritual that allows for bonding and sharing of experiences.
Children are more likely to open up and discuss their day or concerns while eating with the family.
Families worldwide gather at the dinner table, which is often the only time they meet throughout the day or week.
Behavior and conversation at the dinner table can vary greatly depending on cultural norms and family dynamics.
A German couple set a world record for the fastest dinner table setting at one minute and five seconds.
People often find a role within a group, which can shape their self-perception and behavior.
Philippa Perry suggests taking labels or roles assigned within a family with a 'pinch of salt', meaning not to take them too seriously.
Dinner table interactions have evolved over time, with less formality and more openness to children's participation.
Older generations may experience culture shock when children at the dinner table ask direct or challenging questions.
The term 'children should be seen and not heard' reflects an outdated expectation for children to be quiet and well-behaved.
A 'mixed bag' describes a situation with both positive and negative aspects, reflecting the complexity of family interactions.
The phrase 'culture shock' is used to describe the feeling of uncertainty in a new or different environment.
Vocabulary such as 'open up', 'the funny one', 'take something with a pinch of salt', and 'mixed bag' are introduced to describe social dynamics.
The programme '6 Minute English' provides useful vocabulary in a concise format, making it accessible for English learners.
Listeners are encouraged to explore other BBC Learning English podcasts like 'News Review' and 'Office English' for varied language learning content.
The importance of the dinner table as a space for storytelling and personal expression is emphasized.
The programme discusses the potential for the dinner table to be a place where one might meet a life partner or discover personal talents.
Transcripts
Hello. This is Six minute
English from BBC Learning English.
I'm Neil. And I'm Beth. In this programme,
we will be discussing the dinner table, but we're not interested in food.
We're talking about...talking!
A lot can happen around the dinner table.
Gossip, arguments.
You might meet the love of your life on a blind dinner date,
or find out you're a great storyteller.
Neil, when you were younger,
did you eat with your family around a dinner table?
We did. Eating at the table
was an important ritual.
It was something we did every day and, quite often,
it was the only time we could get together and chat.
I think there's something very comforting about eating good food
and being with the people
you're closest to, and now
I do the same with my own family.
The kids are more likely to open up,
talk more easily, about their day or something troubling them
while they're eating.
Well, the dinner table is a space that families across the world
get together at to
not only eat but chat, and is often the only point in the day or week
that the whole family gathers together. In this programme,
we'll be discussing how people behave at the table and, of course,
we'll be learning some useful new vocabulary as well.
But first, I have a question for you, Beth.
In 2016,
a couple from Germany won the world record
for the fastest time to set a dinner table.
But how long did it take them?
Was it: a) 25 seconds,
b) one minute and five seconds, or c)
two minutes and five seconds?
Surely not 25 seconds!
I will guess one minute,
five seconds. OK, Beth.
I'll reveal the answer later in the programme.
Now, while eating with a group, you might
feel that you need to act in a certain way
because of the people around you. Philippa Perry, a psychotherapist
and author, thinks we should try to be ourselves as much as possible,
as she told BBC
World Service programme, The Food Chain.
In any group, we find a role.
And if we're only in one group,
if we're only ever with our family, we might think
'Oh, I'm the funny one',
'He's the wise one'.
We might think that's who we are.
And then we go to another group and then we find
'Oh, I'm the wise one'.
And I think if you feel like you're assigned a role in your family,
I just think, take that with a little bit of a pinch
of salt. When you spend time
with the same group of people,
you might start to think of yourself as the funny one or the wise one.
When we say the ... one, we describe a person
by using a particular and prominent characteristic
they have. If you're very tall,
you might be the tall one.
However, Philippa says
we should take these labels with a pinch of salt. An idiom meaning
you shouldn't believe or do everything you're told
or that is expected of you. Now,
over time, interactions at the dinner table have changed. In the past,
children were sometimes seated on a different table to adults or told
they should be seen and not heard – an old-fashioned phrase emphasising
that children should be quiet and always on their best behaviour.
Ambreia Meadows-Fernandez, a writer and founder
of Free Black Motherhood spoke about older generations' reactions
to children asking awkward questions at the dinner table, to BBC
World Service programme, The Food Chain.
So, it's a mixed bag.
It is overwhelmingly positive,
but I also know that it is kind of a bit of a culture shock
for them to hear my children ask the questions that they ask
because our children haven't really been raised with that line of demarcation
between the adult table and the kid table.
Ambreia says
that the older generations' reactions to her children's questions
at the table can be a mixed bag. A mixed bag is a situation that can have
positive and negative aspects. She also says that
it's a culture shock for them – a sense of feeling uncertain
because you're in a different environment to usual.
OK, Beth. I think it's time I revealed the answer to my question.
I asked you what the world record is
for the fastest time to set a dinner table.
And I said it was one minute and five seconds.
And that was... the right answer!
That's not very long, is it?
OK, let's recap the vocabulary
we have learned from this programme, starting with open up – a phrasal
verb meaning speak more easily than usual,
particularly about worries or problems.
If someone is the funny one or the wise one,
they're labelled by that particular characteristic.
To take something with a pinch of salt means
you shouldn't believe everything you're told. Children should be seen and
not heard is an old-fashioned phrase that means children should be quiet
and behave well. A mixed bag means something has both positive and
negative aspects. And finally, a culture shock is an uncertain
feeling because you're in a new environment. Once again
our six minutes are up.
Join us again soon for more useful vocabulary,
here at 6 Minute English!
Goodbye for now! Goodbye!
We know you love 6 Minute English, but
have you tried our other podcast, News Review,
where you can learn English from news headlines?
Or you might like Office English. It's all about the English we need at work.
To listen, head to
our website, bbclearningenglish.com
or search Learning English for Work in your podcast player.
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