Use Vague Expressions
Summary
TLDRIn this educational video, Olesya teaches the importance of vague language in spoken English. She illustrates how expressions like 'kind of', 'things like that', and 'and so on' are used daily for imprecise communication. Examples from daily life, such as planning events or describing preferences, demonstrate the practicality of vague language. The video encourages viewers to practice these expressions to enhance their fluency and understanding of English.
Takeaways
- š The channel's goal is to help viewers understand and speak English fluently.
- š New videos are uploaded every Friday.
- š Encouragement to subscribe and follow on Instagram and Facebook for daily updates.
- š£ļø Vague language is a common part of spoken English, used to convey imprecision.
- š£ļø Examples of vague language include phrases like 'around 5', 'kind of', and 'stuff like that'.
- š Listening to conversations can help understand the use of vague expressions.
- šļø Vague language is used to describe events, like the Sugar Sand Festival, without specifying details.
- š½ļø It's common to use vague terms when discussing food options or what to bring to an event.
- šļø The word 'thing' is often used vaguely to refer to unspecified objects.
- š¶ Vague expressions like 'and so on' or 'and everything' are used to end lists without being exhaustive.
- ā° '-ish' is used to give a vague indication of time or to describe things approximately.
- š¢ Vague terms like 'a lot', 'a few', and 'about' are used to express approximate quantities.
- š Vague language is used in everyday speech by diplomats, politicians, and regular people alike.
- š The video encourages repeated viewing and practice of vague expressions for better English fluency.
Q & A
What is the main purpose of Olesya's channel?
-The main purpose of Olesya's channel is to help viewers understand and speak English fluently.
When are new videos uploaded on Olesya's channel?
-New videos are uploaded every Friday.
What is vague language according to the video?
-Vague language refers to words or phrases that are not very exact or precise, used when the speaker does not want to provide specific details.
Can you give an example of vague language from the video?
-One example from the video is: 'I'll be around 5,' which is a vague indication of time.
What does the phrase 'and stuff like that' imply in spoken English?
-The phrase 'and stuff like that' is used when the speaker doesn't want to list all the items or give precise details.
How is '-ish' used to express vagueness in English?
-The suffix '-ish' is added to words like numbers or colors to give a vague approximation, such as 'six-ish' or 'reddish.'
What vague expressions can you use when discussing quantities?
-Expressions like 'a few,' 'plenty of,' 'loads of,' and 'about' are used to give a vague idea of quantity.
What is the difference between 'kind of' and 'sort of'?
-'Kind of' and 'sort of' are both used to express partial agreement or when something is not completely certain. In casual speech, they might be shortened to 'kinda' or 'sorta.'
Why do speakers use vague language in conversations?
-Speakers use vague language to avoid giving precise details, either because they don't know them or because it's unnecessary for the context. It also makes speech sound more casual and flexible.
What is an example of vague language used in time expressions from the video?
-An example is the use of 'about' or '-ish' to express approximate times, such as 'around six-ish.'
Outlines
š£ļø English Fluency and Vague Language
Olesya introduces her channel's mission to help viewers achieve English fluency with weekly videos, encouraging subscription and following on social media for daily updates. She explains the concept of vague language, which is common in spoken English and lacks precision. Examples include phrases like 'around 5', 'kind of', and 'stuff like that'. Vague language is used to avoid listing specifics, as seen in conversations about festivals, restaurants, and personal preferences. Olesya illustrates how 'thing', 'and everything', 'things like that', and 'stuff' are used to generalize without being exact.
š Vague Quantifiers and Approximations
This section delves into vague quantifiers like 'a few', 'a couple', 'plenty of', 'loads of', and 'a lot of', which are imprecise indicators of quantity. Olesya discusses the use of 'about', 'around', and '-ish' to convey approximate numbers and times, such as 'six-ish' for an uncertain hour. '-ish' is also used to describe physical traits or colors in a non-specific way. Adverbs like 'slightly', 'fairly', 'quite', and 'very' are highlighted for their frequent use in spoken English to convey varying degrees of an attribute. The expressions 'more or less', 'sort of', and 'kind of' are explained as ways to give non-committal answers, with 'sorta' and 'kinda' as colloquial alternatives. The paragraph concludes with a reminder that vague language is prevalent in everyday speech and suggests re-watching the video for practice.
š Signing Off and Engagement Invitation
In the closing paragraph, Olesya invites viewers to subscribe and follow the channel on Instagram and Facebook for more content. She signs off with a friendly 'see you soon', indicating the end of the video and looking forward to future interactions with her audience.
Mindmap
Keywords
š”Vague Language
š”Fluent
š”Subscribe
š”Expressions
š”Sugar Sand Festival
š”Approximately
š”Landmarks
š”Netflix
š”Politicians
š”Diplomats
š”Practice
Highlights
Introduction to the channel and weekly video upload schedule
Encouragement to subscribe and follow on social media
Definition of vague language in spoken English
Explanation of how vague language is used daily
Example of vague language in a conversation about a festival
Use of 'thing' as a non-specific object in sentences
Examples of vague expressions like 'and everything' and 'things like that'
Suggestion to use 'and so on' instead of continuing a list
Usage of 'stuff' to refer to unnamed objects
Explanation of 'and so on' as a way to avoid listing all items
Use of 'Etc.' as an abbreviation for lists that are not finished
Examples of imprecise words like 'a few', 'plenty of', and 'a lot of'
Use of '-ish' to indicate a vague time or approximation
Examples of '-ish' used with colors and personal characteristics
Common vague expressions like 'slightly', 'fairly', 'quite', and 'very'
Explanation of 'more or less' as a vague expression
Use of 'sort of' and 'kind of' for non-committal responses
Recommendation to watch the video again and practice vague expressions
Closing remarks and reminder to subscribe and follow on social media
Transcripts
Hello! My name is Olesya. WelcomeĀ to my channel! If you are new here,Ā Ā
we upload a new video every week. WeĀ do it every Friday. My goal is to helpĀ Ā
you understand and speak English fluently.Ā Don't forget to click that subscribe buttonĀ Ā
and follow us on Instagram and Facebook,Ā where we post something new every day.Ā Ā
Being vague is an important part of spokenĀ English. We use it every day. What is vagueĀ Ā
language? Vague language is words or phrasesĀ that aren't very exact or precise. You may hear:Ā Ā
I'll be around 5. Do you like coffee? Kind of.Ā Let's listen to the conversation and hear theĀ Ā
vague expressions. Are you going to the SugarĀ Sand Festival on Clearwater beach this weekend?Ā Ā
I don't know it depends. What is it exactly? WellĀ it's a festival with free activities for all ages,Ā Ā
including a children's play area street performersĀ sand sculpting classes and stuff like that.Ā Ā
Everyone can get involved in something, youĀ know. What should I bring? Beach blankets,Ā Ā
low-lying beach chairs, and things. I'mĀ not good at making sculptures, you know.
No worries! There is good food, you can getĀ all kinds of ice cream bottled water, soda,Ā Ā
beer and wine and stuff like that are availableĀ for purchase on-site. Will you go? Well, maybe...
There are two things I am not happy about. IĀ expect the meeting will be short we have only oneĀ Ā
or two things to discuss. In these two sentencesĀ the word "thing" doesn't name the object. We justĀ Ā
know that it exists. Okay, so here's the thingĀ I don't like your tone at all right now. I don'tĀ Ā
like any story, okay. Yeah! Here's the thing. InĀ this restaurant they cook a lot of good seafood,Ā Ā
like: lobsters, oysters and everything. IĀ like different kinds of music: pop, rock,Ā Ā
jazz and things like that. In this sentences,Ā "and everything" and "things like that"Ā Ā
are used when we don't want to continue the list,Ā we don't want to name all seafood, or all kindsĀ Ā
of music, Don't say! In the bakery you can buy,Ā bread, cupcakes, cakes, donuts, pies and bagels.Ā Ā
Better to say! In the bakery you can buy bread,Ā cupcakes, donuts and things like that. Don'tĀ Ā
say! On Netflix, there are a lot of movies, tvĀ shows, documentaries, sport games and interviews.Ā Ā
Better to say! On Netflix, there are a lot ofĀ movies, tv shows, documentaries and everything.
There's loads of stuff in my closet. Do you wantĀ to have a look and see if you need anything?
The word "stuff" refers to one or more objects.Ā Ā
You don't want to name all the objects. " InĀ movies and stuff, you know. He's like, exactly!"
"And so on" is another vague expressionĀ that we can use in our sentences.Ā Ā
For example, I like reading books like:Ā "Romeo and Juliet", "Jane Eyre" and so on.
We need to buy some groceries, like:Ā sugar, bread, milk and so on. Again,Ā Ā
I don't want to continue my list andĀ I use a vague expression "and so on".Ā Ā
Don't say! In New York you can visit aĀ lot of landmarks the Statue of Liberty,Ā Ā
Central Park, The Empire State Building, TimesĀ Square and Brooklyn Bridge. Better to say!Ā Ā
In New York you can visit a lot of landmarks:Ā the Statue of Liberty, Central Park and so on.Ā Ā
Etc. is an abbreviation for a latin word etĀ cetera. We use it when we begin a phrase or aĀ Ā
list and we will not finish it. Children shouldĀ eat only healthy food vegetable fruit etc.
Quite a few students pass the exams. allĀ the words, like: A few A couple, Plenty of,Ā Ā
Loads of, A lot of are not exact. We use them,Ā when we talk about the amount of something orĀ Ā
the number of something, and we are not precise.Ā Sometimes we just use: about, a round, at least.Ā Ā
It's just a vague idea of a number. For example:Ā Yesterday I had about 20 students in my class.Ā Ā
There are about 200 people outside.Ā It must be about 3 o'clock.
"one-ish" "two-ish", "six-ish" you can addĀ -ish to give a vague indication of time.Ā Ā
I'll get home around six-ish or aboutĀ 6, depending on the traffic. "One-ish",Ā Ā
"two-ish" - Sounds weird, right? - Maybe,Ā but these are very typical expressionsĀ Ā
that Americans use in everydayĀ speech. When describing peopleĀ Ā
you can use "-ish" again. You can use "-ish" withĀ colors or personal characteristics. For example,Ā Ā
if you want to describe a friend with the redĀ hair, you can say: "His hair is kind of reddish".Ā Ā
Or when you describe a person and you don'tĀ remember what the person looks like. You can say:Ā Ā
"He's kind of tallish". And again thisĀ "-ish" is used just for spoken English.Ā Ā
The words: such as: slightly, fairly, quite,Ā and very are widely used in the spoken language.Ā Ā
some people are very clearly rich, and some peopleĀ are very clearly not rich, but some people areĀ Ā
kinda sorta maybe rich. You can hear aĀ lot of vague expressions in this sentence.Ā Ā
It is very hot today. It is quite cold today. ItĀ was slightly windy yesterday. You are not quiteĀ Ā
tall enough to ride a rollercoaster.Ā This is one more vague expression:Ā Ā
"more or less". Are you ready to go? MoreĀ or less. Are you done with the project?Ā Ā
I think ,more or less. Again, you are not preciseĀ about the situation, but you have an answer.Ā Ā
It is sort of green / it is kind of green. HereĀ it means that the color is approximately green,Ā Ā
something similar to green. When you don't wantĀ to say "yes" or "no", you can use: sort of or kindĀ Ā
of. Do you like your new teacher? Ah, kind of,Ā he's pretty good, but he gives a lot of homework.Ā Ā
Did you like the new movie? Uh, sort of! It was aĀ bit slow. And one more thing that I want to add,Ā Ā
that in spoken English you can hear not sortĀ of but "sorta", not kind of but "kinda".Ā Ā
I'm kinda tired. You have to get some water. PutĀ inside the bottle. Shake it up! Good! Oh, okay,Ā Ā
never mind. Vague language is actuallyĀ being used by diplomats and politicians,Ā Ā
by regular people, like me and youĀ in everyday conversation. And I wouldĀ Ā
recommend that you watch this video againĀ and again and practice vague expressions.
Thank you for watching! Don't forget toĀ click that subscribe button! And follow usĀ Ā
on Instagram and Facebook! And see you soon!
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