Bite-sized English

In this episode, we will be covering some... "handy" idioms (pun very much intended). We hope you enjoy some of the great idioms below!

lend a hand

hands are clean

blood/dirt on your hands

show your hand

bite the hand that feeds

sitting on your hands

take something off your hands

Matt covers Grammy Award winning song of 2018, the smash hit "This is America." As it is July 4th, Independence Day in the United States, seems like the most fitting choice. Enjoy a break down of some of the more colloquial style of language used by Gambino!

Childish Gambino - "This is America":

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VYOjWnS4cMY

https://open.spotify.com/album/7arx9qPJexCsDz67El4qvk

https://y.qq.com/n/yqq/singer/001HS2h02NYN1m.html 

Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah
Yeah, yeah, yeah, go, go away (x4)

We just wanna party
Party just for you
We just want the money
Money just for you
I know you wanna party
Party just for me
Girl, you got me dancin' (yeah, girl, you got me dancin')
Dance and shake the frame
We just wanna party (yeah)
Party just for you (yeah)
We just want the money (yeah)
Money just for you (you)
I know you wanna party (yeah)
Party just for me (yeah)
Girl, you got me dancin' (yeah, girl, you got me dancin')
Dance and shake the frame (you)

This is America
Don't catch you slippin' up
Don't catch you slippin' up
Look what I'm whippin' up
This is America (woo)
Don't catch you slippin' up
Don't catch you slippin' up
Look what I'm whippin' up
This is America (skrrt, skrrt, woo)
Don't catch you slippin' up (ayy)
Look at how I'm livin' now
Police be trippin' now (woo)
Yeah, this is America (woo, ayy)
Guns in my area (word, my area)
I got the strap (ayy, ayy)
I gotta carry 'em
Yeah, yeah, I'ma go into this (ugh)
Yeah, yeah, this is guerilla (woo)
Yeah, yeah, I'ma go get the bag
Yeah, yeah, or I'ma get the pad
Yeah, yeah, I'm so cold like yeah (yeah)
I'm so dope like yeah (woo)
We gon' blow like yeah (straight up, uh)
Ooh-ooh-ooh-ooh-ooh, tell somebody
You go tell somebody
Grandma told me
Get your money, black man (get your money)
Get your money, black man (get your money)
Get your money, black man (get your, black man)
Get your money, black man (get your, black man)
Black man
This is America (woo, ayy)
Don't catch you slippin' up (woo, woo, don't catch you slippin', now)
Don't catch you slippin' up (ayy, woah)
Look what I'm whippin' up (Slime!)
This is America (yeah, yeah)
Don't catch you slippin' up (woah, ayy)
Don't catch you slippin' up (ayy, woo)
Look what I'm whippin' up (ayy)
Look how I'm geekin' out (hey)
I'm so fitted (I'm so fitted, woo)
I'm on Gucci (I'm on Gucci)
I'm so pretty (yeah, yeah)
I'm gon' get it (ayy, I'm gon' get it)
Watch me move (blaow)
This a celly (ha)
That's a tool (yeah)
On my Kodak (woo, Black)
Ooh, know that (yeah, know that, hold on)
Get it (get it, get it)
Ooh, work it (21)
Hunnid bands, hunnid bands, hunnid bands (hunnid bands)
Contraband, contraband, contraband (contraband)
I got the plug on Oaxaca (woah)
They gonna find you like blocka (blaow)
Ooh-ooh-ooh-ooh-ooh, tell somebody
America, I just checked my following list and
You go tell somebody
You mothafuckas owe me
Grandma told me
Get your money, black man (black man)
Get your money, black man (black man)
Get your money, black man (black man)
Get your money, black man (black man)
Black man (one, two, three, get down)
Ooh-ooh-ooh-ooh-ooh, tell somebody
You go tell somebody
Grandma told me, "Get your money, " black man
Get your money, black man (black man)
Get your money, black man (black man)
Get your money, black man (black man)
Black man
You just a black man in this world
You just a barcode, ayy
You just a black man in this world
Drivin' expensive foreigns, ayy
You just a big dawg, yeah
I kenneled him in the backyard
No proper life to a dog
For a big dog

Despite Matt's misleading intro, this episode covers idioms with the word game in them. Different uses and very different means, but still all quite common in English.

Help support the show with a review and warm recommendation to friends or family!

Idioms in today's show: 

blame game

numbers game

two can play at that game

off one's game

at the top of one's game

Why not go back to this 90s classic and look at some of the great language available? We cover some cool words and phrases in the song so you can really rock your English!

Smash Mouth - "All-star": https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L_jWHffIx5E

https://open.spotify.com/album/0QluVU5ReXs7oI1ZyS101F

https://www.xiami.com/song/1771446391

Somebody once told me the world is gonna roll me

I ain't the sharpest tool in the shed

She was looking kind of dumb with her finger and her thumb

In the shape of an "L" on her forehead

Fed to the rules and I hit the ground running

Didn't make sense not to live for fun

Your brain gets smart but your head gets dumb

So much to do so much to see

So what's wrong with taking the back streets

You'll never know if you don't go

You'll never shine if you don't glow

[Chorus]

Hey now you're an All Star get your game on, go play

Hey now you're a Rock Star get the show on get paid

And all that glitters is gold

Only shooting stars break the mold

It's a cool place and they say it gets colder

You're bundled up now but wait 'til you get older

But the meteor men beg to differ

Judging by the hole in the satellite picture

The ice we skate is getting pretty thin

The water's getting warm so you might as well swim

My world's on fire how about yours

That's the way I like it and I never get bored

[Chorus x2]

Somebody once asked could I spare some change for gas

I need to get myself away from this place

I said yep what a concept

I could use a little fuel myself

And we could all use a little change

Fed to the rules and I hit the ground running

Didn't make sense not to live for fun

Your brain gets smart but your head gets dumb

So much to do, so much to see

So what's wrong with taking the back streets

You'll never know if you don't go

You'll never shine if you don't glow

We return to the idiom series talking about these 6 idioms that have to do with laughing, humour, or joking. Matt also gives his unsolicited opinion on the humour of Aussies, Kiwis, and Brits.

Idioms in today's episode:

butt of the joke

barrel of laughs

pull one's leg

take a joke

all joking aside

(just) for kicks

If you like today's lesson, please subscribe, recommend the show, and leave a review!

 We kick off our new lyric series with the music from Canadian musician Shawn Mendes. Matt goes into some of the great language Shawn uses to convey romance, relationships, and more.

Help support the podcast by subscribing!

Shawn Mendes - Treat You Better:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lY2yjAdbvdQ  / https://open.spotify.com/album/3wBabo4pmzsYjALMSKY7Iq / https://y.qq.com/n/yqq/singer/001NODJ71LGPD5.html

Lyrics

I won't lie to you
I know he's just not right for you
And you can tell me if I'm off
But I see it on your face
When you say that he's the one that you want
And you're spending all your time
In this wrong situation
And anytime you want it to stop
I know I can treat you better
Than he can
And any girl like you deserves a gentleman
Tell me why are we wasting time
On all your wasted cryin'
When you should be with me instead
I know I can treat you better
Better than he can
I'll stop time for you
The second you say you'd like me to
I just wanna give you the loving that you're missing
Baby, just to wake up with you
Would be everything I need and this could be so different
Tell me what you want to do
'Cause I know I can treat you better
Than he can
And any girl like you deserves a gentleman
Tell me why are we wasting time
On all your wasted cryin'
When you should be with me instead
I know I can treat you better
Better than he can
Better than he can
Give me a sign
Take my hand, we'll be fine
Promise I won't let you down
Just know that you don't
Have to do this alone
Promise I'll never let you down
'Cause I know I can treat you better
Than he can
And any girl like you deserves a gentleman
Tell me why are we wasting time
On all your wasted cryin'
When you should be with me instead
I know I can treat you better
Better than he can, oh oh
Better than he can
Better than he can

I talk unscripted (obviously) about my fourth favourite sports team, the Toronto Raptors. Learn a little about the North American sports culture and why this run of the Raptors is so important to Canada.

There is plenty of content upcoming over the next month and I am really excited for you guys to listen. Please support the show with a review, a follow, and a recommendation.

In this episode, we will be kicking off a new series exploring the wide variety of prefixes available in English. Today we will be learning about pre- and post-.

Words uses in this lesson:

Postscript

Preview

Postgraduate

Postmortem

Predict

Preempt 

Pre-workout

Post-workout

Pregame

Postgame

Preschool

Email your assignment submissions to bitesizedenglish@gmail.com!

These two homonyms are very different in meaning, but are both very useful! In this episode Matt covers the means of the words, and some common phrases you might encounter:

peace and quiet

peace out

peace in our time

falling to peaces

piece of cake

bits and pieces

piecing something together

For today's assignment, I want you to describe the pieces of something. How would you describe it as pieces rather than parts? Try to avoid food and challenge yourself to come up with another thing that has "pieces."

Leave a comment or email to bitesizedenglish@gmail.com.

Matt is back with a brand new series of Bite-sized English! We kick of with a lesson about returns, coming back (getting back, going back as well), and the word comeback. 

Questions can be directed to bitesizedenglish@gmail.com. I am very happy to be back behind the mic after so much time away. I would like to make a special mention of listener Marcia who encouraged a comeback of the podcast!