Vocabulary

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Lesson Transcript

INTRODUCTION
John: Common Slang Expressions Used in the Workplace
John: I'm John.
Sydney: And I'm Sydney!
John: In this lesson, you'll learn common slang expressions used in the workplace.
John: Get to know various expressions you can use when you're talking to your coworkers.
SLANG EXPRESSIONS
John: The expressions you will be learning in this lesson are:
Sydney: wrap up
Sydney: bottom line
Sydney: John Hancock
Sydney: paper-pusher
John: Sydney, what's our first expression?
Sydney: wrap up
John: meaning "to conclude or finish."
Sydney: [SLOW] wrap up [NORMAL] wrap up
John: Listeners, please repeat.
Sydney: wrap up
[pause - 5 sec.]
John: To "wrap up" has nothing to do with presents. Actually, it's used to let others know that the meeting, event, or speech will be ending soon. One often uses this phrase right before his or her final point.
Sydney: Another example would be if your colleague is giving a speech and it's taking longer than expected, your boss might say, "Let's wrap it up," in order to speed things along.
John: Now let's hear an example sentence.
Sydney: [NORMAL] I need to go pick up my daughter from school, so let's wrap this up. [SLOW] I need to go pick up my daughter from school, so let's wrap this up.
Sydney: [NORMAL] I need to go pick up my daughter from school, so let's wrap this up.
John: Okay, what's the next expression?
Sydney: bottom line
John: meaning "main point."
Sydney: [SLOW] bottom line [NORMAL] bottom line
John: Listeners, please repeat.
Sydney: bottom line
[pause - 5 sec.]
John: The "bottom line" is the main point or the main focus of a topic or conversation. This phrase is often used in business situations, especially when one wants to skip pleasantries or lengthy explanations in order to understand what the actual topic of discussion is.
Sydney: It can also be used to "make a long story short" so that the listener can understand what the speaker’s main point is.
John: Now let's hear an example sentence.
Sydney: [NORMAL] The bottom line is our company isn't making enough money. [SLOW] The bottom line is our company isn't making enough money.
Sydney: [NORMAL] The bottom line is our company isn't making enough money.
John: Okay, what's our next expression?
Sydney: John Hancock
John: meaning "signature."
Sydney: [SLOW] John Hancock [NORMAL] John Hancock
John: Listeners, please repeat.
Sydney: John Hancock
[pause - 5 sec.]
John: If someone asks you for "your John Hancock," that means they are asking you to sign your name. John Hancock was the first person to sign the Declaration of Independence, and when he did, he left a large signature that dwarfs all the others.
Sydney: For this reason, "a John Hancock" came to mean a signature.
John: Now let's hear an example sentence.
Sydney: [NORMAL] "And we just need your John Hancock and then all the paperwork will be legal." [SLOW] "And we just need your John Hancock and then all the paperwork will be legal."
Sydney: [NORMAL] "And we just need your John Hancock and then all the paperwork will be legal."
John: Okay, what's the last expression?
Sydney: paper-pusher
John: meaning "a person whose job deals with tedious tasks."
Sydney: [SLOW] paper-pusher [NORMAL] paper-pusher
John: Listeners, please repeat.
Sydney: paper-pusher
[pause - 5 sec.]
John: "Paper pushing," is exactly as boring as it sounds; doing a job with menial work. If your job requires very tedious tasks such as making copies, answering the phone, and other clerical duties, you may be considered a "paper-pusher."
John: Now let's hear an example sentence.
Sydney: [NORMAL] "I'm just a paper-pusher, making copies all day." [SLOW] "I'm just a paper-pusher, making copies all day."
Sydney: [NORMAL] "I'm just a paper-pusher, making copies all day."
QUIZ
John: Okay listeners, are you ready to be quizzed on the expressions you just learned? I will describe four situations, and you will choose the right expression to use in your reply. Are you ready?
John: A student concludes their essay by restating the main topic.
[pause - 5 sec.]
Sydney: bottom line
John: "main point"
John: After 30 minutes, a professor finishes his speech.
[pause - 5 sec.]
Sydney: wrap up
John: "to conclude or finish"
John: Most of her job was working the copy machine and dealing with the phone line.
[pause - 5 sec.]
Sydney: paper-pusher
John: "a job with tedious tasks"
John: A man signs the lease to his new house.
[pause - 5 sec.]
Sydney: John Hancock
John: "signature"

Outro
John: There you have it; you have mastered four English Slang Expressions! We have more vocab lists available at EnglishClass101.com so be sure to check them out. Thanks everyone, and see you next time!
Sydney: Goodbye!

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