When In Rome...

Hello, and welcome to "Fun Friday"! Also, welcome to this blog's 100th post! Thanks to everyone who's been following Sitzman ABC and liking it on Facebook! If you know anyone who might be interested in this site, please tell him or her about it.

Since the last two "Fun Fridays" were not especially "fun" (unless you're a geography nerd like I am!), I decided I'd put up a video today. It's a song called "The Promise" by the group When In Rome:

The song is from 1988, but it became popular again a few years ago when it was featured on the soundtrack for Napoleon Dynamite, a 2004 comedy. Let's look at the lyrics and find some good vocabulary (you can also just read the lyrics while listening to the song, since the video hasn't got too much interesting stuff going on except a lot of bad late-80s fashion):

If you need a friend,
don't look to a stranger,
You know in the end,
I'll always be there.

And when you're in doubt,
and when you're in danger,
Take a look all around,
and I'll be there.

(Chorus:)
I'm sorry, but I'm just thinking of the right words to say. (I promise)
I know they don't sound the way I planned them to be. (I promise)
But if you wait around a while, I'll make you fall for me,
I promise, I promise you I will.

When your day is through,
and so is your temper,
You know what to do,
I'm gonna always be there.

Sometimes if I shout,
it's not what's intended.
These words just come out,
with no gripe to bear.

(Repeat Chorus)

I gotta tell ya, I need to tell ya, I gotta tell ya, I gotta tell yaaaa ...

(Repeat Chorus)

GOOD VOCABULARY:

stranger - A stranger is a person that you have not met. It's different than a strange person; a strange person is someone who isn't normal for some reason.

Example: "A stranger walked into the room and introduced himself as 'Robby Smith.'"

doubt - My students often confuse this word with "question"; it's similar to a question, but it's not the same. If you are in doubt or if you doubt yourself, then you are not confident about your abilities or your understanding. Also, notice that the "b" is silent, and the word rhymes with "out."

Example: "It's pretty late, and I've barely started this project. I doubt I can finish it by tomorrow morning, but I'll try."

fall for (someone) - If you fall for a person, it means that you fall in love with him or her. It can be fast and sudden, but often it's a gradual process.

Example: "At first Tina thought Charlie was arrogant and mean, but after she got to know him, she fell for him and they eventually even got married!"

temper - Temper refers to your mood, but it's most common in the phrase lose (your) temper. If you lose your temper, you become angry and impatient, and sometimes begin to yell or shout.

Example: "Kate was very patient with the kids she was babysitting until one of them spilled juice on her. Kate lost her temper and sent the children to their rooms."

gripe to bear - Honestly, this phrase is very rare, and you'll probably never hear it outside of this song. But I mentioned it because it stood out and I was sure someone would ask about it if I didn't. If you bear a gripe, it means that you complain about something. The word "gripe" generally means to complain, and it's more common.

Example: "I don't mean to gripe about this, but we really need to get some new coffee mugs. All the ones we have are broken."

Finally, the band's name can illustrate an interesting vocabulary point.

The phrase "When in Rome..." is a shorter version of:

"When in Rome, do as the Romans do."

This phrase means that if you are visiting a different culture, you are the person who should adapt, and that you shouldn't expect the culture to adapt to you.

For example, if you go to Japan and notice everyone bowing as a greeting, instead of shaking hands or kissing on the cheek, you can say, "Well, when in Rome..." and bow like everyone else:

An American military officer bowing in Japan, following local customs. (Image credit)

So, that's it for today. I hope you liked the song. If you have any questions or comments, please join in the conversation by leaving a comment. Have a great weekend!

Common Error: Phrases For Introductions

What phrases should these people use to say their names? (Image)

Welcome to Mistake Monday! Today's Common Error is short, but it does cause problems. I used to work as an English teacher in a call center, and believe it or not, the phrase we'll look at today caused many communication problems between agents and callers:

Common Error: Phrases For Introductions
DON’T say this:	(Answering the phone): "Hello, I am Ryan." (Introducing someone): "She is Jenny. She's my sister." "Yesterday in class I introduced me."
WHY?	These phrases make sense if you translate them from other languages, but if you're introducing or presenting someone, normally we use different phrases. Normally, if you're answering the phone and want to identify yourself, say: "This is (your name)." If you say "I am (your name)," it sounds strange to many people, and even though it's good English, it can cause confusion. If you're introducing a person, it's most common to say: "This is (person's name)." Don't say "She/he is (name)," since it also sounds strange to many people. Finally, if you're introducing yourself, it's best to say: "My name is (your name)." If you use the phrase "I am ____," it's normally connected with professions or personal characteristics, but not names: "I am a teacher," "I am tall," "I am optimistic," OR "I am 31."
INSTEAD, SAY THIS:	-(Answering the phone): "Hello, this is Ryan." -(Introducing a person): "This is Jenny. She's my sister." -"Yesterday in class I introduced myself."

How do you answer the phone or introduce people in your country or language?
Is it similar or different from English?

If you have questions or comments, please leave a comment or contact me. Thanks for reading, and have a great week!