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Parents Vocabulary Lesson

Hello and welcome to the vocabulary lesson for the conversation “Parents.” Now this is a conversation that Joe and I are having together about our parents, mostly our fathers, and things that they taught us when we were younger.

So let’s begin with the conversation.

Joe starts off by saying, “Y’know…”

And now as I’ve said in many, many lessons, y’know is short for you know.

And Joe goes on to say, “I don’t think that people really appreciate their parents until they get older.” What Joe is saying here is, I don’t think people really appreciate - really admire their parents. Or really think a lot of good things about their parents. Or think a lot of good thoughts about their parents, until they get older.

And Joe goes on to say, “I mean…”

Or he’s saying here, what I’m trying to say…

And he goes on to say, “at least…”

Or, in any case.

“I can say that about myself. And I think it’s true of, y’know, here in America.” And then I say, “Yeah…”

And now yeah… This is slang or casual or informal for yes.

And I go on to say, “I was gonna say…”

Gonna is short or slang for going to.

And I go on to say, “in this culture, anyway.”

Now anyway… This is just filler. It’s not really needed in the sentence. Culture. Culture is the way a group of people think and act. Culture. So in this sentence I was talking about the way things are here in America.

Culture.

And I go on to say, “Yeah I can totally agree with that.”

Totally. Totally means definitely or completely. Totally. For example: When I was younger, my parents would get totally angry with me whenever I came home late for dinner. Totally.

And then Joe says, “Yeah, I, eh…”

Now eh… This is just a filler word. Doesn’t really mean anything.

Joe goes on to say, “y’know, looking back…”

Looking back. This means to think of a time in the past. Looking back. For example: When I look back on the time I lived in Thailand, it makes me smile. Looking back.

And Joe goes on to say, “I think I only really came to…” Really here is just filler. It’s not really needed in this sentence. You could take it away and the sentence would still make sense.

And then Joe goes on to say, “y’know, see all the sacrifices my parents made…” Sacrifice or sacrifices. This is something that causes you to be unable or not able to do something else that you would like to do. Sacrifices. For example: When I lived in Thailand, I had to make a sacrifice. I could not take my cats with me. Sacrifices, or in this example, sacrifice.

And Joe goes on to say, “and appreciate those sacrifices, when I went away to college.” Or he is saying, when I moved away to go to college.

And then I say, “Mm-hm.”

So I’m just making this noise agreeing with Joe.

And I go on to say, “That’s probably…”

Or I’m saying, that’s about the time.

“when I started appreciating my parents, too.”

Or I’m saying, that’s when I started appreciating my parents also.

And then Joe says, “Yeah, I mean, y’know, now looking back…” Or he’s saying, now remembering.

“I can see that my dad…”

Or he’s saying, I can understand that my dad.

And he goes on to say, “He was always trying to teach me things. And at the time I, I couldn’t even tell that it was going on.”

Or that it was happening. Now couldn’t even tell… This means did not know. Couldn’t even tell. For example: I couldn’t even tell that the cook put chili peppers in the soup. It did not taste spicy. Couldn’t even tell.

And then Joe says, “But…”

And but is just a filler word here. It’s not really needed in the sentence.

And he goes on to say, “y’know, now I see there’s method to his madness, like…” Or he’s saying, such as, or for example. Now method to his madness… This means at the time Joe did not know why his father did something but later he was able to understand. So method to his madness… At the time you do not know why somebody is doing something but later you understand. Method to his madness.

For example: My friend Kim makes clothes. When she was ten years old she did not understand why her mother wanted to teach her how to sew. But later Kim understood the method to her madness.

And then I say, “Like, what’s an example?”

Like is a filler word here. It’s not really needed.

And Joe says, “Alright, well…”

So he’s saying, okay. And well… This is a filler word. It’s not really needed.

And Joe goes on to say, “for example, like on Saturdays, y’know, what I liked to do was probably what any, y’know, little boy used to do. I liked to go out, play with my friends, y’know, play some baseball or some football or, y’know, just, just hang out…” Just. This is a filler word. It’s not really needed in the sentence.

So Joe is saying, “hang out with my friends.”

Now hang out… This means to casually pass time. Hang out. For example: I like to hang out at the park. It is relaxing. Hang out.

And then I say, “Right.”

So I’m just agreeing with Joe here.

And then Joe says, “Well, my dad on the other hand…”

Or he’s saying, my dad, though.

And Joe goes on to say, “y’know, he was really strict.”

Or he was very strict. Strict. This means controlling. Strict. For example: My parents were very strict when I was younger. They would not let me date until I was 16 years old. Strict.

And Joe goes on to say, “And, uh…”

And uh is just a filler word. It’s not really needed.

And Joe says, “he ran a tight ship.”

He ran a tight ship. What Joe is saying here is that his father was very strict or very controlling. He ran a tight ship. For example: Joe’s father ran a tight ship. He made sure that Joe studied for school every night or he could not watch TV. He ran a tight ship.

And then Joe says, “I’m tellin’ ya.”

Now tellin’… This is short for telling. And ya… This is short for you. I’m tellin’ ya. This means I am not joking. I am serious. For example: I’m tellin’ ya, if I had one million dollars, I’d travel for two years. I’m tellin’ ya.

And then Joe says, “I mean, I, I think there was this unspoken motto…” Or this not talked about motto. Now a motto… This is a word or a group of words that is important to someone or something. Motto. An example of motto would be: Joe’s motto is to treat people the way he would want them to treat him. Motto. And Joe goes on to say… So he’s saying his father had this unspoken or not talked about motto.

And then Joe says, “that he had which was my way or the highway.” My way or the highway. This means do as I say or leave. My way or the highway. An example of my way or the highway would be: The owner of the restaurant made sure that the cooks did what he said. “It’s my way or the highway…” he’d say to them.

And then I just laugh and say, “I can see that.”

So what I’m saying is, I can imagine or I can think about Joe’s dad being strict.

And then Joe says, “So…”

And so is just a filler word here. It’s not really needed.

And he goes on to say, “come Saturday morning…”

Or he’s saying on Saturday morning.

“it was time to do some work, and…” And I just laughed. And Joe says, “so it was time to spoil the fun I wanted to have.”

Or to ruin the fun I wanted to have. So what Joe is saying is his dad did not let him have the fun that he wanted to have.

And then I say, “Right.” And Joe says, “So, he’d say something like, ‘Hey…” And hey is just a filler word here.

So his dad would say, “‘Hey, y’know, uh, today we have to change the oil on the car, I’ll show you how to do it.’”

Or I’ll teach you how to do it. When Joe’s dad says to him change the oil on the car, what he’s saying is we have to put new oil in the car.

And I say, “Oh boy.”

I’m just showing emotion here like wow, that must not have been fun. Having to work like that on Saturdays.

And then Joe says, “I’d be thinkin’…”

And thinkin’ is short for thinking.

And Joe goes on to say, “yeah, I’d be thinkin’, oh that sounds like fun…y’know.” Now when Joe says oh that sounds like fun, he’s not being serious about changing the car’s oil sounding like fun. He’s not being serious about this. He’s joking. This is called sarcasm.

And Joe goes on to say, “Or like, uh, y’know, another time he’d say, ‘Okay, uh, y’know, we have to change the brakes today.’”

Now brakes are what help a car to stop. So Joe’s dad is talking about putting new brakes on their car.

And Joe goes on to say, “‘And I think that, uh, I’ll show you how to do it this time. And you’ll… You can do it next time.’”

So Joe is just repeating what his father had said when he was younger. Today we have to change the brakes. And I’ll show, I’ll show you or I’ll teach you how to do it this time. And next time you can do it.

And then Joe says, “And I’m sittin’ here…”

Sittin’ is short for sitting.

“I, I must be eleven years old, I’m thinkin’ to myself, I’m not gonna remember how to do this. I’m not gonna retain any of it.”

Retain. This means to remember. Retain. For example: I was unable to retain anything I learned in all of my math classes. Retain.

And then I say, “Right.” And Joe says, “But sure enough…” And sure enough means as expected. Sure enough. For example: Ken said that he would meet me at the café at 11:00. And sure enough he was there right at 11:00.

And Joe goes on to say, “he showed me how to do it. And, y’know, now looking back, y’know, I can see that, y’know, it was, uh, probably something that he wanted to make sure…” Or he wanted to be certain.

“I knew how to do as I grew older…” And I say, “Sure.” Just agreeing with Joe.

And Joe goes on to say, “but I didn’t really pay attention…” Pay attention. This means listen to. Pay attention. For example: Sometimes it is difficult to get my students to pay attention, especially when I teach a class for two hours. Pay attention.

And Joe goes on to say, “y’know. I couldn’t appreciate it at the time.” And then I say, “Yeah, my, my dad, uh, taught me some things about the car, not as detailed…” Or I’m saying, not as many things.

“as changing the brakes or changing the oil. But he taught me basics…” Now basics… This means simple things or easy things. Basics. For example: I do not speak French well but I know the basics. Basics.

And I go on to say, “like just checking my fluids…”

Or or liquids is what fluids means.

And I go on to say, “like power steering fluid, um, brake fluid, the oil.” So power steering fluid, brake fluid, the oil… What I’m saying here is these are all fluids or liquids that are needed in a car. And my dad taught me how to change these.

And then I go on to say, “At the time, y’know, I would dread him teaching me.” Dread. This means to not want to do something. Dread. For example: I used to dread going to math class.

Dread.

And I go on to say, “I wouldn’t retain it. I would forget so he would constantly…” Or I’m saying, he would always.

“be teaching me. And it would just… I knew it would be this long-winded lecture.” Lecture is just a speech or explanation. Now long-winded… This means speaking or writing that is very long.

Long-winded. For example: My dad can be long-winded, especially when he talks about cars. Long-winded.

And then I go on to say, “When I would be wanting to jus- or when I would be wanting just to get in the car and leave, go meet my friends.” And Joe says, “Yeah, sure.” Agreeing with me.

And I say, “But now I, I appreciate that he taught me those… how to, uh… check my fluids actually…” And actually is just a filler word here. It’s not really needed.

And I go on to say, “It’s a useful…”

Or I’m saying, it’s a helpful.

“thing to know.” And then Joe says, “Yeah, there, there were some things that my father would teach me, like, when I was younger, and I did appreciate it. And I mean like the one thing that stands out in my mind is learning how to cook.”

Or learning how to prepare or make food. Stands out in my mind. This means I remember it very well.

Stands out in my mind. For example: The food in Thailand really stands out in my mind. It was so spicy and good. Stands out in my mind.

And Joe goes on to say, “Y’know, my dad was really good about allowing…” Or about letting.

“us be in the kitchen while he was cooking. ‘Coz…”

And ‘coz is short for because.

“‘Coz my dad’s an amazing cook…”

Or what he’s saying is my dad’s a very good cook.

“and…” And then I say, “Yeah, he is.” And Joe says, “y’know, when we were growing up…” Now growing up… This means getting older. It also means… it’s the time when you were a child… getting older when you were a child. It’s only really used when speaking about someone who is young. You would not say this about your grandparents, for example. An example of growing up is: Joe liked to play baseball when he was growing up. Growing up.

And then Joe goes on to say, “I remember like all my friends and, uh, my mom’s side of the family, it was only the women who cooked. But…”

Now when Joe says my mom’s side of the family… what he’s saying is my mom’s relatives. For example, Joe’s mother’s mother… so this would be his grandmother… and Joe’s mother’s sisters… so these would be his aunts, etc., etc.

And then I say, “Uh-huh.”

So I’m just agreeing with Joe and just letting him know I’m listening.

And then Joe goes on to say, “from my dad’s side of the family…” So Joe is talking about his dad’s relatives. For example: Joe’s father’s father, which would be his grandfather… Which would be Joe’s grandfather. And Joe’s grandfather’s brother, which would be Joe’s great uncle, etc., etc.

Joe goes on to say, “the men totally cooked.” And Joe says, “I mean, I just said my dad was a great cook. He learned from his father, my grandfather, who was a great cook. My grandfather’s brother, my great-uncle…” And I say, “Mm-hm.” And Joe says, “he was a great cook. So it really wasn’t a gender specific trait in my family. And I think as a result…” Or Joe is saying, I think what happened from this. Now going back, gender specific trait… This is something done only by a man or by men or only by a woman or by women. So something done only by a male or only by a female. For example: Sewing is thought of as a gender specific trait. I do not know a lot of men who can sew. Gender specific trait.

And then Joe goes on to say, “uh, we weren’t afraid to be in the kitchen.” So he’s saying, we weren’t worried about not knowing how to cook.

And then he goes on to say, “And my father allowed us to. So, uh, y’know… And my dad was always good about teaching me how to cook. I mean I remember this one time… I was a little kid. I must have been six years old. I wake up on a Sunday morning. And I go downstairs and I say, uh, ‘Hey Dad, can you make me French toast for breakfast?’”

Now French toast… This is just a breakfast food. French toast.

And then Joe goes on to say, “And I remember him saying something like, ‘Okay, yeah, I’ll make it for ya.’”

Ya is just short for you.

And then Joe goes on to say, or his dad is saying, “‘I’ll teach you how to make it and then the next time you make it for me.’” And I just laugh and say, “That’s great.” And then Joe says, “So I was thinkin’ this is great! I’m gonna be able to make French toast for myself whenever I want. And then, y’know, also I wanted to try and impress my dad…”

Or he’s saying, I wanted to show my dad I could make it.

And Joe says, “uh, y’know. So I wanted to make it for him, too.” And then I say, “Uh-huh.” And Joe says, “So, y’know, that was, y’know, that was something that was a bonding experience with my father and I as well.”

Or he’s saying, with my father and I also. Now going back, bonding experience… This is something that makes people become closer. Bonding experience. For example: When I was a child my mother used to read to me. It was a bonding experience.

Okay, this is the end of the vocabulary lesson for the conversation “Parents.” So if you need to, go back and keep listening until you have a basic understanding of the vocabulary. And when you’re ready to move on, go to the mini-story.

See you next time. Goodbye.