Ask Canguro 002
This week’s questions:
VOCABULARY QUESTIONS
- How do we use the word indeed?
- What is the difference between to side with and to agree with?
- What is the difference between shade and shadow?
ETYMOLOGY QUESTIONS
- How do contronyms form? (Example: to dust)
- Why are there some Greek words in English that differ from modern Greek words? How did this happen?
PRONUNCIATION QUESTIONS
- Advice on learning minimal pairs (bad vs bed, etc)
.THE BIG QUESTION
- Is it true that learning grammar is useless or unnecessary?
List of Highlighted Vocabulary
Note: The following words were mentioned in our podcast conversation.
Extra:
- advice: suggestions about what someone should do
- brutal answer: a very honest and direct answer
- contronyms : words with opposite meanings, also known as Janus words
- emphasize : to make something more important
- fine powder: very small, dry particles
- gender bias: unfair preference based on gender
- humid air: air that is warm and full of moisture
- hyper-focused: extremely focused on one thing
- hypocrite: a person whose actions contradict beliefs
- idiot: a very foolish person
- indeed: Many definitions and translations. Frequent ideas include: yes, in reality, in truth
- Janus: the Roman god of beginnings and endings
- lampshade: a cover around a lamp bulb
- old-fashioned: not modern or common anymore
- overlap: to partly share the same area or ideas
- oversight (management): careful supervision of something
- oversight (mistake): an unintentional mistake from not noticing
- pathetic: causing pity because of weakness or sadness
- Pirahã: an Indigenous people and language of Brazil
- political party: a group sharing political goals
- posh: elegant, expensive, or upper-class
- rumors: unconfirmed stories or information
- shade: darkness from blocked light
- shade (colors): a darker or lighter version of a color
- shades: informal word for sunglasses
- shadow: a dark shape made by blocked light
- shadow of a doubt: the smallest amount of doubt
- shadow of himself: a weaker version of who they once were
- shadow puppet: a figure made using hand shadows
- Shetland: a Scottish island group
- skill: the ability to do something well
- steering wheel: the wheel used to control a car
- subtle: gentle and not obvious
- to agree with somebody: to have the same opinion
- to chase perfection: to keep trying to be perfect
- to criticize: to point out faults or problems
- to dust (a cake): to lightly cover with fine powder (chocolate, etc)
- to dust (the table): to remove dust from a surface
- to have doubts: to feel uncertain about something
- to hold fast: to stay firm and not change
- to live in somebody’s shadow: to receive less attention than someone else
- to screen a movie: to show a movie to an audience
- to seed a garden: to plant seeds in the ground
- to seed a watermelon: to remove seeds from a watermelon
- to side with somebody: to support someone in a disagreement
- to slap somebody: to hit with an open hand
- to throw shade: (informal) to criticize someone indirectly
- two-faced: dishonest by acting differently with people
- toxic mentality: a harmful way of thinking
Contact us
Send a voice message: Go to canguroenglish.com/ask-canguro/ to record your question for the podcast.
Send an email: For comments, questions, and suggestions, write to us at podcast@canguroenglish.com.
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