Barbecuing and the Fourth of July.   The Fourth of July is this country's Independence Day--the day that the original thirteen American colonies declared that they were "free and Independent" from the British Crown--that we were a new country, "conceived in liberty" and no longer under the rule of George the Third--or any other monarch--nor part of the British Empire.

As expected, this didn't go over too well in England and they promptly sent a retinue--several retinues actually, a whole bunch of 'em--of British soldiers to remonstrate with us.   However, they quickly learned what we ourselves have not yet learned--you cannot beat an enemy engaged in guerrilla warfare on its own territory.

(they didn't really learn the lesson either.  Nobody seems to have, yet.)

In any case, five years later we signed a peace agreement that essentially granted America its independence from Great Britain.   At that point, the people who declared independence thought we ought to have some sort of founding document or set of overarching laws or legal principles that would distinguish us from other nations.

So, for instance they came up with the idea that you cannot be put in gaol for criticizing a politician.   Politicians used to love to cut opposition off at the knees by throwing their critics in prison and at times executing them.   The framers of the American Constitution decided that that was unacceptable. 

The American Constitution also guarantees the freedom of the press--reporters cannot be jailed for printing things that American politicians don't like or don't want to hear.

The American Constitution also allows us the free exercise of religion--that whatever religion you are, as long as you aren't hurting anyone, you have the right to engage in religious practice as you please.  (or not, if you please.)

Mind you, these were all concepts that were new-ish in the world at that time.  Or if not "new" per se (they were derived from the Greek democracy of classical Antiquity and the Roman Republic and other sources) they had fallen out of favor with humanity for a long, long time.   The framers of the Constitution felt that America was a kind of "experiment"--they set it in motion and let it go.

July 4th means many different things to many different people in America, but to Americans it is a kind of microcosm of America.   That's why we barbecue.   We get together with our neighbors and our communities, because in the end America *is* the small towns and the neighbors and all of us.   And while we all have our own feelings about things, beer, grilled chicken, steak, Italian sausage and things like that, hot on the grill, tend to evoke feelings of conviviality and togetherness.  Neighborliness if you will.  How can we be Americans if we do not know our neighbors?   How could we have *become* an independent nation if we hadn't known our neighbors?

if you are not from here, or if you are a New American, and you are invited to a barbecue--if you can eat meat and are not vegetarian, you want to go with a dish like biryani or something similar--hot, spicy, and kind of heavy.   If you are vegetarian--try fried, spiced chickpeas or naan and a yogurt dip.  If you are Polish or German, go with Bratwurst.   If you are Russian, a bottle of cold vodka would not be out of line unless you know that the people around you are not drinkers.  If Japanese, you cannot go wrong with a six pack of delicious, cold Sapporo beer.   If Chinese, make homemade egg rolls if you know how. 

But aren't these not American foods?  "American food" is a mishmash--a combination of the cuisines of a thousand different nations through time--all the people who have come here, passed through here, made friends here and been neighbors here.

All right? All right.  Happy Fourth!  Oh--the fireworks.  Kids may like them but the crowds are big and the noise is loud.   They may not be like fireworks you've experienced in your native land, and in New Jersey anything heavier than sparklers are not legal.  But other things are legal in other states.  Check the laws in your state to see what is legal and what is not regarding fireworks.

All right?  All right.  And remember if you are interested in American Idioms and American slang, check out my American Idiom of the Day Twitter Feed.  For information about ESL and accent reduction lessons, either by Skype or in person, take a look at David Berlin's ESL and Accent Reduction Training website.   For more tricks and tips (FREE!) on ESL and accent reduction, check out my David Berlin ESL YouTube Channel.   All right?  All right!  Happy 4th of July!

AN AMERICAN IDIOM FOR THE LATE SPRING

I live in New Jersey, and New Jersey in the Spring means the spring rains.   In America, we have an expression:  "The calm before the storm." 

"The calm before the storm" refers to that sense of eerie, otherworldly quiet and stillness before the wind begins to howl and the heavens open up.   In business it refers to a brief calm period before things get complicated, active and/or difficult.

For example: 

Joe:   "We haven't had much new business since the Vermont people found another vendor..."

Bill:  "its the calm before the storm.   There is a Korean conglomerate that wants us to work with another vendor to get something out by September.   If we can pull it off..."

Joe:   "if we can pull it off,we're in the pink."

OH!  That leads us to another American idiom.   "In the pink."   The idiom "in the pink" means in good health or strong and vital.   In the conversation  between Joe and Bill, Joe is saying that if they can get the job done (the idiom "pull it off" means "get it done") their company will be "in the pink"--in good vital health.

All right?  now you've got three idioms for the price of one (FREE!)  But seriously speaking, why not give me a call at (732) 807-5424 if you are interested in ESL/accent reduction lessons--I will work in person anywhere in NJ or Manhattan and via Skype (or any other videoconferencing software you want to use) from anywhere else in the world.   I have worked with Chinese in China, Turkish folks in Turkey, Taiwanese folks in Taiwan, Russian folks in Moscow--all kinds of folks everywhere. 

My Skype ID is david.berlin.esl so you can reach me that way if you like.

Or, for more tips on American idioms and accent reduction, check out my American Accent Reduction and ESL Training YouTube Channel.  Or, check out my American Idiom of the Day Twitter Feed.

American English and Accent Reduction Training website for details on what I do and how I do it.

All right?  All right!

Next time...

All right?  All right.

SUMMER IS STARTING!

Well, summer is starting.  I am working in New York on Saturdays, so if anyone can use my services in Manhattan on Saturday, I'm happy to meet with you.

Here is a video that better explains how to make the /l/ sound.  This is a bit different from the usual method, but you may find it helpful if you've really had trouble with the sound.

Here's another video with some /l/ word drills.   Chinese, Korean, and Japanese students often have difficulty with the /l/ sound and differentiating between the /l/ sound and the /r/ sound.   My understanding is that this has to do with these languages not really having these sounds as distinct and separate sounds.  In American English, the /l/ and the /r/ sound are very distinct separate sounds.

All right?  Check these videos out and let me know in the comments if you like them and remember, if you are interested in ESL or accent reduction lessons, or need help making American style small talk, or you just want to become more confident speaking American English, or need help with American cultural issues and misunderstandings, give me a call at (732) 807-5424 or check out the David Berlin's ESL and Accent Reduction Training website or my American Idiom of the Day Twitter Feed  or you can email me re: lessons at this email link.  Or check out my David Berlin ESL YouTube Channel.

All right?  All right.  Hope to hear from some of you over the summer!  if you have been putting off lessons, now's the time!  Call or email today!